<p>I need a strategy.
Most people in the city I live in (Laredo, Texas) attend a local college or limit themselves to Texas, I wanted, and still want, to go beyond. With the circumstances I face now, however, I’m not sure if that’s even possible anymore. I am a sophomore in high school in desperate need of a strategy. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I must include every detail. This the jagged road set before me:
School:
Like I said before, I live in Laredo, Texas. So far, I have taken these classes:
· 9th grade:
· 1st semester:
· Spanish 1
· English 1 Pre-AP
· World Geography Pre-AP
· Principals of Health Science
· Communications Applications/Health (Half a semester each)
· 2nd semester:
· High School 101
· Geometry Pre-AP
· Biology Pre-AP
· BIM 1 (Microsoft Office, basically)
· Spanish 2
· 10th grade (current year):
· 1st semester:
· English 2 Pre-AP
· Art 1
· DIM (Photoshop and the sort)
· Spanish 3
· Algebra 2 Pre-AP
While I love my teachers, I also realize that the curriculum is bad. I wanted to go to boarding school, but could not do to financial issues. At my friend’s boarding school, they have more advanced classes and a much wider variety. There are more literature classes and history classes (both subjects that I am interested in.) UISD (my school district) doesn’t care about humanities at all. Also, I wanted to skip Pre-AP World History (seeing as it’s a waste of time, in my opinion) and jump straight into AP World History. However, my school does not allow that. I feel like everyone across the country is learning more than I am.
Most of the students that attend my high school go to a local college (which aren’t very good) or San Antonio (better, but still not very good). Even the valedictorian of my school went to TAMIU (a local university). My GPA as of now is about 3.5 unweighted, which also worries me. I have bad grades in English and Algebra, but I can get raise them to at least a 90 each. I also have difficulty studying well. Most students that go to top universities already have great studying skills by now.
Extracirricular:
I’m not a master at anything. I’ve heard people say that unless you’re a champion looking to be in the Olympics (or the highest level of said activity), colleges won’t care about it at all. In played the viola in middle school orchestra but stopped since my high school doesn’t have orchestra. However, I could eventually get back into my city’s youth orchestra. I also recently joined a swim club and really want to join my high school team soon. I started this year, so I won’t be nearly as good as the others who have practiced for many years. Will colleges still acknowledge that I swim?
This year, I joined my school’s newspaper club. I’m really excited because I want to be a writer, and this is a great way to start submitting stories and articles, even just for my school. I would love to attend a university like Emory University or Johns Hopkins University (as they offer great writing and literature programs) and maybe even get a PhD in literature. My friend recommended that I if I get a PhD to get it at a prestigious university so that I can teach at higher levels. But, like I’ve said, I don’t know if that’s even possible. I’m also in Beta club and Interact, both organizations that help with community service (which I barley have any hours for).
Another thing that might help is that I’m in Boy Scouts and soon to be an Eagle Scout (the highest level). Apparently, that looks good on college applications.
Extra information:
I know that most students who attend prestigious universities plan and prepare since middle school. This is also a huge blow. I am barely considering a great university. Does that mean it’s too late? My friend’s sister attended the same school I did. They had even worse problems than me and, according to my friend, did not do very well their first years. However, they turned their situation around and reached fantastic new heights. One of them went to Villanova and Cornell just to name a few (I think she went she switched schools throughout the years) and go accepted into many other prestigious universities. His other sister got a PhD in literature and is now seeking work in New York. How they did that, I have no idea. Can I change my situation like that too? My friend and his sisters are all very intelligent. However, I feel that my brain capacity is low. While I may just be thinking negatively, I frequently find myself confused by concepts I should know and even clumsy sometimes. Is that another bad factor?
Regarding the SAT, I have not studied at all for it. I take the PSAT this October. Does studying for that help with the real SAT? Many students study for it years before they take it, so does this mean I’m going to do bad.
Finally, I don’t know Spanish. Most people in Laredo can speak Spanish fluently, as we live right across the Mexican border. Both my parents and most of my family members can speak Spanish very well, yet they never taught me. This is also sucks because I know that being bilingual not only helps tons on college applications, but it’s also an incredible asset to have in this world. I want to learn Spanish and other languages, too, yet it’s really difficult for me. Should I try to learn Spanish in a year?
For everyone that read this far, I give you great thanks. I apologize if my cry for help sounded like rambling. I just don’t know if I can have a great future anymore. Is it even worth trying anymore? I want to go beyond the limits that most students in my area set for themselves. I want to attend a prestigious university and study literature. Do I even stand a chance? What should I do in all of these aspects? I am a small individual still holding on to my last bit of hope. Is it worth seeking the light at the end of this deep, murky tunnel? I need a strategy. One that will help me defeat every obstacle that stands before me in this shadowy dungeon and emerge from this terrifying chasm, even if it means using every bit of the limited resources before me. People of the world, I anticipate your responses. God bless you all! </p>
<p>Can you boil it down to 2-3 specific questions?</p>
<p>Can I start preparing to go to apply to a prestigious university sophomore year, since most students prepare since 8th grade/9th grade?
How can I stand out for the application process?
Are my classes okay/Is it too late to start taking AP courses?</p>
<ol>
<li> Get your grades up. You say you want harder classes in your discussion of boarding schools, but you have only a 3.5 GPA (not sure if that is weighted or unweighted). If you need help with study skills, search online for websites with tips and try them out. Keep taking the hardest courseload your school offers and get good grades. You don’t have to take EVERY AP course, but 2-3 a year is a good idea if you are able to.</li>
<li> Figure out a few extra curricular activities you LIKE and pursue them in depth. Sounds like you are on track for Eagle Scout – if you like it, finish that off. Newspaper club and swimming seem like they are exciting for you, so focus on those as well.<br></li>
<li>Don’t worry about the PSAT this year, your are a sophomore, right? It really only counts next year as a junior, that is when you can move forward as a national merit finalist if you have strong scores. If you want to study for the PSAT, wait until next summer. Right now, try to do well in your math and English classes, they will do you the most good in test preparation anyway.</li>
<li> The biggest thing that stops students from leaving their home states for college is that it is cheaper to go to an in-state college. Each college has something called a Net Price Calculator on the financial aid page of their website. I would say early next year, Junior year, you should ask your parents to help you run some of these on schools you are interested in, and ask how much they can contribute financially for college. It is hard to pick colleges now, though, as you have no test scores and that is a big factor in your admissions chances.</li>
<li> A good way to learn about colleges is a book called the Fiske Guide to Colleges.<br></li>
<li> If you want to visit colleges, try a few different types. Look at a big state university, a smaller liberal arts college, a more rural school, and a more urban one. You can get a feeling from schools in your region of the country to know at least what types of schools like.</li>
</ol>
<p>Why would anyone care if you speak Spanish in the application process? Ignore that.</p>
<p>@intparent WOW Thank you so much for your answer!!! I will definitely follow trough with your advice!!! My 3.5 GPA is unweighted I believe and yes I will become an Eagle Scout by next year. You have no idea how much I appreciate your contribution! May God bless you!!! 
</p>
<p>OP, I think you may be overestimating the amount of work and preparation required to get into a top school in some areas, and underestimating it in others. I’m a student aiming for top schools, but I didn’t study for years beforehand for my standardized tests or plot out my ECs. I agree that your GPA this far could be a problem though. Top schools are looking for an unweighted GPA of 3.7+. I know it’s hard when you’re not interested in the classes, but buckle down and try to aim for all As. </p>
<p>Another thing - you may want to look into online resources. You can take online courses from Coursera, edX, Udacity etc, and that would demonstrate some initiative on your part. </p>
<p>Don’t worry about the PSAT. Take it and see what happens. I considered my sophomore year PSAT a baseline and a diagnostic - what I could get without studying and what I would need to devote the most time to studying. No colleges will ever see it, so there’s no need to stress out. </p>
<p>And finally, you need to remember that colleges judge you in the context of your local area. If most kids in your high school go to 2-year schools, you look all the more impressive by aiming so much higher than everyone else. If your school only offers 3-5 AP classes, they won’t compare you to the kids who have 20+ APs offered to them and only choose to take 3 or 4 of them. It’s not too late to start taking AP classes. In my school (one that offers 20+ AP classes), freshmen are prohibited from taking AP classes, and only two or so are offered to sophomores, so you are not necessarily behind the curve. </p>
<p>The biggest thing you shouldbe doing is getting your grades as high as you can. You are saying you want to go to a top university, so you need to show you can do the work. Like others say, its okay to start taking AP classes junior year…most people do.</p>
<p>Thank you butterfreesnd and bopper for your advice!!! I will definitely follow through with it!!!</p>