<p>Junior year has rolled around, and if I wasn't overwhelmed before, I sure am now. AP classes, PSAT/SAT, extra curriculars and expectations from my parents are all stacking up. The senior class is buzzing with talk about GPA's, SAT scores and college apps. Knowing that I will be in the same situation less than a year from now, I decided to start looking for answers to my questions. Everyone around me answers them to the best of their abilities, but their answers are so varied that I don't know which ones to believe. My peers tell me that my community service hours and clubs I'm in will be the biggest factor while my parents tell me it will be my grades and SAT scores. </p>
<p>Quick Bio:
-Junior in High School
-Top of my class
-4.0 GPA unweighted
5.5 GPA weighted
-2070 on SAT without any prior preparation
-AP classes so far:
AP English IV
AP World History
(AP Biology & AP US History) Currently taking
-AP Tests:
4 on the English III and World History
5 on the English IV
-Marching band(3 years) & Concert band(6 years)
-Piano(10 years) and participant in guild(3 years)
-HOSA, Science Olympiad, Student Council
Planning on joining Spanish NHS, FBLA and NHS
-Planning on volunteering at hospital and library(tutor)
I'm not sure what else I am supposed to list.</p>
<p>I don't have very many volunteer hours, and my parents don't want me to work right now. When it comes down to it, most of what I have achieved is purely academic. Even my future goals, such as making it to nationals for a couple of the clubs I am in would be considered academic. What I'm wondering is, what really matters to colleges? Does it depend on the college, or do most colleges/universities look for similar things? If so, what are they looking for? What am I lacking? Rice University is my first choice as it is in state. However, I do have dream schools such as UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, Brown and Stanford, but I am pretty sure I can't get in (which is why they're "dream schools" :/ ). Basically, I guess I'm just wondering what you think. What do you think or know is most important to colleges, and what do I need to work on?</p>
<p>If you are in Texas with class rank in the top 7%, all Texas public universities should be admission safeties at the campus level, although some specific majors or divisions (at Austin, at least) may not be assured. Have you checked whether they are affordable and whether you like them?</p>
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<p>If you are aiming for super-selective colleges like Stanford, then you probably need all of the following:
Top end grades in the most demanding selection of courses available to you.
Top end test scores.
High level (i.e. state or national level) achievement or award in some extracurricular.
(A “hook” may allow one of the above to be somewhat less than top end.)</p>
<p>Neither your peers nor your parents are correct in a strict sense. Academic achievement, test scores, and extracurricular achievement are all important for admission to super-selective colleges, so if any of them are missing, your chances are likely lower than the published admission rates.</p>
<p>The short answer is: It depends on the college. Some schools are more objective-based (test scores, GPA), and some are more holistic (using essays, teacher recommendations, and extracurriculars). For many state-flagships, if you have a good GPA and decent test scores (which you do), then you can get in with no problem. For more selective schools, such as the ones you’re aiming for, there’s more to it than just numbers. </p>
<p>It’s good to be realistic, but I don’t think you should tell yourself, “I am pretty sure I can’t get in,” and not even bother to apply. You’re doing well, and it’s not unrealistic to consider top schools such as those. </p>
<p>Your ECs aren’t bad at all, though I might recommend trying to get a leadership position or two (if you haven’t already). Also, start narrowing down some safety schools, ones you know you can get into.</p>
<p>Another important thing is money: How much can your family afford/how much are they willing to pay? You need to have a few schools that you know you won’t break the bank attending. </p>
<p>Your parents are closer to right than your peers are. Your grades look good, but you should study and see if you can bring up your SAT. Maybe try the ACT, too. </p>
<p>Agree that cost is also a significant factor. Each school has a Net Price Calculator on their financial aid page, you should work with your parents to run it for the schools you are interested in to see if they are affordable.</p>
<p>To see what specific schools consider look at their Common Data Sets, section C. The money question is important. Going to a UC as an out of state student means you would pay >$50K/year.</p>
<p>Outside of the Texas state schools, the answer is rigor, rigor rigor, with high grades, so your parents are more correct in their answer. The fools who think it’s all about ECs will be shocked when they attend all those info sessions where they tell you the three biggies are rigor, grades, test scores, in that order, and if you pass that screen, we’ll take a look at ECs. Unless you’re really good with a ball, and then that’s #1.</p>