<p>I've been scared to think of my own future in the next couple of years. This is mainly due to the fact that my GPA is abysmal compared to the standard I hold myself to (3.7), I have zero extracurriculars or CS hours, and my SAT preparation scores aren't up to par. Also, my school only offers 1 AP for half of freshmen and all of sophomore year which I didn't get into, and my GPA only allows me to take 2 AP's in junior year. (100/99 average allows 5 AP's).</p>
<p>What should I do? How should my mentality change? My goal and the "finish line" has always been a top 20 college... but that seems like more than just a reach. I hate to hear the words "Maybe you should have lower expectations".</p>
<p>Sit down with your parents, and find out how much money they have available for your education. As you can see from the posts here at CC, lots of people get into a top-number, but can’t attend because of the money.</p>
<p>Even if you have perfect grades, exam scores, and ECs, admission is not guaranteed at the top places. </p>
<p>Lastly, you need to think about what it is that makes those top institutions so attractive to you. Graduating from one guarantees absolutely nothing other than an annual letter from the alum office asking you for money.</p>
<p>You should be thinking instead about potential careers and the learning environments you are most productive in. Look for places that fill your needs and fit your budget. Maybe some will be top whatever, but I am quite sure that not all of them will be.</p>
<p>You have time to change the ECs and CS hours. Have a busy summer. Find a passion. A 3.7 GPA is good enough to get in anywhere. Start working on the rest of your resume. Take your two AP classes and do well in them. Two AP’s junior year and two AP’s senior year is good enough to show colleges you can do college level work.</p>
<p>Expand your horizon. Why do you want a top 20 school? For the name? What are you looking for from a college? Urban or rural? Size? Swarthmore College is very different from Princeton which is very different from MIT? All three of these colleges are top 20, but they are not the same. If you look at what you want from the college experience, and a lot of this experience happens outside of the classroom, you will find a match at only a couple of the top 20 schools.</p>
<p>What goes into the rankings and how does it affect you? Financial aid is usually a component of the rankings, but all that matters to you is if you get financial aid. Faculty/student ratio can be a component, but doesn’t always correlate to class size. Look behind the curtain and you will find a quality education that fits your personality at schools ranked 20-50, or 50-100.</p>
<p>Don’t go to a top-20 school because it is top-20. Go there because it fits you. A good education and an unhappy life will not benefit you. Find the right fit for you.</p>
<p>College is not for everyone, and it shouldn’t be. You do not seem to like or do well in academics and the whole game that surrounds them. Perhaps you would be happier learning a skilled trade? Electricians, carpenters, plumbers can enjoy genuine job security because those constantly-needed jobs can never be outsourced oversees. And some recent research has shown that a plumber may even earn more in his lifetime than a GP doctor. Maybe time to really think outside the box.</p>