<p>What are you supposed to do if you want to go a school like Yale if your school doesn't offer APs until junior year and doesn't offer any scholastic competitions (quiz bowl etc.) and doesn't really present you with many opportunites for leadership and general reconition for acheivements?</p>
<p>my school doesnt offer aps until junior year either but that should not harm your app if you just load up on AP classes then--they will know some schools have diff. policies...if you are still worried you can do a self-study for AP courses (ex: world history ap on your own is easy)</p>
<p>I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't understand how I'm supposed to stand out in the application pool if I don't have the opportunities that a lot of kids in schools that gear the students for the ivies have. My school has sent some people to the ivies recently - only one this year, I think, and she's going to MIT... any thoughts?</p>
<p>Is there a community college nearby where you can take classes? If there is a four year university nearby, many let exceptional students take classes. Some colleges offer online classes; you can find more specifics about this elsewhere on College Confidential.</p>
<p>What are your extracurricular talents? If you're an artist, try to get a local art gallery to represent you. Are you a writer? Try to get published the local paper (not as a letter to the editor). Do you play sports? Volunteer with middle school kids who play the sport. Do you act? Get involved with a local theater company. If you can't get acting roles, help out with props, the set, etc. to show your dedication. Do you like politics? Check out whether you can be on a committee of the local school board or some other local political entity. This is an election year. Volunteer for the campaign of a candidate you support. The possibilities are endless.</p>
<p>The fact that your school doesn't have strong extracurricular offerings is no excuse not to have strong extracurriculars. In fact, if you put together a strong list of extracurriculars outside of your high school, I think it will impress admissions officers that you didn't accept the status quo, but went above and beyond to pursue your passions. This is what colleges like Yale are looking for.</p>
<p>they are said not to hold the anemia of your high school environment against you. be a flower in the swamp and you will attract the yale bee.</p>
<p>Your school college counselor will send every college your school profile, so they'll know exactly what type of courses are offered, how the school ranks etc. A good counselor would make note that you guys couldn't take AP courses until junior year.</p>