Thanks for answering! It’s very helpful because it helps us determine rigor and thus how competitive the combination of grades&courses really is.
Sounds like you’re good rigor-wise, except for social science/history.
Yes, i forgot to add that i am taking ap psych and ap computer science A during junior year.
My apologies!!
Also, i took algebra 1 during freshman (due to i couldn’t take a placement math test cause of covid)
I did double up during sophomore year (geo and alg) and earn A’s in both. Will me taking algebra 1 during freshmen year look bad to top colleges
Yes, I am taking it as an elective class during Junior year!
No, as long as you get to Precalculus or Calculus (honors, AB, BC).
Now, you can focus on your most important colleges: your safeties.
You need 2 that share key characteristics with your favorite colleges… except they’re easier to get into - you’re a shoo-in.
To make things harder for you, the safeties need to be affordable as per NPC (*) - “affordable” in this context means you can afford the net price based on what your parents have told you they can afford.
If you haven’t discussed costs and budget with your parents, go online with them, check out the cost of tuition+fees+room+board at your state’s flagship: can they afford to pay for that from their current income and their college savings? if not, what can they start setting aside for you each month? Even $500 will make a difference down the line. Do you know your EFC? Most parents have a heart attack when they see what their EFC amounts to, and worse when they’re told this is the minimum colleges will expect them to pay.
If they can’t afford your state flagship “at price” nor their EFC, it means you’ll be hunting for merit, which means you’ll be building a different list than if your parents can afford their EFC and/or can afford your flagship.
Safeties need to be affordable without parental loans so they need to have characteristics that matter to you AND be easier to get into AND be within budget. That’s why they’re the most important: they’re the hardest to find.
“easier to get into” could mean: high acceptance rates, you’re in the top 10% of their accepted numbers (top25% if acceptance rate is 60% or higher), special relationship to your HS, you meet an institutional need, ie., you know they look for sth you have (ie., you’ve been part of band camp at that campus for 2 years and you know there’s a spot opening for drum major and you happen to be a drum major…)
but same vibe… same environment… as your top choices.
What is important to you?
Do you like interactive classes and contact with professors? Or would you rather sit in a large lecture hall and not be called upon?
Do you want big spectator sports with teams that win championship or football/basketball/Hockey that is broadcast on TV? Or do you want a college where it’s easy to get involved in club and intramural sports, lots of time slots for the gym, a climbing wall, a leisure pool…? Or would you rather sports to be an afterthought for most?
Is music important to you? Your faith?
Do you mind heat&humidity? Or is dry cold worse for you? Do you want to be near mountains or beaches (and do you want to be able to ski/swim)?
You mentioned Yale: what do you like about it (beside the fact it’s an Ivy - which is the worst reason to have).
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At least the one I know personally, who has to take apps home every night of the 7-day week to keep up, certainly has better things to do.
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