Is what I'm doing good enough to be considered for scholarships/important to colleges?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hello. I'm sorry if seems like common sense, but I'm looking for someone with experience on what colleges want to see, especially when being considered for merit-based scholarships. I need to know if what I have done, am doing, and plan on doing, is good enough or what changes I should make. I'm a female, white, sophomore high school student who goes to a well-regarded private high school in the southeastern US. As a sidenote, I'm not trying to brag on anything, I'm just not sure where I stand. These are the classes I will end up having taken when I graduate:
Freshman Year: French I, Bible, Honors English I, Ancient History, Honors Biology I, Wellness, Honors Geometry
Sophomore Year (where I am right now): Bible, Honors Algebra II, Chemistry, AP European History, AP Stats, French II, Honors English II
Junior Year: Bible, Honors Pre-Cal BC, AP Chemistry, AP US History, Honors Anatomy and Physiology, French III, AP English
Senior Year: Bible, AP Calculus BC, AP Biology, AP Government and Economics, Honors Physics, French IV, AP English
One problem is that I need to take an art credit, so I may end up not taking Honors Physics my senior year, because it is supposed to be taken on campus. However, I'm going to go to the counseling office and see if there's any possibility I could take a summer art class or work it out some other way. So that's up in the air. I've gotten all 95s and up in everything so far.</p>

<p>In regards to other things, I've swam on the swim team the past 2 seasons and done French Club. Because swim team only lasted for the first part of the year, I've worked at my school's Aftercare program for the second half of the school year for service hours and received the Presidential Service Award. However, next year, I'm thinking about getting a part-time job at a place like Ingles or something, I'm not sure. As I want to work somewhere where I can work at least 5-7 days a week, I'll have to figure that out. My dad worked at a grocery store in high school, so that's where I got that idea. </p>

<p>I'm sorry this is so long!! Do colleges/merit-based scholarships like to see part-time jobs? There's not any other available AP classes at my school, so I can't switch out any more classes for something AP. Also, in February I got a 30 on the ACT. Hopefully, I can improve my Math score with Precal though, because I got a 26 on the math section and a 27 on science, probably because I wasn't able to finish. My English was a 33 and Reading was a 34. </p>

<p>If you take the time to tell me how this measures up, I honestly can't even tell you how much I appreciate it!!!!!! I want to receive a full scholarship to college so bad; I know it would make my dad so proud of me, and I want him to feel like paying for me to go to this private school is worth it, because the public schools in my area are not that great. Thank you so much!!</p>

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<p>I’m a member of the Class of 2016. :)</p>

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<p>You can probably get a full scholarship, but to where is the question. The thing about merit-based scholarships is that they are awarded to the student who are at the top of the applicant pool. That means that you would have to go to a college that is “underneath” your credentials in order to be the top 1% that gets a full scholarship. If your willing to do that instead of pay to attend a more prestigious college, then I’m fairly sure that you could get a full ride. Also, many of the most prestigious colleges (i.e. Ivy League) give needs-based scholarships. The problem is 1) you have to get in, and 2) you have to qualify for needs-based scholarships (which I’m assuming you don’t). Good luck.</p>

<p>Chance back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1632523-chances-for-uva-cornell-carnegie-mellon-others-will-chance-back.html?new=1”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1632523-chances-for-uva-cornell-carnegie-mellon-others-will-chance-back.html?new=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@nflpackers96, Thanks so much for responding, I appreciate it. I don’t know much about this stuff. Although I have heard that need-based financial scholarships are better at more expensive/prestigious schools, so that’s good.</p>

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<p>^ yes, they are, but need is defined by FAFSA and the college, so you may or may not qualify for need based aid. As for merit aid, there are colleges that award merit aid to top applicants. The best thing you can do is to continue to be a good student like you are doing, and continue to pursue the activities that interest you. It’s important to do as well as you can on standardized tests: SAT/ACT, ACT and SAT 2 subject tests where required. </p>

<p>There are threads on CC of colleges that give automatic merit aid, and while this can change from year to year, it will give you an idea. Also start to do some research about colleges that fit you. Consider women’s colleges and also colleges outside the region where you live. </p>

<p>I am not associated with this website but I found it, and the book- to be a good discussion on what you are looking for. There is a focus on liberal arts colleges, so I would add to not exclude any state colleges that might interest you. <a href=“http://www.thecollegesolution.com/”>http://www.thecollegesolution.com/&lt;/a&gt; . When you make your list of schools, include the colleges that award automatic merit and apply early. Also add colleges that award competitive merit aid that you could qualify for- and while this is unpredictable- just like admissions- you just never know until you try. </p>

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<p>@pennylane2011 Thanks!! Hopefully it’ll work out. I’ll be happy if I can get a full ride to UGA, University of Tennessee, etc, but I was thinking if I improve my ACT and as I progress through high school and don’t lose focus, I might at least try to get a full ride to USC or something. I mean you never know until you try. Otherwise, I’ll go to Tennessee because out of state tuition/the expenses of a private college are too expensive. </p>

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<p>Except for automatic merit aid, competitive merit aid is unpredictable. Doing your best in school, following your interests, showing leadership- will maximize your chances. If your family is able to afford your in state cost of attendance, then you can assume that you will pay around that much for college. Some of the colleges you mention do award competitive merit aid in graduated amounts. When applying, you don’t have to limit yourself to state colleges though. Merit aid at a private school can possibly bring the cost down enough to about the same, and sometimes less. The website I mentioned has a book that explains this well ( I am not the author, but I did read it) and some of the info is also here on CC in the financial aid sections.
Start to research the schools that may be good fits for you. There are many possibilities. Look at the “Colleges that Change Lives” website for ideas. You’ve listed some public schools in your region, near you are Clemson, USC, UGA, but also consider Alabama, Auburn, Elon, Wofford, Presbyterian College (SC), Rhodes, Sewanee, Guilford, and more. Your chances of receiving merit aid are best when your credentials are at the top of the application pool. Women’s colleges can be a very good value and often have articulation agreements with other colleges: Agnes Scott, Meredith College, Salem College,
Naturally, apply to any of the Tennessee state colleges that interest you. That will be your “financial safety” along with any automatic merit aid awards you might qualify for. The others are unpredictable, but then, so is applying to colleges, and you may find yourself with some merit aid. </p>