Standing in the dark about this whole process. Help!

Test Preparation
1

<p>I'm terribly confused as to where I stand. My SAT scores are at best, average. I'm expecting a 1900 at most. I have a solid weighted GPA of 4.3 (but everyone does these days). I haven't taken every challenging class possible because my previous counselor believed I wasn't up to par with the people in my class who were native english speakers.
Part of the discrepancies in my academic record can be attributed to my atypical situation. I am a US-born citizen by document, but I have lived in South Korea for two-thirds of my life (where I've been educated in an international school).
Here's an outline of my academic record:
GPA
9th: 3.3 (bio 9, CP Alg, Eng 9, Fine Art I, PE, Music, Spanish I, US History 9, World History)
10th: 3.7 (Acting I, Aerobics, Bio II, CP Geometry, Government, Honors Eng; Mental Health; Spanish II, US History 10)
11th: 4.0 (first semester: accounting I; AP psyc; Chem 1, CP Alg II; honors anatomy; honors english; Spanish III; second semester: Adv. Chem; Adv. Spanish III; Alg II, Anat/Phys; AP Psyc; Adv. Eng Religion 11; Speech)
12th: 4.3 (AP Spanish; AP English: Religion 12, Ap Government; Adv. Physics; Calculus; Ceramics/Graphic Arts) </p>

<p>My extracurricular activities:
Great Miami Youth Orchestra (First Violin) - two and half years
Grace Korean Church (Violin for Choir) - two years
Science Fair (first place at international school in South Korea) - 9th grade
Su Casa (community service) - one year (sr. summer)
Chesterwood Village Nursing home - one year (jr. summer)
NSLC (National Leadership Conference) - (sr. summer)
Creative Writer's Workshop (Summer program at Duke University)
Spanish Club (President) - 11th grade and probably through 12th grade
Babel Tower (a multicultural club I had started at school) - 11th grade
Psychology Club - 11th grade (no longer available in the school I transferred to.)
Big Sister, Little Sister - 11th grade (no longer available in the school I transferred to.)
Student Government - 9th grade - president; 10th grade - just transferred student; 11th grade - transferred to a new school so missed the chance to become elected so I became Rep.
I've also helped Korean immigrants who have been invited to the pastor's house with adjusting to the American culture and English.
From middle school I've worked as a translator (korean - english).</p>

<p>I missed many chances to get involved in the National Honors Society and clubs such as that because I had transferred high schools three times. I also failed to win various academic awards for this reason also. Because I had no one to provide transportation for after school activities I couldn't be involved in sports. </p>

<p>I cannot rely on anyone for guidance concerning colleges except my counselor. And in all honesty, she isn't attentive to my needs. The pastor and his wife have shed great spiritual light unto my life, but they are not familiar with American colleges and their admission processes. My parents in South Korea are also unfamiliar with American colleges. </p>

<p>Since I don't live with my parents I don't have the liberty to make college visits and such. I want to inform Wellesley, Brown and Cornell of my interests, but I don't know how I should go about doing that. </p>

<p>After reading everyone's near perfect SAT scores, GPAs, extracurricular activities, and etc I realized the Ivies are so much more competitive than I previouisly thought they were. Would anyone give me some advice as to where I stand in the admissions process for Wellesley, Brown, and Cornell?
I'm very nervous about all of this as many of you are. I don't know how I'll ever handle this by myself. Please help!</p>

2

<p>First of all, there is life beyond the Ivies. There is. Really. The curriculum is just about the same in any of the top 50 schools, anyway, maybe not counting the top three or so. What you compete and pay for basically comes down to the prestige, alumni network and assorted fluffies.</p>

<p>Also, don't go just by numbers. Most people with great scores have English as their first (and maybe only) fluent language. Most people go to elementary, middle and high school with the same people and don't skip around. Don't go by numbers.</p>

<p>What are your career expectations? If you want ANY sort of graduate degree, you can relax BIG TIME for now. Your grad school really means SO much more than your undergrad school, and school prestige doesn't count for too much in grad school admissions. A wonderful man I know when to New York City College for his undergrad, and went to Yale for his PhD. I spoke to some people at University of Maryland who were going for their PhD's at Stanford, Berkley, etc. </p>

<p>Basically, don't worry. Just live your live the best you can, and that's all you need to do. </p>

<p>If you do want to stress, then...</p>

<p>You definately show an upward trend in GPA and course selection. It feels like you attend a private school (not many Religion classes in the PSS) and so maybe you are limited when it comes to courses. Your EC's don't show much committment, but that's beyond your control. If I were you (and I'm not,) I'd pull out your experiences as a Korean immigrant and emphasize that; they'll notice your passion and at the same time, you'll inform them of your circumstances without coming across as whiny and making excuses. It would help if you had a good AP Psych score, to show you could handle the college level work. Also, I'd look at the Stats Eval on the main CC site--it's not too expensive and I found it VERY useful. Very honest, but still kind and full of lots of suggestions.</p>

<p>Success isn't determined by where you go to school, you know. It basically comes down to your innate intelligence, your work ethic and your social skills, not on your alma mater, EC's and class rank.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I appreciate your input on all of this. I am very aware that many colleges out there are equally excellent as the Ivies. And although this sounds very cliched my father expects me to go to an Ivy school. He isn't very informed about the raging competition for college admissions these days and as stubborn as I am, I cannot convince him to think otherwise about un-Ivy colleges. All my cousins went to Brown (they graduated about a decade ago when the competition was much less tense) so he really believes that I too could be admitted into an Ivy. However, his main reason for wanting me to go to an Ivy is because in South Korea, a majority of those who are employed have graduated from Ivy schools. </p>

<p>To address your other comments, yes, I do attend a private school. I have transferred the second semester of my jr. yr. My main interests lie in multicultural and international awareness. I am in the Diversity and Inclusion Team, and I believe I've mentioned that I started a multicultural club called the Babel Tower. I am also the president of the Spanish Club. I'm sorry, I should have emphasized this before. I received a 4 on my AP Psyc exam, not a stellar 5. I want to explain to colleges about my situation and why I haven't accomplished as much without writing it in the essay. Would it be ok to ask a teacher to explain my situation for me on the recommendation letter? I will boast that I do have great work ethic (though most everyone does nowadays), but I am lacking in social skills. This could be why I do not connect much with my counselor. I guess this is all irrelevant to the point you made to me, but I really did take your advice to heart. I will try not to stress as much. Not being accepted into an Ivy isn't the end of the world. I just pray that my father would understand when I don't get accepted. I will apply to Wellesley for early decision though. Can you recommend any other un-Ivy colleges that I have a good chance at? Thanks again~</p>

4

<p>The fact that you lived in a different country for most of your life, and then took the initiative to <em>start</em> a multicultural club and get your gpa from a 3.3 to a 4.3 shows colleges that you have something that most prospective students do not.</p>

5

<p>Hey thanks Brian. That meant a lot. My self esteem just went up a few levels. Good luck starting in Oklahoma University~</p>