I know this is a lot but I really need some insight. My counselor and people at my school don’t give me honest answers and seem to hold back when I ask about my answers. I’m tired of the just work hard and you’ll get it answers. I want to know if I actually have a chance at going to a school like duke, northwestern, or and ivy (i know its very very unlikely lol I want to apply just to apply since I get free college applications at school)
Let me elaborate on my school and personal criteria so you can see what my chances are, and bear with me, I’ll try not to make this long.
I am a junior currently in my second semester looking to go to a high tier college with a top undergraduate business program. I spent 3 years in Ethiopia, coming there after finishing 7th grade in Maryland. My dad wanted to bring our family closer together so he brought us there. Ironically they divorced the third year. Then I came back to Maryland on my own and live with my uncles (extremely foreign, don’t do much for me. I’m basically on my own). My grades from Ethiopia got messed up when being transferred and for some reason, my 9th grade GPA is much lower than it’s supposed to be. I have my old school’s transcript tho and had a meeting with them. It should be cleared up soon. I can get really good recommendations so that won’t be a problem. I also have the moving to Ethiopia scenario as something to use for my essay and something that can set me aprt from other applicants.
Academics:
The curriculum in my school back in Ethiopia was verrrry difficult and on top of that it when it was taught verbally it was mostly in Amharic (Ethiopian language). In my grade, no one ever received a 4.0, with only 3 or 4 students getting higher than a 3.5. I was in the top 10% in my school with my ave GPA for 9th and 10th being 3.3. That was actually considered very good in my school plus it was my second and third year learning in another language. Here’s my class schedule
9th grade-
English
Math (wasn’t grouped into geometry or algebra. It was a mix of everything. It had some precal but also would miss a little algebra content)
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
History
Geography
Civics and Ethical education
Information tech
Amharic
P.E.
10th grade:
exact same schedule as 9th just with more difficult content
11th grade- 3.85 uw gpa, 4.57 weighted. Got As on everything except AP us hist. first time learning us hist, it was kinda hard. Plus I’m not a history person lol
AP Language
AP US history
Honors Precal ( should have been in calculus but they thought since I was in “Africa” my math abilities wouldn’t be good enough
Foundations of Art (need it to graduate, didn’t want to take it
Honors health ( also need it to graduate, with P.E. too. they didn’t accept my credits from Ethiopia
AP environmental science
Chinese 1
12th grade schedule (already did it with my counselor)
AP Calculus BC
AP Econn macro/micro
AP Lit
AP Psychology
AP NSL
2 period internship at financial consulting or banking firm ( our school has an internship program that selects certain students and allows them to have an internship as a class).
This summer:
-computer science classes, coding classes, and college course at my local community college
-Either get an internship at some Financial consulting or banking firm or job as a caddy at the country club to start networking
-I also got into this leadership program for the summer in my city that a bunch of kids from the schools around apply for. If you get in you create a summer project that accumulates to like 200+ hours. I’m creating a pre-highschool career camp for middle school kids so that they can know what classes to take in high school and how to prepare their high school years to get into a good college.
-Also applied to the Questbridge Scholars program. I’m not sure if I’ll get in or not but I hope I do
Scores:
no act yet, taking it in june and sept. Took the practice act the summer before 11th grade with no prep and randomly filling in the science section (had a bad headache and I couldn’t do another question)and got a 27. Hoping to get a 32+ after prep
No AP scores yet but I know im getting a 4 or higher for AP lang, 5 for AP enviro, and 4 or higher for AP US
EC:
-Stock Market Club 11th grade-member- new to the school so I couldn’t get a leadership role yet
-Model United Nation-best delegate award 10th grade, honorable mention 9th grade, almost won best delegate in NAIMUN conference in 11th grade but couldn’t come the last day
-Leadership Club-VP 10th grade
-Peace Club-treasurer 10th grade
-Math Club-member 9th and 10th grade
Sports:
-Point Guard and captain of school jv team in 9th grade
-Point guard for varsity team in 10th grade- won the championship for our school in our division, I was the second leading scorer on the team
-Track and Field 10th grade-Ran 400m hurdles, awarded 3rd place, won 4th place in the 4x75 relay
-Point Guard in Addis Ababa Basketball Federation-team captain and won 2nd place in our division, top scorer of our division
-couldn’t play for my school team in 11th grade because I fractured my thumb so the coach had me manage
Community service-
-Tutor at MUIAT AID 9th and 10th
-Volunteer at Nehemiah Autism Center 9th and 10th
-Volunteer, Andinet International School Clothing Drive
-Creating middle school career program this summer