<p>I'm a sophomore and would love to attend Tufts. The following is what I've achieved so far. Can you please give me your advice & suggestions on how to improve my chances? If you think I have no chance, then maybe you could reccomend schools which you think would be good matches. I just visited BU, BC & Northeastern & am visting Tufts tomorrow. I'm really ambitious and am willing to work as hard as needed.</p>
<p>I'm Jewish, Caucasian, of North African & Russian descent. I go to a public high school in CT of about 2,500 students. I'll be in at least the top 10% of my graduating class of about 500 (b/c of AP's & such)</p>
<p>Freshman yr- I took 2 H's classes & had a 3.4 UW GPA. This yr was really tough for me because I lost my big group of friends I'd had for years and had a lot of trouble finding new ones in my huge school. Also, my parents are divorced & I switched from house-to-house, monthly. I lost some of my motivation and didn't realize how important it was to be taking all Honors (the first time I hadn't since 1st grade)</p>
<p>Sophomore yr(This year)- I took all H's classes & Am expecting either a 3.6 or 3.7 UW GPA.</p>
<p>Junior yr(Next year)- I'm definitely taking AP US & AP English Lit & Comp, H Algebra 2, H Chem, H Spanish 4, Creative Writing 1/2 yr, but unsure of the rest...I'm trying to decide if I should take AP Psychology, AP Enviro Science, or both? </p>
<p>Extra-curriculars: I didn't participate in any extra-curriculars during my freshman year, unfortunately. During the Spring, though, I tried to start an environmental club. It was going well until this year, when all of my members decided they didn't have time for it.
There is a recycling club in my school, though, & I'm the only sophomore in it + the President and advisor like me. So, I think that I could easily become President my senior year. I'm really passionate about helping the environment so that'd be great...
This year, I joined the debate team, Model UN, & my school's literary magazine (which was just founed this yr.) I qualified for the state debate competition, but did not trophy. I didn't do so well because I started so late in the year (My first debate was in March) I did field hockey through early December, so I couldn't attend any debates. Next year, I will be on the varsity debate team & this summer, I'm attending a 1-week camp run by the CT Debate Association to improve my skills. I just joined Model UN a couple of weeks ago & will be attending a conference in NY next month. I could easily have a leadership position in this club since there are only 2 sophomores apart of it (including me). As for the literary magazine, writing is my real passion and, again, there are only 2 sophomores apart of it, including me, so I could easily become the President. P.S: I'm not apart of my school newspaper anymore because it has hardly any funding since not enough students read it. The staff is very small - maybe 8 core members, sadly. I don't think it's worth my time to try and rebuild the newspaper. Becoming Editor-in-chief would be so easy, but would mean absolutely nothing. I wish it did :( I would love to be a part of a great newspaper.</p>
<p>The Arts: I used to be really involved in acting, dancing & singing but I gave it up when I realized how slim the chances are of actually making it and how much artists struggle. I had numerous lead roles in plays and won 4th place out of 60 in a singing competition.
I was also in my city's youth chorus (had to audition). We recorded a CD, sang in a parade, at a concert & with Jose Feliciano! Last year, I did ballet, but I stopped this year because of my heavily increased workload. This year, I started guitar lessons, which I love and I'm doing pretty well with.</p>
<p>Sports: I was on the JV Field hockey team this year. I will most likely not be returning because I can't handle running 3 miles/day in freezing weather. (I live in CT) I'm planning on taking tennis lessons this summer because I'd like to play a sport in the spring. Hopefully, I'll be good at it and will make the Varsity team next spring. I'm not very athletic, but I'll work hard. If I don't make the Varsity team, then I'll just do JV.</p>
<p>Volunteerism: I began volunteering with the organization, Friendship Circle, this past fall. Almost every Sunday morning, I serve as a 'special friend' to special-needs children ages 2-18. I also volunteer at life skills trips for the older special-needs kids. It's really rewarding to work with them all. I'm going to inquire about how I can serve on the organization's Teen Board on which I would help plan events and such. In addition, last spring, when I was trying to start my own club, I organized a beach cleanup & a fundraiser (We raised about $150 for the CT Environmental Fund) I'm planning on taking part in a service trip internationally during one of my breaks next year or over the summer.</p>
<p>Summers:
-Last spring, when I was 14, I called up a bunch of companies in the Yellow Pages that sounded interesting, inquiring about unpaid internship or volunteer positions. I scored one, after many tries, at a T.V production company. I helped edit tapes, organize, etc. for a Lifetime show. I got a really good recommendation.
-This summer, I'm spending 2 weeks at Brown's Leadership Institute where I'm taking a class on social entrepeneurship. I'm currently looking for intern positions at non-profits, locally or in D.C where my grandpa lives. I'll also be taking Spanish lessons to improve my skills, the debate camp I mentioned before, tennis lessons (possibly), maybe some chem & alg 2 help since I'm not so strong in science & math, and I'm thinking of having PSAT tutoring. Would this be beneficial or a waste? I really want to be a National Merit Scholar..As I'm sure most of you do, or have become.
-Next summer, I'm planning on traveling to Spain for an immersion program, as well as interning again (possibly in NY) and I'll apply to Yale's Journalism Workshop which is free for CT residents (!)</p>
<p>Awards & Honors: In 5th grade, I won 1st place in an Americanism essay contest & was awarded at the local Elks Lodge, and had a resolution written for me by the CT Board of Reps. I had a poem of mine published in the local newspaper. I also received the Gold Presidential Award for academic excellence. In 8th grade, I won 2nd place poetry in the Bar Association of CT's Law Day Art & Writing Comp. I entered a local literary competition, and am hoping to hear back soon. This summer, I'll be writing LOTS (starting college essays, scholarship essays + writing for national awards), so I will hopefully win at least an honorable mention in a couple. My elementary & middle school teachers told me that I was the best writer they'd ever had and think that I will be an author (not trying to brag..) but I do have writing talent. I'm also considering working towards the Gold Congressional Award.</p>
<p>PSAT's: Keep in mind that I did not prepare/study AT ALL for this test. I'm not sure if most kids who score high on them do?
Critical Reading: 640
Writing: 650
Math: 470 (Please keep in mind that basically all of the q's which I got wrong/omitted were geometry-based and I had just started H Geometry about 1 month before taking this test..since I took non-H's math freshman yr [alg. 1])
How can I improve these scores?</p>
<p>Bottom line - what can I do to increase my chances of attending selective universities? I feel that I belong in one. I am smart and have potential...I honestly think that I was depressed last year, and am still kind of battling it (I'm seeing a therapist.) This has caused a lack of motivation which I've always had..I've always had straight A's.
Now realizing how critical this all is, I'm prepared to work extremely hard to get straight A's in the toughest courses and take leadership positions. Are my extra-curriculars & volunteerism good enough? Do I need to join another volunteer group or start my own..?</p>