Actually if you read real books rather than surfing Wikipedia, you can use that as something you do for fun.
My daughter talked about loving mystery novels at her interviews.
I don’t read real books. Do you think I could get away with writing “nothing noteworthy and I do not feel like padding my resume with a pointless list to sugarcoat it”? I feel as if there really is nothing I can do about it at this point other than simply face it since I am not going to be at my high school senior year.
Seriously, with all due respect, get a job.
I would have to rely on my parents to take me to and from work and it would be too much of a risk. I really do not want a part-time job at this point. In addition, I have not even started on my essays yet.
Volunteer, so that your schedule is less restricted. Is there any public institution within walking distance or near a bus line? Food bank, library, a grade school hosting summer classes?
There is not. I live in an area in the middle of everything, but nothing is close. Even then, my parents would not let me volunteer without them there. If it was convenient, I would have no problem doing that, but having my parents around controlling every aspect of it ruins the experience for me. I doubt there’s a way for me to volunteer online without my parents knowing.
NM. NWTE.
Would they be willing to do a family project? I like to volunteer and the food bank since there is no prep needed and they constantly need help. Sign up , show up.
That is exactly what I would not want be doing. They would be stricter on me than any advisor.
So it is more of a ‘parents too much in your business thing’ rather than a lazy thing. That’s tough and saps your initiative.
There are WW1 diaries that have been digitized and need indexing. https://www.operationwardiary.org/#/about
That is one of many projects on this platform where the average citizen can make a difference.
edited to add: don’t worry about not having started on the essays. My kids didn’t start until October.
Here are all the projects broken into categories.
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects
thank you
At least that’s something, even if it’s not noteworthy enough to put on my application.
I think noteworthy is in the eye of the beholder. WW1 diaries could send me all over the internet and library for hours. What other forces fought? Which colonial territories sent soldiers? Who were the ANZAC? What were their losses? Bake the cookie named after them. How are Australia and NZ commemorating the 100 anniversary? How did the war shape those countries? Read William Manchester’s biography of Winston Churchhill.
All of a sudden there is the intellectual curiosity that colleges want to see and an essay topic.
@FrostEagle , I am almost wondering if you are not just posing a hypothetical challenge. A highly academic student who literally does nothing but watch tv and read not-real books is a challenge for a diehard CC’er. You seem to be summarily rejecting all suggestions, but I will play along. Apply to McGill and other foreign unis that only look at stats. Or only apply to non-selective unis here that are stats driven. You do need an interesting essay though. I suggest you write what you suggested earlier. That’s quite daring. Good luck.
I’m not making up hypotheticals, and in reality my transcript is even more complicated than this. I really do not want to deal with going to the UK and any foreign language university is out of the question.
Freshman year Sem 1
US History 99 A
English I 98 A
Financial Lit 90 A
Biology I 90 A (ex-college professor, fill in the blank tests, did it without a textbook because he lost mine)
Algebra I 90 A
Comp App I 90 A
Freshman year Sem 2 (Transferred middle of the year, military)
Sociology 84 B (teacher said I was a control freak that cared about no one)
Biology I 98 A (teacher loved that I had great leadership skills)
US History 100 A
English I 89 B (she lost my notebook in the class and I was failing at one point, so I did ALL my work over spring break)
Online Algebra I 68 D (missed EOC also)
Online Psychology I (90 A)
Online Critical Thinking & Study Skills 90 A
Introduction to Information Technology 100 A
Not allowed to take AP Psychology at school because my sociology teacher blasted me to my guidance counselor at the time.
Sophomore year Sem 1:
World History Online Sem 1 75 C
World History Online Sem 2 75 C
Liberal Arts Math 1 95 A
Spanish I Online Sem 1 80 B
Spanish I Online Sem 2 85 B
Algebra I Honors Sem 2 Grade Forgiveness Online 85 B
Physical Science Honors (changed schedule 3 weeks in, was originally recommended for AP Physics, but said I was afraid of labs)
Environmental Science 98 A
English II Honors 84 B (had to sign a waiver to get into class mid-semester)
Sophomore year Sem 2
Liberal Arts Math 1 91 A (new teacher)
Physical Science Honors 95 A (new teacher)
Environmental Science 90 A
English II Honors 99 A (new teacher, should have been higher if he put in the extra credit he said he would)
Online Spanish II 85 B Sem 1
Junior Year Sem 1
Online Spanish II Sem 2 90 A
Online Algebra II Honors Sem 1 95 A
Online AP Psychology 95 A
Literature in Media Honors 99 A
AP Environmental Science 90 A
English III Honors 89 B
Geometry Honors 92 A (full year)
Junior Year Sem 2
150 on PERT Math convinces guidance counselor to let me out of precalc, 121 on other two
Lit In Media Honors 98 A
Online Algebra II Honors Sem 2 93 A
AP Environmental Science 99 A
English III Honors 80 B
Online AP Psychology 98 A
I also have a 504 that gives me 50% extra time due to a learning disability starting the very end of my junior year, but honestly does not affect me in the way that they think it does. Oh and I read through my file when signing up for dual enrollment and my parents told me the wrong diagnosis, which was obviously an honest error on their part. I also have a slight physical disability. In addition, I go to one of the most rigorous public schools in my state.
I was also falsely accused of cheating by my English 3 Honors teacher on my essay about the corruption of the American dream because my writing improved by about two grade levels all of a sudden near the fourth quarter.
No, none of this is fake.
Well, at least I might be able to come up with a good essay topic after having to think about this.
McGill is in Montreal, Canada, is highly respected around the world, and is much less expensive than studying in the US. Classes are in English.
I am not a person who wants to try and figure all that out, but are you sure that’s a 3.8? And did your school give credit for all the online classes you took? What is your actual SAT or ACT score?
I recommend your guidance counselor at school explain your disabilities in her letter of rec. It’s much more credible that way. The counselor can also perhaps explain why you took online courses. You can’t say anything on your app about the sociology prof, lost notebooks, textbooks, or new teachers. Those things will all sound like excuses. Your grades are your grades.
If you think the bio teacher will remember you, that might be a good person to ask for a rec.
It’s a 3.8 because of grade forgiveness. I just put everything that I thought might sound relevant on there.
My SAT score without 50% extra time is 1280.
So what is it with extra time? Are you definitely getting extra time?
50% extra, I got it last time on the SAT, but I haven’t gotten my scores back yet. I had time to triple-check my answers in math, and I actually finished the reading section this time instead of 2/3 of i t.I know for sure I got a perfect score on the math because of the curb. It’s visual spatial skills that I am supposed to be getting it for, but my parents told me it was for fine and gross motor skills, which actually matters A LOT, so much so that I actually am able to find a way to combat it.