<p>Well IMSA takes into account your school too, and the oppurtunities that they give the students. </p>
<p>@kidfood did you apply to imsa last year?</p>
<p>@priyaluvsbooks I couldn’t, I didn’t have the high school level science, so I was unable to apply.</p>
<p>@kidfood when I applied last year, I was invited with around 10 other 8th graders who did not make it in for the 8th grade interview. The admissions counselor told us that, we had almost made it in, however some of our SAT scores were somewhat weak. Anyways, she also gave us a lot of the tips for the essays, applications and more. For example, there is a question on the sat asking for an innovative solution. well IMSA is really big on water conservation. However,I had not written about that, instead I had written about engineering etc. She told me to do the same thing this year because the admission’s counselors get bored reading the the same boring essays about water conservation projects, solutions etc. As a result, when your essay is about something different than any other person’s then your application stands out, and as a result you are more likely to get in. I got a ton of other tips from her. If you need some help then just ask. </p>
<p>Water conservation seemed very vague and common to me anyway, the biggest worry I have now is my SAT score. If your SAT scores are weak, then mine won’t even be considered. I have no time to study due to excessive amounts of school work and I only have one opportunity to take the SAT for admissions since in January I have regional competitions for FBLA and I am busy during November. I didn’t realize the amount of opportunity I had during the summer, but all that went to waste.</p>
<p>@priyaluvsbooks </p>
<p>Well, you should start studying now, and if you really want to go then start waking up earlier and simply give practice tests. A tip for critical reading would be, reading really hard, scientific books, because then your knowledge for critical reading will increase. My advice for January would be that, even if you can’t study a lot, still give it if your free that saturday. I mean, chances are that your score will probably increase not decrease. and an added advantage is that you can study during Christmas Break. </p>
<p>P.S the January test date it the 13th. Right after Christmas Break. </p>
<p>Actually, the test date is the 24th. The deadline to sign up is the 13th, if it was the 13th I would have been able to take it but sadly I am not.</p>
<p>oh woops. well, can’t you forgo one of the activities on saturday? I mean its not that big of a deal… is it?</p>
<p>Didn’t you mention that you have a brother? Does he go to IMSA? Or did he apply? @kidfood</p>
<p>@priyaluvsbooks I don’t know where I mentioned a brother, but I do have one. He didn’t know about IMSA and I learned about IMSA through a family friend.</p>
<p>yeah, you mentioned your brother when we were talking about how IMSA discriminates on race. </p>
<p>@priyaluvsbooks have you submitted your IMSA application yet?</p>
<p>nope. i wait for the day that its required to turn it in so that in case i have any ideas i can add them or remove some things if necessary. also all the state and regional competitions are in january for me so, i can add more meaningfull awards than the ones i have from 8th grade. </p>
<p>So, currently I’m a 9th grader at palatine high school at creating my application for IMSA. Over the past 3 years, I’ve maintained a solid 4.0 gpa unweighted and of course with getting A+ in my AP HuGe class this year I have somewhere over a 4 gpa. In terms of classes, I’ve always been in advanced math and english in the 6th grade year moving onto to honors Geometry and advanced reading in my 8th grade year. I am in honors algebra 2, honors english, and honors bio, and AP huge currently and project lead the way, and spanish 2 again with a 4.0 + uneweighted gpa. Starting with 6th grade, there weren’t many clubs but I was in engineering and “math” club and I was the student council president in 6th grade which included giving the speech for presidency and other speeches during the school year if that counts towards leadership skills. In 7th and 8th grade, I was a starter for the math team and scored highest in my school and team total in the contests in 8th grade. I was also a participant in the 8th and 7th grade science fair winning bronze and silver medals in the respective years. Another thing alongside the 6th grader presidency that I believe will make me one of the more unique applicants for IMSA, is that in my 7th and 8th grade years, I was the starting center for our basketball team and I basically have a starting spot for my 9th grade year as well. In 8th grade I was also in track and we won a district gold medal if that counts. Adding on to leadership skills, in my 8th grade year, I was a peer leader, which is basically like a national honor society mini version created by my district’s jr highs where you apply out of hundreds of students and get selected and I was the leader in that group and gave speeches and presentations. Ending my 8th grade year, I gave the closing graduation speech as well! In my 8th grade year, I tied 2nd for both math team’s AMC 8 and 10 contests and I was in a robotics class where we made a 10 story elevator and we got 1st place if that is relevant. I was an American Legion award finalist but it was awarded to a person of higher minority level and it’s what literally my principle told me otherwise I would’ve won it. Idk why he told me this btw. P.S., I’m Indian he was Mexican and my best friend! Anyway, again, 4.0 weighted for all 3 years and 4.0+ unweighted and for my 8th grade year I received numerous academic awards including a golden tassel for my success. Moving on into my freshman year, I currently am a starter in math team, part of science olympiad, again plan to play basketball and tennis, and part of scholastic bowl. I took a practice SAT and scored it and took out the writing score cause it’s irrelevant to IMSA and I got 560 on reading and 670 on math and it’s obviously not my best work but I heard it was a perfectly ok score for IMSA alongside my other accolades and statistics. So now I ask you, my peers and more acknowledged ones, what are my chances at IMSA? P.S, my teachers love me and I’m sure my 8th grade teacher who is my favorite and vice versa will write a great extra teacher report. Thanks. My weighted gpa is actually around 4.7 which is the max and btw sorry for the long paragraph. Rate my chances pls?</p>
<p>longgg paragraph. okay so, in the application I would suggest mainly putting the activities in which you have actually won someting in. And definately studdy for the sat. We must remember that IMSA (sorta) discriminates on race too. So if your Indian then you have to get a higher score on t he SAT. and if you African American then as you are a minority the sat score can be a bit low as well. Everyone who I know is indian and goes to IMSA got an SAT score of at least 1360. So you need to study a little bit more and bring up that reading score. My sat score at the moment in a 1370 which is okay, but to be sure I will get in, I will need to bring it up to a 1390-1410 ish. I know all this cuz i applied last year to IMSA, however even tho i was not accepted, I was invited to take part in an 8th grade interview with 12 other 8th graders, these students almost made it into IMSA however they were not allowed because their sat score should have been a bit higher. But yeah. The SAT score is what matters here. </p>
<p>@priyaluvsbooks so suppose my sat scores are the same, do you think I’ll at least get in with having to take the summer excel course which I am perfectly fine with?</p>
<p>Well, the average for the class of 2017 (sat score wise) was a 1330 including sat scores of the minorities. And you have a 1230 combined total. So honestly you should probably take it again. The summer excel course if for if you bomb the placement test. And the fact is that since your Indian their gonna be super hard on you. As a result your sat scores need to be at least a 1300 to be waitlisted (since most waitlisted applicants are minorities) and a 1330 to be considered. And to know that you WILL make it in definitely would be a 1390-1410 ish. If your sat scores are that high then honestly they’ll just take you as long as your teachers don’t make you out to be a devil and your essays are at least decent. So I mean its your call, but I would definately take it again. I mean I’m taking it again even though I already got a 1370 to be confident about my scores. and honestly it doesn’t hurt to take it again. They consider the highest score anyways. </p>
<p>@priyaluvsbooks Alright thanks for the advice, although, I saw another freshman indian like us get a 480 cr and 610 math which totals up to 1090 get waitlisted so I have really no clue what to think, but obviously I’ll aim for higher scores. </p>