Suggestions/Help on Improving Honors/Achievements?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>I've been looking around for any contests, programs, etc. to perhaps participate and win some award or something.
Lately, I've been looking at my achievements section and noticing how measly and lacking it looks compared to other college applications.
I hope I don't sound like a total jerk/snob, but my dream school would be an Ivy League school, (yes, totally mainstream).</p>

<p>Currently, I've been participating in SciOly, Model United Nations, Debate Team, and have done some National Latin and French exam certificates (although those are barely worth anything when applying to a top tier school), and sure, I might have won a few awards in regionals/chapters levels, but nothing major in states/nationals.</p>

<p>I feel worried that my honors section will knock me off from consideration, as I haven't achieved anything major at all.</p>

<p>I would be incredibly grateful if anyone who is currently applying to an Ivy League/top-tier school, or has been accepted to one, would let me know if he or she had a similar situation, and what he or she did in that case.
It would be nice to know what CCers have for their achievements section, as I feel like my application in this section is very weak.</p>

<p>Furthermore, it would be great if anyone could somehow give me some contests of any kind as suggestions to look forward to participating in during my next few years of high school- I know there's no point in trying to perfect everything, but perhaps if I can find something of great interest, I'll look forward to dedicating my time towards winning a few outstanding awards or something eventually.</p>

<p>Finally, if anyone has any input for me, or if they have been in this same situation of a "EC-void/hole", I'd be happy to hear from you.
Just a rather depressing moment for me here!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>spend time.</p>

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<p>There are threads on the individual college forums where accepted (and rejected) applicants have posted their stats, including awards. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this, obviously, but it would give you some idea of how accomplished people are in their areas of interest.</p>

<p>There are some competitions listed here, but they’re probably not all prestigious.</p>

<p><a href=“http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/competitions/index.html”>http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/competitions/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@wcao9311:
That’s very helpful!
Now if you would just tell me what I should spend my time doing, that would make me a thousand more times productive.
Thanks for the advice, whatsoever though.</p>

<p>@halcyon: I took a look at some of those who were accepted to Ivies.
Seemingly, the general trend is some sort of AP Scholar (ideally, I would aim for National AP scholar, but obviously, I’ll probably only reach AP Scholar with Distinction), National Merit Semifinalist- hopefully I can secure that, and a few other minor state-level awards.</p>

<p>Is it too ambiguous and egotastical to aim for the less common honors?
I saw a few Intel STS/RSI/Siemens out there and I was wondering how impossible those exactly are?
I apologize if I sound overly pretentious here; in truth, I’m just incredibly worried and anxious about this, and any help is greatly appreciated.</p>

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<p>*egotistical, but I like egotastical. :P</p>

<p>AP Scholar isn’t important in itself…it’s just that you need to take the most challenging classes your school offers, and most of the time that means taking lots of AP classes. </p>

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<p>spend a few hours a day on a strong/ interest point. It pays off.</p>

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<p>@halcyon
Ahh, thanks, I had been wondering about that word. I never knew there was an actual word like that!</p>

<p>Anyways, back on my ‘egotistical’ rant:
Seeing as you’ve amounted somewhere halfway past the 10k post-mark perhaps you have some experience with depressed and anxious high schoolers. I’ll just blurt out my stats here for the heck of it.</p>

<p>I’m currently sitting on a 3.9-4.0 GPA as of first term sophomore year, sadly.
My PSAT score was a mere 210 as well; both my PSAT and GPA constitute a rather crappy student in my opinion.
Why? I attend one of the Deerfield-Choate-Hotchkiss-Andover-Exter-etc community, a prep boarding school where many of my friends and classmates cough up 4.0s easily despite our extremely challenging academics, along with recent scores that would qualify them for NMSQT in any state in the nation had they been in 11th grade this year.
I always tell myself that since I’m going to a top private school and still holding my own, I’ll be somewhat in the running for a chance at the Ivies assuming retention or tiny chance of improvement in GPA, studying for a post-2200 SAT, and investing more time into ECs and sports. Yet when I think more realistically and observe the vast ocean of those who are much more perfect and superior, I’m doubtful beyond measure.</p>

<p>I want your brutally honest opinion on this.
How are my chances for the Ivies at this rate?
Do you have any suggestions on what parts of my application I should improve?
As I’m going into junior year, which is probably the most critical concept of my application, what should I focus on? SAT I? Grades? SAT II? APs? ECs?</p>

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<p>Invest your time and effort into one thing that is unique and pays “dividends”. E.G. The cliche example of writing a novel comes to mind, but only do so if you think you’ll get published. Likewise, the people who’ll probably write my recs are coaches of after-school activities while also being a teacher of mine in school. Dividends are multiplied. </p>

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<p>Have you known any student in high school who has successfully undergone this endeavor and gotten their novel published? If so, it would be great to have a link to a source or something; it must be tough to find the time to write a well-established novel with AP courses and all that other college prep standardized testing going on.</p>