Sophomore in Need of "Ivy" Guidance

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I’m a sophomore living in Princeton, NJ and need some advice in getting into HYPSM.<br>
For convenience, I’ve numbered my questions throughout the post for you guys to respond to. Sample: <strong><em>1</em></strong></p>

<p>Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian American </p>

<p>My freshman year GPA was a 3.7 something UW and a 3.94 W, but I barely did anything that year and was shockingly unmotivated. Then, over the summer, I realized that this is my only chance to make something of myself and my life and my only chance to pursue my ambitions ( (<strong><em>1</em></strong> essay topic?). Unfortunately, it was too late to do anything significant and I ended up with a blank summer. <strong><em>2</em></strong> Is that going to have an impact later on? I've turned over a new leaf this year and have decided that my goal will be to get all A's (or as close as I can) for the rest of my high school career. I know I can do this, I’m confident I have the brain, I’m just kind of lazy/disorganized and not as hard-working as some other people (which I want to change). Here are my stats (fixed and projected):</p>

<p>9th Grade:</p>

<p>AP Physics B- (A-) and 4 on the AP Exam. I mentioned I was unmotivated right? Oh, and it didn't help that I got an XBOX 360 right around this time. I've sufficiently thrashed it though and removed many of the parts hehe :) .</p>

<p>Honors Alg. II - (B+) By far, my greatest disappointment (I love math and up until this year, I had always been scoring top notch). Scored an 89% and missed the A- b/c of the final that I didn’t study for (I almost feel like a different person looking back on an idiot who didn’t know what he should have been doing). </p>

<p>Honors Government + Economics - (A-) Teacher told me she’d pull me through w/ an A, that didn’t work out…</p>

<p>Honors English I - (A-) I'm proud of this grade b/c my teacher was tough and not many people scored higher, I managed to do well despite my lack of ambition at the time.</p>

<p>Latin I - (A) No honors level until III</p>

<p>Keyboarding/Computer Applications - (A) I sucked at typing, so this course was a necessity</p>

<p>10th Grade Schedule:</p>

<p>Honors Chem (A- so far, teacher is senile and irritable)</p>

<p>Honors Bio (high A)</p>

<p>Honors Pre-AP Calculus (93% A-, probably an A at the end of the first quarter though). Admission into AP Calc BC next yr. w/ A- overall grade in this class... I intend to get an A.</p>

<p>Honors English II (A- 93% and making the push)</p>

<p>Honors US History (high A)</p>

<p>Latin II (A, above 100%...)</p>

<p>Computer Programming Pascal (99% A) - Will lead to AP Comp. Science next year</p>

<p>11th Grade Schedule (I plan to overload...)
AP Chem
AP Calc BC
AP English
Honors Global History (required, otherwise I'd take AP)
AP Comp Sci
AP Latin IV (I'm going to appeal to skip Latin III for exceptional performance in the subject)</p>

<p>12th Grade Schedule
AP Biology (arguably the hardest course in my school)
Multivariable (AP weighting, but no test/credit)
AP English
AP Economics (or AP Euro, not sure)
AP Art History (easy AP course to fulfill a "Fine Arts" requirement)
AP Latin V</p>

<p><strong><em>3</em></strong>What do you think, if I do well with this courseload, is it Ivy worthy? I’m still settling back into school and getting to know my teachers, hence I don’t have all the A’s I promised myself yet. </p>

<p>ECs: I really need some help with this. As of right now, I'm in:</p>

<p>JSA, Model UN, Med Futures club (high chance of officer positions in first two for junior year) </p>

<p>Plans to join Science Competitor's Club (I'm in the initial stages of planning out Intel/Siemens and thought this might help) and some club that handles science competitions in my school. But I really want to find a shadow, mentor outside of school who I can conduct research with as a sophomore. </p>

<p>I have barely any volunteer hours from last year, but am currently in the process of applying to volunteer at Princeton Medical Center. I want to get into NHS and think I might. <strong><em>4</em></strong>Anyone know what year you get admitted/how many hours you need? </p>

<p>In addition, I wasted my summer doing nothing and plan to avoid that this summer. I need some science program to help w/ RSI/SSP/etc application. <strong><em>5</em></strong>Any suggestions?</p>

<p>Plans to join Princeton Plasma Physics Labs next year for an internship. </p>

<p>To sum it up, I really need some help organizing my ECs. <strong><em>6</em></strong> What ECs out there will shine on an Ivy app and reflect my passion for science, speaking, and math?<strong><em>7</em></strong>What’s a good year for AMC, AIME, etc and is it too late to do anything within those competitions for the sophomore year?<strong><em>8</em></strong> I also write very well, are there any good competitions that would be recognized on an Ivy scale? </p>

<p><strong><em>9</em></strong>Hypothetically speaking, if I were to apply to HYPSM with:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.92 UW, 4.15W
Classes: All of the above
SAT: 2350 (after combining different sittings)
SAT II: Biology 800, Math IIc 800, Physics 760
ECs: Some summer science program with competitive entry, NHS, officer JSA/Model UN, Intel finalist, NMSQT finalist, over 200 hrs devoted to scientific research, 250+ volunteer hours at local hospital
Essays: All brilliant, expressing a fiery passion and thirst for knowledge and development.
Rec’s: Perfect</p>

<p>Would I get in? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance for any responses!</p>

2

<p>hahahah i love the end part about what you <em>could</em> apply with. look, you cant say "im going to get a 2350 with perfect recs and ridiculous essays and perfect everything", not to mention intel finalist, because thats insane and you are a sophomore and dont know what the stress for getting things done with a bagillion deadlines are breathing down your back. so please, instead of posting in order to get some vague number on "how can i get into HYPSM?!?!?!" or vague tips that people probably arent qualified to give unless they are admissions officers (myself included, i am a senior though), go found a club or something and have fun with it. stop stressing now. it scares me.</p>

3

<p>First of all, some of your classes are fake because some things can't be done without classes you haven't taken. I mean the AP Physics B, you took honors Physics. It's really obvious because AP Physics B requires Pre-calculus.</p>

4

<p>It doesn't matter if you do well in a class for language, you actually have to know the stuff in the class you're skipping.</p>

<p>By the way, above a 100 percent is a bad thing because that means the teacher shouldn't be giving extra credit and is boosting the grade. Latin is really easy.</p>

5

<p>Courtjestr19, I called it a hypothetical for a reason... It wasn't so much what I think I can do so much as the representation of the maximum I feel I can achieve. And yes, some of it isn't realistic. </p>

<p>Masterus, in my school, co-enrollment in Honors Alg. II plus a lengthy summer assignment reviewing basic physics concepts allow one to take AP Physics B early. Yeah, Latin is easy, I get 100% plus because it isn't an honors/AP course, I think that has a positive impact showing that regular classes are below my abilities. </p>

<p>Anything constructive people? I really only wanted suggestions, not criticism...I don't think I should have to defend myself, that's outrageous.</p>

6

<p>Here is a suggestion. Stop asking people to guess on whether you'll get in or not(because its impossible to tell with HYPS) on hypothetical information.</p>

7

<p>you are a sophmore.</p>

8

<p>Don't worry about it yet. Some of my friends KNEW they wanted to go to HYPS etc. during sophomore year, but now in senior year, they've decided they'd be MUCH happier at Northwestern, UToronto, UVA, etc. Your career objectives and personal preferences will change between now and senior year. Talk to your guidance counselor about contests. I don't think you can do RSI until the summer before senior year. Still, there's no "perfect" resume that will get you into top colleges. I wouldn't have wanted to hear this sophomore year either, but don't spend so much time structuring your life. You sound like a smart person, so just do your best on things like the AIME, dedicate yourself to a few activities you really enjoy (maybe a fascinating internship that will lead to Siemens) and realize that a lot is going to change before senior year. And I've had a lot of friends who are 100% sure they want to go to certain colleges, are turned down, and then realize that the places that accepted them are perfect. So don't worry about it...do your best, enjoy high school, and you'll probably be a more appealing candidate!! If you're a smart person who works hard, you will end up somewhere good. Trust me!!!</p>

9

<p>Finally, a constructive post! Thank you mochamaven. </p>

<p>To Everyone: Meet the next generation of Ivy League contestants...</p>

<p>Jedo: "Stop asking people to guess on whether you'll get in or not"</p>

<p>First of all, this is the first time I've EVER posted, your statement suggests I've posted more than once, which is not the case. If you have some vendetta against people who are asking their chances (on a site MEANT for people to ask chances), then maybe YOU are the one who shouldn't be posting. And wth is the problem with asking for chances on a hypothetical, does it make a difference? Couldn't I lie (as many people on this site undoubtedly do) and not tell you it's a hypothetical? Does the fact that I'm saying it IS one make it unanswerable in some way? Think before posting please or don't post at all... <em>anger vented</em></p>

10

<p>BTW: Feel free to answer the questions, and yes, I know I'm stressing way too much...</p>

11

<p>Bump.......</p>

12

<p>what i was saying though is that does it matter if your hypothetical self would get in, because that isnt necessarily you. therefore, its for the most part useless to make speculations on events that may or may not occur, especially before you actually do the things you say you can achieve.</p>

<p>and also, im not making fun of you, i just want you to know that youre sort of wasting your time asking if you take X courses and Y Ec's that youll get into a certain place. i mean, what are you going to do if you actually get there? do things for the sake of wanting to do them, not overloading because of an abstract concept of what you perceive "HYPSM" wants to see.</p>

13

<p>lol.....</p>

<p>i think courtjestr covered most of everything i was about to say. </p>

<p>but at the risk of making you unleash your anger in another diatribe, i can tell you this: relax. you need to unclench. you're starting to stress waaaay too early, and believe me when i say that it is your best interest to enjoy sophomore year as much as you can. don't worry about the amount of ap's you can fit into your schedule and the amount of hours you plan to volunteer at princeton healthcare systems (very strict hospital to volunteer for; if you're just doing it for the hours, try some place else). </p>

<p>take this time to think about what you want to do, what you're interested in. i know you probably don't want to hear this but there is no special formula to get you into harvard or wherever you want to go. you can't base your entire future on a set of projected sat scores and community service hours and EC's. trying to achieve "perfection" is only futile and will frustrate you later. </p>

<p>don't get too caught up in this process that you forget what you actually want. why do you want to go to "HYPSM"? and i concur with the people who said that your goals and choices will change as you grow, and in a year you may very well be following a much different path. and you're a sophomore. you don't need to plan out the rest of your life now. so enjoy the time you have and stop once in awhile and ask yourself why you want so and so. </p>

<p>"i mean, what are you going to do if you actually get there? do things for the sake of wanting to do them, not overloading because of an abstract concept of what you perceive 'HYPSM' wants to see." <---- that was pretty much it</p>