<p>i go to a tiny private high school, but it is not tiny because it is prestigious. no. it is tiny because it absolutely sucks. this is not an exaggeration. it is a bowling-alley-turned-school for muslim students. any advanced classes we get are due to the grace of god and the fact that the teachers love us. in addition to that, we have about 35 high school students (9-12). said high school students are the most negative, uninvolved people on earth. add to this the fact that i hardly knew what college was until junior year, and you have one poor junior who is going to end up scrubbing toilets. </p>
<p>more seriously, i have taken AP Language (4) and Biology (5), scored a 217 on the PSAT, and am in yearbook, newsletter, honors committe, asb, and have a 4.0 unweighted and 4.5 weighted gpa. i am in ap calc ab, chemistry, and literature this year. i was a semifinalist in the usabo last year. i have a 1470 on the sat, but will take it again. i experimented with volunteering at a nursing home (about 15 hrs.), but fled before i lost my mind. i also instituted a tutoring program at school last year, but the idiots didn't care enough to show up. i have spent about 100+ hrs. as a volunteer lab tech at the school. i speak persian fluently. i have absolutely no other talents. </p>
<p>do you have any suggestions? what can i do to prevent myself from being rejected from any and all schools?</p>
<p>um....i don't reallly understand what you are complainig about either other than that your school is small. Take a look at some other schools around the country where the teachers don't give a crap, there are no AP courses, few students even break a 1000 on the SAT, and the drop out rates exceeds that of college acceptance. Basically, suck it up. From what you have said your school doesn't sound half bad, and it sounds like you've been given some pretty good opportunities with upper level courses. With your GPA and SAT scores I don't think you'll have much of a problem getting in where you want.</p>
<p>If by "any and all schools" you mean Harvard, yes, you might not get in. But your stats are great, your background is unusual, and you really have very little to complain about. Also, retaking the SATs is really not necessary - there's a significant chance you might go down, and 1470 is high enough for any school.</p>
<p>Sometimes I wish my school had fewer opportunities so that I wouldn't look like such a slacker. Every other town in my county is teeny tiny and has teeny tiny schools with no advanced courses, no D1-bound athletes, no NMSF. I'd be a star.</p>
<p>but there's opportunity everywhere. in fact, colleges often prefer students who take initiative (courses at local colleges, research, volunteer work, activism, etc.) over students who stick to the average american clubs (key, nhs, student government). besides, this is probably really good for your college recommendations. i mean, if there are no other good students, the teachers must be amazed by you.</p>
<p>a lot of people on the forum talk about research. what can i do about that? summer programs like rsi aren't an option becaause i have to babysit my siblings.</p>
<p>"what can i do to prevent myself from being rejected from any and all schools?"</p>
<p>For one, you could stop whining about your school that "sucks," and instead you could start viewing it as an asset when you apply for college admissions. </p>
<p>Elite colleges want diversity of all kinds including students from unusual types of educational backgrounds. The things that you are complaining about your h.s. are things that would make you stand out in admissions. It's tiny, Muslim, manages to have APs despite having a tiny student body, has teachers who care (thus, you have the chance to have very personal recommendations).</p>
<p>Your scores and grades are wonderful, which also are big plusses as are your ECs. That you have to babysit your sibs over the summer also is a plus. Elite colleges like students who have to take on major responsibilities for their families of origin.</p>
<p>Stick around CC, including hanging out on the Parents' Forum, where you'll find lots of wisdom. With the right attitude, you can parley your unusual background into some nice college admissions, including (depending on where you apply) probably nice merit aid (just realize that HPYS and similar schools don't give merit aid).</p>