Is it too late?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Hello, I'll be starting as a junior in high school in the fall. I am not quite sure yet what I want to major in, but I do know I would like to attend an Ivy League school, preferably Princeton, Harvard, or Yale. My tenth and ninth grade years I wasn't too involved with anything though, and some of my classes were random electives, my GPA has suffered (Ranked 17/581). I also do not have favorable PSAT scores and so I am not looking forward to the SAT. I am not familiar with the SAT Subject Tests and so I am assuming I will do badly on them. </p>

<p>I see all of you on this forum with ridiculously high scores on everything and wonder how you guys do it? My school doesn't even offer too many AP classes. I am quite smart but my whole life until now I haven't had the desire to go Ivy. I feel as though even if I tried super hard for my eleventh grade year and somehow got mediocre scores on my tests it would be wasted effort.</p>

<p>I don't even have room in my schedule for high up classes all around due to my ninth and tenth grade mistakes. If I wanted to take three SAT subject tests it would be hard just finding three I took hard enough classes in to understand the test questions.</p>

<p>Are a lot of you people who get accepted into Ivy League colleges the people who plan out life at age 10? </p>

<p>Is there still hope, or should I just go to The University of Florida, still a good school, but not "special"?</p>

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<p>Hey there! </p>

<p>I know exactly how you feel. As of 10th grade I had zero idea of what I wanted to do with my life. My best advice is to find your passion and start pursuing it vigorously. Ask yourself: “What makes me truly happy?” and try to become the best at it. The rest will fall into place. It did for me: I’ll be a freshman at Harvard next year.</p>

<p>As for course selection, take the hardest courses you can. You don’t necessarily have to be in top courses in every subject area, just work hard at what you can. The scores will follow as you learn to think critically and logically. </p>

<p>As for subject tests, you have a wide variety of options. The most commonly taken are:</p>

<p>Spanish
French
Math I
Math II (Pre-calc & trig stuff)
U.S History
World History
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Literature</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

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<p>P.S, my PSAT was also bad. <200. </p>

<p>I ended up w/ a 34 on the ACT first try without preparation. It’s no bigee.</p>

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<p>It worries me that some people think that it’s the end of the world if they don’t get into at least one Ivy League. And as I say that, I have to swallow my own words: I was DYING to go to Harvard…but I’m so much happier at my second choice, and I’m literally grateful I did not get in, because this past year has just been so completely magical. My first year of college was the greatest year of my life.</p>

<p>Ivy League schools are not that different from the other top universities (Duke, Emory, University of Virginia, Georgetown, Stanford, and so on) or liberal arts colleges (Williams, Amherst, Davidson, Harverford, etc.) in the nation. Keep in mind that plenty of students who get in and attend these schools often actually turned down Ivy offers. As for Ivy League Admissions? At any Harvard info session, you will be told that up to 90% of Harvard applicants are qualified. That means that once the “unqualified” applicants have been chucked out, it’s primarily up to chance and desirable demographics…or sometimes one very small thing that makes you stand out against the backdrop of thousands of other applicants. I’m not saying it’s not “special” to be accepted at an Ivy…it’s incredible! It’s such an accomplishment, and you’re literally one in thousands! But I’m saying it can even be a positive thing to end up elsewhere. </p>

<p>It’s a name thing. And if you’re just looking at these schools for their names, you might end up incredibly unhappy matriculating at any one of them. You need to physically go visit each of these schools, sit in on classes, take tours, and maybe even spend the night. You need to see what the students are like. You have to suspend your previous admiration for any school and take it for what it is when you’re there.</p>

<p>Expect a lot from yourself, do your best, and of course try for the Ivies…but know that other tops school are not just “the next best thing”: they’re on the same page.</p>

<p>As for state schools like UFlorida? They can be pretty incredible, too. The experience is what counts. You only live once. You should go to the school that seems like YOUR best match. Ignore prestige. Try to focus on what will make you happy with a school, again, ignoring prestige. Because when you get there, prestige melts…you see that the people there are real people. If someone is too absorbed in the prestige of their institution, these real people are not likely to think much of that snob. </p>

<p>Is it too late for you? No, it rarely is. 17/581? That’s outstanding. Often the top 20 ranks are all within tenths of a GPA point away from each other. Junior year? This is your most important year…they’re less concerned with how you’ve done freshman and sophomore year, and if anything, a massive improvement from your first two years into your second two is just as impressive as making all A+'s straight through all four years.</p>

<p>Sort of what Ace is saying: Do your best. </p>

<p>And then just hope for the best.</p>

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<p>Reading all of this I’ll have to do a lot of thinking, finding true happiness is a hard thing to predict. Thanks for the answers, I understand now. It’s not what society decides is good, but what I do.</p>

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<p>Exactly :)</p>

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<p>Junior year is very important. Pull it together! Don’t worry about the subject tests yet – you can take those at the end of the year. Study for the SAT. It’s a standardized test. you can study for it. People with high scores don’t get those scores by chance most of the time. I started with a 180 on my psat and look where I ended up. </p>

<p>Amplifiar, “Expect a lot from yourself, do your best, and of course try for the Ivies…but know that other tops school are not just “the next best thing”: they’re on the same page.”</p>

<p>Yes they’re on a similar page, except for the price tag that separates them from Ivy League schools. </p>

<p>Also – a rank of 17/580 is extremely good. That rank is not what will keep you out. </p>

<p>You need to be involved in something outside of school though. Actively, wholeheartedly involved. That’s a major help.</p>

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<p>It’s not where you go, but what you make of your education from wherever you go, and what you do after that, and after that…it just keeps going. :)</p>

<p>Good luck wherever you end up going!</p>

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<p>Really good posts, everyone. :]</p>