<p>This is my first post on this site, so bear with me if I mess something up, haha.
So anyways, I've always dreamed of going to HPYMS and the like...but now I've come to the realization that I don't really have that much going on for me in terms of ECs/volunteer hrs/awards, etc etc. I means I'm decent in all of those categories, enough to get me into any good UC (I live in CA), but I've always wanted to go to an Ivy, and my ECs are not Ivy standard...</p>
<p>However, I do have good grades (straight A's), and I know that if I apply myself, I can maintain that throughout high school (I will be a sophomore next yr...). I plan on taking 12-13 APs, and I will do whatever I can to get those A's...I know I can accomplish it...so I really think I have a good shot at valedictorian. Let's just say I did become valedictorian...would that increase my chances much of getting into HPYMS? Or would it not make much of a difference at all, since everyone says that ALL HPYMS applicants are valedictorians/salutatorians...I'm just trying to get a feel for my situation here, so any tips/advice would be helpful.</p>
<p>Not all applicants to top schools are valedictorians/salutatorians, but it’s enough that it won’t be what gets you in. Try to stand out in some other way is my advice.</p>
<p>You’re a rising sophomore. You have plenty of time to get yourself involved in stellar extracurriculars, or to make your involvement in your existing ECs somehow stand out. Spending an hour or two extra making your ECs better will probably better behoove you than spending that extra hour or two studying, bumping you from salutatorian to valedictorian.</p>
<p>It depends on your school, too. Some automatically award the title to anyone who has a weighted GPA of 4.0+; some do it for those for who are at/above a certain class ranks, so the whole effect gets devalued.</p>
<p>valedictoria honestly doesnt mean jack **** anymore as a lot of high schools dont evne rank anymore, but it helps a sizeable amount but its not the deciding factor at all, can help but it wont be the sole reason you got in</p>
<p>^that’s how much i feel being labelled a val is worth lol,</p>
<p>if you’ve got the grades, you’ve got the grades, the uni’s gonna see you got the grades… don’t need any1 givin ye a label like that to show how much yer worth, </p>
<p>im an international and i’ve lived in 2 continents and haven’t officially had ‘vals’ at any of the schools ive been at, yet they did end up in places like stanford, upenn, cambridge, oxford etc.</p>
<p>if your in the US then idk val may be of importance but 4 internationals? i guess i don’t really care :P</p>
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