I'm very worried about how my easy schedule will look to colleges

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

So I’m a junior that will be in the class of 2019.

When I was a freshman, I decided not to take any honors nor APs so that later on in high school, I can determine which courses I should do for honors. I managed to pull more As than Bs and even got a C in Environmental Science.

Sophomore year, I decided to take on handling one honors course: Spanish 2 Honors. The unfortuante thing was Honors had ZERO weight in your GPA, which absolutely hurts. I ended up with more As than Bs again.

Come junior year, I moved cross country to Massachusetts. My original plan in terms of Honors and APs was to take Honors Pre-Calc, Honors Chem, and AP Lang. However, my counselor at my new school put me in all normal courses, so the only Honors course I am in is Chamber Orchestra. I am, however, considering a move into Pre-Calc Honors next semester.

I am REALLY worried because things unexpectedly made a turn and I feel screwed over with a lot of things, especially the move. I want to go to college, but I’m worried I won’t be able to with the light-weighted courses I’m taking.

Right now, my GPA is a 3.6. Here are colleges I am thinking of applying to:
Framingham State University
University of Massachusetts Boston
University of Puget Sound
Colorado State University - Fort Collins
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
(If there’s a college out there that encourages me to apply for a full ride, I’d enter that’s college as my seventh spot. If not, that spot goes to the University of Illinois)

I want to do well and get into a good college, but I’m worried because a lot of things made me not able to do Honors or APs as early as I wanted.

Based on how well I’m doing in school right now, I plan on continuing Honors orchestra as well as doing AP Calculus, AP Human Geography, Honors English 12, and maybe a couple more advanced courses.

What should I do? Also, if there are any good colleges you guys would recommend for people planning to double major in computer science and mathematics?

2

University of Alabama usually gives fulll rides with an ACT scores above 32. I believe. Correct me if I’m wrong

3

@NASA2014 Bama does not offer any full rides. The Presidential used to cover full tuition but now it’s a set amount each year that is close.

4

They never gave full rides for that score, it was full tuition only but it’s now changed and it’s a 25k award toward tuition for an act 33 so the applicant’s parents are on the hook for about 20k now. We have no idea what @simberry will get on the ACT OR SAT.

Try to switch into precalculus honors next semester (go see the teacher NOW because you’ll have a lot of catching up to do).
See if there is any semester-long honors class and take that. You should be able to indicate to your GC that you have a very good record so far, with more As than B’s.

What classes are you taking exactly? Please list them.

Have you prepared for the PSAT? The SAT? Taken practice tests?

You aren’t limited to 7 colleges. Nowadays most competitive applicants apply to more (10 is a normal number for competitive applicant, especially those who seek merit).
Many colleges have free applications. It’s not the same as a full ride. Look up the conditions - they may advertise the full ride but if year after year their awardees have 3.98 GPA/1480 SAT, don’t waste your application there unless you have at least 3.8/1450…

5

@MYOS1634 I took two PSATs and one PSAT10. My score for the first PSAT in fall of sophomore year was a 1090. My score on the PSAT10 in spring of sophomore year was 1120. I took the second PSAT this past fall and haven’t gotten my score yet. Also, I have a 3.6 gpa, but my new school uses a 5.0 scale, so if you take that into consideration, it’s currently a 3.78. If you put that onto a 4.0 scale, it’d be roughly a 3.65.

6

Can you list the clasees you’ve taken in eaxh category
English (language arts, literature, creative writing…)
Math
Foreign language
Science
Social science
Art/technology
Other

7

@MYOS1634 Also, as for my current courses, here’s what I am taking with the unofficial semester grades:

Chamber Orchestra (honors) - A+
Adventure II - A
Health 11 - A
Chemistry - B
Multimedia - A+
Pre-Calc - A (was A+ but I have a missing assignment)
English 11 - A-
US History II - A

Of these courses, it is impossible to take honors in health or physical education courses (such as adventure II or health 11).

8

Can you follow the format in #5?

9

English - English I, English II (American Studies), and English 11. Plan to take English 12 or 12 Honors senior year.
Math - Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II/Trig, and Pre-Calc. Plan to take AP Calc senior year.
Foreign language - Spanish I and Spanish II Honors. Might consider taking a 3rd year in senior year.
Science - Earth/Environmental Science, Biology, and Chemistry. Plan to take Physics Honors senior year.
Social sciences - World History, US History (American Studies), and US History II. Plan to take an AP Social Science senior year.
Art/Technology - String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Multimedia. Plan to do Chamber Orchestra again senior year and maybe Intro to Computer Science.
Other - Career Pathways, Team Sports, Adventure II. Also, I have a study hall next semester.

10

OK. Now I can help.:slight_smile:
Try to get an A or at least B+ in English this year to switch to English honors next year; see if your GC would allow you to switch to Honors for spring, talk to your English teacher first, say you wanted to be in English honors but since you transfered in you were placed in regular anyway, ask if s/he thinks you could switch to Honors this Spring, and if s/he says yes go see your GC.

Math: try to switch to precalculus honors and aim for a B+ and higher to qualify for AP Calc AB. That would be the most rigorous math sequence at most high schools so colleges would be happy with it. If not possible, ask your math teacher for extra work to follow what the Honors class is doing and ask him/her for a recommendation next year.

Foreign language: definitely take Spanish 3 since most selective colleges want level 3 at a minimum.

Science: good plan.

Social science: AP Human Geo or AP gov could be good picks. AP human geography is easier so it might be better for you since you’d go up in rigor a lot.

Art/tech: good, stick to your plan.

Since you have a free period (currently a study hall), instead, take a semester class. A light schedule with a free period on top of it isn’t what you want. So, find something to take, something academic, with reading or writing perhaps. Possibly an honors semester class if those exist?