<p>Do I have a chance to get to the top schools considering that I had lived in the Philippines for the past 16 years and just came in the United States a year ago. It seems unfair because my school in my country does not offer any honor courses so I end up being stuck in A level classes. But it is definitely not my fault. But then now that I am a junior, I end up finding a way to get to chem honors and algebra 2 honors. The school let me repeat the things that I had studied in my country. It is really difficult. I don't want to have false hopes but do I still have a fat chance if I prove myself in the SAT and extracurriculars? I am 17 right now turning senior next year... I definitely gonna take the science and math honors but I cant take the english and history honors because I need to take US 2 during my senior year and the english honors for seniors is collaborated with AP european history. There is no way to fit it in my schedule. I am definitely behind but it is not my fault... Can I reason this out to the colleges that I am going to apply. I am a Filipino-Chinese. I can speak Chinese too.. I am just disappointed for the crookedness of not having a chance to have rigorous courses! I just want to challenge myself but the system here will not even give me a chance. :-( I am highly motivated and first in my family to get to college.</p>
<p>It depends where you want to attend. I’m pretty sure UC’s like diversity, so it may work to your advantage. But if you aren’t referring to California, then I can’t tell from what you’ve provided.</p>
<p>I am from New Jersey</p>
<p>If you’ve shown yourself to be extraordinary in other ways, top colleges will not count lack of rigor when you arrived against you.</p>
<p>I think I will try to compensate it by doing a research at Columbia University… but I am not sure yet…</p>
<p>You can do that, or just have a high SAT score. </p>
<p>You’re trying to make the argument that the classes you took do not reflect your aptitude, but rather your circumstances (coming from the Philippines). If you follow up that argument with a 2300 SAT score, that certainly gives you some credence that you’re a “top student”. If, on the other hand, you earn a 1500 SAT score, that gives the impression that you’re an “average student”. </p>
<p>You can try to distinguish yourself other was (e.g. research), but realistically, if you have non-honors courses and an “average” SAT score (especially on Math, which you can’t blame on language), it will be a difficult case to prove.</p>
<p>Probably. I think the bottom line is really the SAT. If I can’t prove myself by not having the stellar honor courses in my transcipt, then probably I can prove myself in the SAT. I am just a little perplexed because if I will be disqualified with my acceptance because of my unfair situation then I am thinking that I am not evaluated correctly. I will also study hard to ace my SAT II’s Any other advice?</p>