Current Grade: 8
Applying for: 10
Note: I live in a very, very small town with few academic opportunities, which is a key reason I am looking for a advanced preparatory school.
Classes
English/LA: Sem 1 A | Sem 2 A
Science: Sem 1 A | Sem 2 A
American History: Sem 1 A+ | Sem 2 A+
PE: Sem 1 A+ | Sem 2 A+
Art (1 quarter): A
Health (1 quarter): A
21st Century Skills (1 quarter): A
Novels (1 quarter): A
Only class I am able to take for high school credit (Due to my school not being a strong believer in accelerating students)
Geometry: Sem 1 A | Sem 2 A (Uses a system called Standard Based Grading, which makes it impossible to get a A+)
High School GPA: 4.0
Extracurriculars (School offers nothing but sports)
Cross Country
Track
Standardised Testing
ACT: 31 Composit
Iowa Assessments: Consistent 99th percentiles in all subjects, with the exception of computation
Hook
Currently this is difficult due to the very limited opportunities that come with being in a small town, however I would like to take an online economics class through Northwestern University freshman year. I also am attending a Northwestern University 3 week summer program on small business startup. I will also attempt to start a stock market club once entering the high school. In short, my hook is focused around business/finance/economics
Thanks for the feedback!
Will you need financial aid?What region do live in? What race are you (I’f your a urm it could qualify as a hook).
Sorry, but you do not have enough special extra curriculars to stand out.
@22louisl that is extremely rude and un called for! Is it true that maybe he could add a few more ECs to make his application pop out and raise his chances of being accepted? Sure. But that doesn’t give you the right to be rude.
Boarding school applications are a gamble and one can never really know who will and won’t get in. Also, @TJA111 you said you were from Iowa? That is a under represented state so that could help you stand out. Good luck!
@22louisl My school offers nothing but sports (Football, Cross Country, Volleyball, Wrestling, Basketball, Track)
@CottenCandyTrill I will apply for financial aid, however if I do not get it I could still attend (Would be a major burden) I live in Iowa, and no where near a city. I am caucasian, but if people’s race gives them an advantage that is just sad.
@TJA111 Being a urm qualify’s as a hook because schools are trying to diversify their schools,I don’t think trying to add diversity is sad.You being in a underrepresented state can help though.One thing I notice though is that your putting lower standards for yourself just because your from a small town. If I were an ao I would be impressed to see you with multiple deep ec’s even coming from a small town. If I were you I would try to do get involved more with things that interest you and also new things.
@22louisl opinion on this matter is perhaps the most blunt true statement someone could give. If you weren’t from a small town like for instance being from major city in New England and had those stats, do you think you could get in?Probably not,Admission to these schools are crazy competitive. Overall try to achieve new things in your ec’s and you have a chance,everyone has a chance at getting into these schools whether it be a big one or a small one.
@CottenCandyTrill I strongly wish I could do more extracurricular, however none are offered outside of sports. The only way I can get involved would be to start the clubs myself (Which I plan on doing) or doing online courses (Will be doing this too). I am good at academics, not sports, so getting “deep ec’s” will be downright impossible through my school.
My main thing that I hope will help is that on the ACT I scored 97th percentile for high school graduates and 99th percentile for high school graduates in both science and reading, and 100th percentile in science against other 8th graders that took the test. I am going to be studying hard for the SSAT and hoping for 99th percentile
@TJA111 that is where your interview comes into play. You can describe the lack of what is available to you and play to the fact that that is part of the reason you want to attend. AO’s have a better understanding of what is available to kids from different communities and upbringings than say a 13 year old who had never gone through this process and has only been researching things for a few months. For example, kids of a low SES do not have the same opportunities for EC’s as a millionarire’s kid. They are trying to build an intentionally diverse communities. If everyone checked off all the same boxes, it wouldn’t be diverse. Show interest, show passion, and remember all you can do is your best.
You could attend a summer camp this summer on other things your interested in besides economics, if possible.Do you have any other interests beside economics?
@CottenCandyTrill
Oh yea, probably should have mentioned that. I took a selective 1 week boarding robotics course through the belin blank center at the university of Iowa, and am taking a slightly more selective 3 week boarding program at northwestern in Chicago on small business startup
I’m not gong to chance, because, well, I think chancing to any school with a <20% acceptance rate is pointless, when none of us are AO’s.
What I will say to the original poster though, is one should take advice from a teen with 13 posts who is not even in BS school yet him/herself with a grain of salt.
I will also say, despite advice given, the reality is that there are few EC’s that will “stand out.” Being an advocate for human rights and education for women which results in a Nobel Peace Prize “stands out;” Most everything else is fairly typical, but still good. AO’s are more interested that you have shown commitment and passion for something. Additionally, not all EC’s have to be school-sponsored, so don’t let that be an excuse. In fact, the more interesting ones potentially could be found outside of school.
Good luck.