Sophomore- am I on the right track?!?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm a sophomore at a moderately selective private school, and I'm looking at...</p>

<p>1) Brown
2) Carleton
3) University of Chicago
4) NYU
5) Georgetown University
6) Wash U in St. Louis</p>

<p>I am just wondering if I am doing what I need to be doing to have a decent chance at being accepted to these schools.</p>

<p>Academics:
3.9/4.0 GPA unweighted and weighted- no AP's available at my school until junior year
I plan to take the AP Language exam this year, and will probably ge a 4 or 5 because I am very strong in English.
I will take these APs either next year or senior year: English Lit, French Language, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Biology, US History, European History, and Environmental Science (maybe Stats instead of Env.Sci).
I can get good teacher recommendations because I work hard and have good ideas, etc.
Attended Summer Institute for the Gifted for 5 summers, Duke TIP for 3 summers, hope to attend Governor's Scholar Program summer of junior year.
Also- Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Summer Program- only one sophomore selected from each school.
I was awarded the French I and English 10 awards last year (I'm a year ahead in English). I also received the highest score in KY in a nationwide French I exam.
I may take the AP Microeconomics exam at the end of next year- still considering.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT-2160- 770 each CR and essay, 610 math- but can definitely bring math up.
PSAT-226- enough for National Merit last year
Sports:
Varsity XC and track freshman year
Varsity FH and track intended for sophomore, junior, senior year</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
I have been on the speech team since 5th grade and have won many, many awards, including multiple state championships in middle school. I intend to continue with speech through senior year. I may also take up debate if I have time.
I will have been taking voice lessons weekly for 4 years- I'm very passionate about this.
I will have been participating in Walden Theatre- local community teen theatre education program- very good (graduates have attended Juilliard, etc.) for 2 1/2 years by the end of senior year.
Yearbook Committee
Multiple school plays
Barack Obama phone banking and all-day work on election day</p>

<p>Volunteering:
I haven't done a lot lately, but for personal reasons I have realized I really need to get into volunteering.
I am trying to get a volunteering spot at the Red Cross and intend to complete 300 hours of community service in one way or another over sophomore, junior, senior years.
I will hopefully tutor immigrant/refugee children with homework 2 hours a week.
I will hopefully be a co-founder of a citywide fundraising organization for an immigrant/refugee population.</p>

<p>Essays:
I write good essays- 3rd place in statewide Governor's Cup Composition competition in 8th grade.</p>

<p>The Negatives:
My freshman year wasn't a very productive year for me- I burnt out a bit after middle school and took a break.
All of my volunteering possibilities are just that- possibilities. My parents are rather busy and can't drive me around places, and I can't drive myself until halfway through junior year.
Nothing exceptional with math/science.</p>

2

<p>You are on track.
Now, relax and don't come back on CC until this time next year.</p>

3

<p>don't be this person -- it's who i was sophomore year and you seem like a smart person i hope that you realize that intelligence is an awful thing to waste especially on something as trivial as college admissions. </p>

<p>i have seen the most intelligent minds of my grade waste their lives away reading "how to impress college admission officer" books and running three clubs they could care less about. i am a realistic person and i know that part of high school is playing a game, but don't let it control you. i did that for freshman and sophomore year and I even wrote a post sophomore year on here saying almost exactly what you said (really - you can check my recent posts). </p>

<p>in the middle of junior year i realized that i had changed myself into some mold of a person that teachers and parents loved. if you are smart i hope you realize that you're too smart for that - because i know i was too smart for that, and i know it may seem hard to believe but there are more important things to do than make lists of colleges and dates and scores and percentages... so don't start doing that until you have to.</p>

<p>and realize that whatever grades you get in school don't define you, because whenever I would get a B+ instead of an A- i would think of it as a reflection on my self. it's not. i think it's healthy to go through a period where you let go of school for awhile and learn what it's like to be that student who doesn't have their homework because it's important to realize that your teacher's and classmate's and college official's opinions of you aren't who you are.. </p>

<p>okay, well this is kind of rambling, i know, and you might be completely different from who i am, but i let go of school junior year and started to actually think about the world and sexism and racism and politics (which is what i'm interested in - it might be different for you) and i have found i have so much strength in forming my own opinions about what is worthwhile and right. i'm applying to similar schools to the ones that you are looking at, but i've come to terms with the whole 'college admissions process' and even if i get into one of my safety schools i am grateful because i am still getting a good education, perhaps with a worse label, simply because my parents can afford to send me to college (albeit with financial aid). so i don't know - realize that two years is a long time and by the time you're a senior you will probably have learned a lot about yourself and you'll stop jumping through hoops simply because some random person tells you to... </p>

<p>goodluck :-/</p>

4

<p>and take this website with a grain of salt, look at where other people from your school with similar EC's and stats have gone, because that is a lot more informative.</p>

5

<p>You are doing great, relax.
School is important and I know this may sound hypocritical considering how high-strung many CCers (myself included) can be but don't let it take over your life. Make sure your high school experience extends beyond grades and getting into college. No need to force yourself to go for "300 hours" of service--volunteering can be such a fulfilling experience but it can be ruined if you measure it like that.</p>

6

<p>Some wise words by everybody above me.</p>

7

<p>Thank guys- I've started whittling away at the things I don't enjoy doing, including something that, if I worked at, could have gotten me into just about any college- but I despised doing it. Most of the things I do, I enjoy doing, and when I stop enjoying them, I do try to convince myself to quit. But thank you all for reminding me that there are more important things than getting into a brand name college.</p>

8

<p>Margaret: what a fantastic post. I hope your essence can be conveyed when it's time for you to submit your essays. I hope you're amply rewarded by attending a school that will enhance your willingness to really learn and search what the world can be. Good luck to you (and peggysue!)</p>