<p>hey guys!
i'm currently a freshman at a pretty competitive school in SoCal, and I really really want to go to Yale. it's been my dream every since i could remember..</p>
<p>i really want to major in something related to international relations and education, like helping children with education around the world</p>
<p>these are the courses i took in freshman year:</p>
<p>H Algebra 2
H English
H Coordinated Science
H Global
Spanish I</p>
<p>I got a 4.0 both semesters</p>
<p>and my schedule for sophomore year :</p>
<p>apush
H Coordinated Science 2
H Pre Calc
H English 2
Spanish 2</p>
<p>I was also on the varsity girl's golf team..</p>
<p>and i'm also going to a volunteering trip to the dominican republic over the summer! is there anything else i can do to show passion in education and helping children?</p>
<p>Most So.Cal schools operate on a double-semester or trimester block system with a max of 5 90-minute classes.
And jang, your freshman year is outstanding. Keep it up, and I would say if I had to choose one thing to improve your application, go tutor. There are lots of volunteer opportunities for student-to-student tutoring and it tends to be an easy way to show a passion for teaching.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that volunteering in the Dominican Republic is that advantageous (unless it is a very specific activity), as schools have caught on to these activities, which tend to favor those who have the financial means to do so… If you are volunteering to help children, I’m sure that many opportunities exist close to home.</p>
<p>^^ I agree. As many high schools these days require community service hours in order to graduate, colleges are discounting service hours – especially those that require parents to pay money for a trip to a foreign country to help the poor. FWIW: My son, who is a rising junior at Yale, and my daughter who attends another ivy. had zero community service hours on their r</p>
<p>Strongly agree with Psych and Gibby…Yale et al in recent years have become suspicious and caught on to so many students going “abroad” to do “something” (you name it)…for some “humanitarian” community service…especially when most American kids can provide this kind of community service in South Central LA or Compton or other areas closer to home…too many applicants mistakenly believe this is “essential”…on the contrary…it may actually backfire… </p>
<p>…and by the way, you don’t need to go through a “checklist” of “activities” you HAVE TO DO…you have to decide if you want to be an “all-arounder” or “lopsided specialist”…</p>
<p>…today, Yale and its peers seem to prefer lopsided specialists…both my children were lopsided specialists with minimal community service hours as well…there just wasn’t enough time in the day for them to pursue this…and that’s okay.</p>
<p>…on a more optimistic note, it seems you are a serious varsity golfer…if I were you I would focus on being the best golfer in your county, then region, then state, then try to get a national ranking…</p>
<p>…because the best way to get into schools like Yale is to become “RECRUITED”…athletic recruits trump all other TOP applicants (even prodigies) in that they find out where they are going in early fall…way before SCEA December decisions come out.</p>