Hello everyone, I am currently a junior in a school which is considered to be quite bad in state rankings (unlike many kids’ schools on here, we might get one person who gets into Harvard every five years, making it to the local newspaper lol). I think of myself as a sort of well-accomplished student and for the whole time in my school, I thought that my achievements would stand out in my community, which would ultimately land me a good spot at a top-20 LAC or something of that sort. In september, I may be moving to a city full of very smart and accomplished kids, going to school that sends around 4-5 kids to Harvard every year. Since colleges like to compare students in context to their communities, my accomplishment would seem very meager in comparison.
Would changing schools like that and spending last year at a well-regarded school with comparatively small personal achievements yield a positive or negative reaction from colleges? If I were to get recommendations from my old school, would it be possible to erase any confusion on the matter?
I was never faced with a decision like this and would certainly appreciate some wisdom on the matter
TomSrOfBoston, people look at this sort of stuff ironically in my town, as we have some violent neighborhoods that contribute to this being the case and it’s hard to perceive this seriously all the time, and, more than anything, I’m using this to give some contrast to what my question is. We can’t all be perfect
–Many people move so that is not all that unusual.
–I’d guess that the choice to move or not to move won’t be yours but it will be dictated by your parents. Don’t anguish over something you can’t control.
–You should send transcripts from both high schools to your colleges. If you move, talk to your guidance counselor at your current school and ask how to arrange this when it comes time to apply.
–I would suggest asking teachers from your current school to write recommendations. Typically people ask junior year teachers as the recommendations are generally done too early in the senior year for teachers to have a really solid opinion of a student.
–If you move, you could ask your new guidance counselor to discuss your move in his/her letter of recommendation.
–Your move and the area you grew up in can be addressed in your essay if that is the story you want to tell.
–A positive thing about moving is that if you can do well in your new school you can show that you are able to succeed in a more academically rigorous setting.
–Don’t compare yourself to others. Stand on your own accomplishments.
–As I would tell everyone, apply to a wide range of schools that appear affordable. Don’t get too caught up in any one school, the rankings etc. There are tons of amazing colleges out there that can give you a great experience and get you where you want to go in life.
There will be no confusion. As said above, this is hardly a unique situations; AO’s see it all the time. That said, yes, I would suggest getting your teacher recs from your current school. Your GC rec will need to come from your new school.
@happy1 's post above is well-done. I’d suggest following her advice, as she does have quite a bit of knowledge. Good luck.
