<p>I am currently a junior at a very small rural public school in Illinois. I have an unweighted 4.0 GPA, predicted 30+ ACT score, plenty of meaningful activities, but I feel that I have had very few opportunities to make myself stand out. My school and community are very small. I am ranked 1st in my class, but of only 33 students. I plan on applying to a couple selective universities, Vanderbilt being my dream school. I know that course rigor is very important to them, but I'm concerned that it appears I have not challenged myself enough. Obviously my school offers no honors or AP courses, so I feel like that puts me at a huuuuge disadvantage. However, I have been taking 3-4 dual enrollment courses at the community college per semester and over the summer. Is this challenging enough? Normally students at my school must wait until their junior year, but I started 2nd semester of my sophomore year (could've done it even earlier, but transportation would've been a problem without a driver's license). The selective schools claim that they try their best to review applicants in the context of their respective schools, but I don't know if I believe that or not. Should I be worried about this? What could I do to increase my chances? I plan on taking 6 weighted classes next year, 4 of them being dual enrollment.</p>
<p>Do not worry. You will not be penalized for what your school does not have. What you are doing is fine. Max out the dual enrollment and let them know you would have started earlier, but lacked transportation.</p>
<p>The selective schools claim that they try their best to review applicants in the context of their respective schools, but I don’t know if I believe that or not. Should I be worried about this?</p>
<p>Yes, they do, and no you shouldn’t. It sounds like you are already making yourself stand out in the context of your high school.
Talk to your high school counselor- the person who will be filling out the counselor recommendation form. Ask him/her if they will check off that you have taken the most challenging courses available in your high school, and make sure that you let them know your goals. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know this person now, as they can be very helpful in this process. It sounds like your school is small enough that establishing a relationship with your counselor is a real possibility. </p>
<p>Agree with the advice above. I would add that you can turn this into a positive. You’re adding a kind of diversity to the selective schools you’re applying to. They have 8-AP students from big suburban powerhouses coming out of their ears. Tell them about your different experience in your rural community and at your tiny high school. It will be easier for you to tell a story they haven’t read 100 times before.</p>
<p>It shouldn’t matter. It’s not something you can control. </p>
<p>I agree that it should be no problem. In fact your background may provide some geographic diversity for a school like Vandy and end up being a positive. Along with your application, your HS sends a school profile. The colleges will know what was and what was not offered in your HS and judge your transcript accordingly. It is a very good that you are taking some CC classes because it show an willingness and ability to do college level work.</p>
<p>Students are evaluated within the context of what is available and what advantage they have taken of opportunities at their school, in their community and on their own.</p>
<p>As indicated above, get to know your guidance counselor. Max out on dual enrollment. In particular, if there are subjects you really like, try to take sophomore-level classes in them. See if you can enroll in summer programs at your state’s university or if there’s a governor’s school. Prep seriously for the PSAT (use number2.com, it’s free and targets your weaknesses to help you improve) so that you have a shot at National Merit (= BIG scholarships there, lots of full tuition/full rides.) Since you’re likely to take the ACT as part of junior year, don’t go cold and try to take it once before the “mandatory” test, so that you stand out in your high school.
Approach your favorite teachers junior year (they’re likely to be the same that you have now). See if you could do an independent study with one of them on a topic you’re passionate about. Additionally, start talking with them about your goal so that they can start compiling little anecdotes about you. Since there are so few students per class, most of them are likely going to local directionals that don’t require recommendations - and recs to highly selective universities have to be crafted carefully. Spring Junior Year, register with Questbridge (if your family is middle middle to lower income, 25-60k or so.)
Make sure to give a bullet-point list of your Guidance Counselor, listing your achievements (school’s highest ACT score in 5 years! 10 colleges classes! Governor’s School, first student selected in 8 years!) </p>
<p>In fact your background may provide some geographic diversity for a school like Vandy and end up being a positive.</p>
<p>Tell them about your different experience in your rural community and at your tiny high school. It will be easier for you to tell a story they haven’t read 100 times before.</p>
<p>I had never thought of it like that! I’ll definitely remember that when I’m applying and will try to use it toward my advantage. </p>