NCSSM Chances?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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<p>I'm a rising 10th grader in Durham, North Carolina. I've heard that my region is fairly competitive considering that NCSSM is located here. In my school, they usually only accept 1 but I heard in the c/o 2014 1 was accepted and another was wait listed and eventually got in. So, here's what I look like:</p>

<p>NOTE: Since I go to a small school, they hardly offer AP classes. It scares me that the amount of AP classes I'll be able to take will be nothing compared to other applicants.</p>

<p>9th Grade Classes -
Biology Honors A (99)
Health Team Relations A (98) <em>A required elective in my school</em>
World History Honors A (99) <em>Combined w/ English 1 Honors</em>
English 1 Honors A (99) <em>Again, look above.</em>
Algebra II Honors A (100)
Pre-Calculus A (97)
Office 2010 A (100) <em>Required in my school</em>
Health/PE A (99)</p>

<p>10th Grade Classes (Possible/Don't know Schedule) -
AP Calculus AB
AP Environmental
AP Psychology
Health Science 1 <em>Required</em>
English II Honors
Spanish I
Personal Finance <em>Required</em>
*** Is this enough or should I apply for an online AP class? My school allows 1 online class on top of your 4 classes each semester. ***</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (9th) -
HOSA
Taekwondo (5 years now)
Lipdub Committee
Yearbook
AHEC
Student Body
Total Youth Ministries (Youth Church Group) 5th year</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (Possible in 10th) -
HOSA (Secretary)
AHEC
Student Body (Class President)
Yearbook (Possibly Editor)
Science Olympiad (Maybe)
Taekwondo
Libdub Committee (Maybe)
Volleyball (Maybe)
Prom Committee
Total Youth Ministries</p>

<p>Volunteer -
Durham VA Hospital (100+ hours) <em>Trying to get Mayor's Award</em>
Taekwondo (100+)
Church (40+)
<strong>Will try to get the Harp Corps (similar to the Mayor's Award) this 2013-2014 school year. It requires 50+ hours.</strong></p>

<p>No clue how well or bad I'll be able to do in the SAT. Another guy in my school got to take APES this semester so he's a little above. We're both ranked #2 but it only counted our 1st semester grades. He'll be bumped up by #1 after they count APES. He's also applying for NCSSM (Remember, they usually only accept 1 in our school). He LOVES to lie in applications so I don't know how that will go. The #1 person took an online class that's why she's above us, after our AP classes she most likely be bumped down. This year there are 97 students in my class. We're the biggest class and the c/o 2014 is in the 70s, I think. My class is also the most competitive. Well, me and the other guy.</p>

<ul>
<li>Think I have a pretty good chance? </li>
<li>My school is medicine based, I want to be a Radiologist. Should I stay in my school where I have the possibility of being #1/Valedictorian or be an average student at NCSSM? </li>
<li>Is NCSSM worth it?</li>
<li>The "highest" college students in my school can get in to is UNC. I want to go to Stanford since their known for Radiology. Advice/Suggestions?</li>
<li>I'm a little strong in math. However my vocabulary can be better than it is. I'm scared for the CR and Writing sections in the SAT. Do SATs matter as much? What score should I aim for?</li>
<li>Sighhh, Am I trying too hard for one school and relax?</li>
</ul>

<p>Ahh, thinking about NCSSM stresses me.</p>

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<p>ok, srry for the SUPER late reply, but anyways, im a guy from ncssm class of 2014. alright let’s get started. </p>

<p>so first off, u have a very competitive resume here, and ~3 APs is normally not something to laugh at.u have a lot of ECs and u CANNOT let those leadership positions go if u want to get in. normally i would say that u r pretty much set to go.</p>

<p>HOWEVER, i have to be honest. since u r in durham, u r probly gonna be in CD 4. this is not just a “relatively competitive” district, but rather the most competitive district. everyone applying to smath from there will be competitive. 3 APs will be fairly average and your ECs may even look rather mundane. u HAVE TO do well on the SAT in CD 4…everyone from CD 4 scores well (yeah…it rlly sucks). do not think that the other guy from your score will be your only competition.</p>

<p>on a good note though, u have a superb community service record, which will definitely stand out. but simple community service doesnt mean much, try to do something with it.</p>

<p>ok, now that the difficult part is out of the way, let’s see if ncssm is worth it for you. ncssm CAN help u a lot. ncssm has a number of anatomy and physiology courses that would definitely be useful for someone interested in radiology. also, there are a number of programs that could help u with radiology, like research and mentorship. talk to teachers. make connections. work your butt off. that is how one can truly survive at ncssm. it’s a great place (note that great is a neutral term…) and if u go here u may hate it, and u may regret it, but i can promise that it is a once-in-a-lifetime-experience that will change your life. the choice of whether or not ncssm will be worth it is ultimately dependent upon your own determination and will. glhf</p>

<p>One more thing: if u do choose ncssm, u will have to work hard to earn the many great opportunities that they offer. unless u r an extraordinary genius, no one is going to offer u any kind of opportunity for free. FACT: THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE BEST AT NCSSM DO NOT NEED NCSSM TO DO WELL. so get that idea that if u stay at your old school the best u can do is UNC.</p>

3

<p>@ProblemSir - </p>

<p>I didn’t see your reply until now and I’m hoping that you’ll still be able to see this reply since I need as much advice as I can get before applications are open.</p>

<p>So, about the whole AP classes thing. I have no idea if I’m even going to get all 3 of them. Since there are only a few AP classes that my school offers, all the upperclassmen are trying to get them in preparation for college. Our guidance counselor let the seniors get the classes they want first, then the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen. That means I’m 3rd in line to get those AP classes. I got my schedule the other day and I have no AP classes the 1st semester, technically. What I mean by technically is that my school found a loophole where they’ll place you in an honors class the 1st semester and the AP class the 2nd semester since people in the past did poorly in those AP classes. For example, they’re placing in Calculus AB Honors during the 1st semester and AP Calculus AB the 2nd semester. That means that 1 class is taken away from me. I also have no idea if I’m going to get AP Psych or APES at all since they placed me in Chemistry for my science. Would my 2nd semester classes even matter since it won’t even show in my transcripts by then?</p>

<p>Oh, and for the SATs. Do you have a general idea of what score I should aim for? I have other questions but I don’t want to overwhelm you, sigh.</p>

4

<p>Update:</p>

<p>My 1st semester classes will be: English II Honors, Calculus Honors (read post above for explanation), Health Science 1 (Required in my school since it’s in the medicine pathway), and Chemistry Honors. I’m trying to push for an online AP class but my guidance counselor hasn’t replied to my email.</p>

<p>Instead of doing 100 hours at the Durham VA Hospital, I did relatively 40-50 hours there and 60 hours in Duke Gardens at a children’s summer camp.</p>

5

<p>Still looking for help.</p>