The path I am taking right now

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>I'm going to be a junior in NY state in the next school year, and I was wondering how I am on track for applying to Princeton. I took four APs last year (Eur. Hist., Bio, Calc BC, Comp Sci A) and plan on taking 5 more next year (Stat, USH, Spanish, English Language, and the Physics B exam since my school won't put me in Physics C). My weighted average, unfortunately, has dropped from 9th to 10th grade (from 104s to 98s) because of a change in the weighing system, but I don't think this is major. In addition, I have been learning German and plan to learn Italian and Latin over the summer . I have taken 4 subject tests:</p>

<p>Math IC - 770
Math IIC - 770
Biology - 750
Chemistry - 790</p>

<p>In October I got a 217 on the PSATs; I took the SAT's completely dry in May, hoping for a benchmark score to improve by 100, 200, 300 points by the end of next year and got a 680 and CR, 720 in Math, and 730 in Writing (Essay: 11).</p>

<p>Although I didn't start getting into sports until high school itself, I plan on continuing cross country, basketball, and track till I graduate, and hopefully an all-state distinction in cross country this year.</p>

<p>As for community service, I tutored kids 2 - 3 hours a week in Spanish last year and will continue that this year, in addition to a mentor program in my school.</p>

<p>I've been on the math team since 7th grade (but not too great until I qualified for states this past year) and our school just started an academic team this past year.</p>

<p>This summer I am doing a science research program in NYC dealing with parasitology because I plan on majoring in a science field and I want to apply to the Research Science Institute at the end of my junior year, and then hopefully apply for the Intel Science Competition (but that's very far away).</p>

<p>I am just wondering if in this next year there is anything big I should try to do that for some reason I am forgetting or just forgot to mention here. Am I doing the right things? Or am I a bit top-heavy in academics and a bit light on sports and volunteer work? I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>You have laid marble stones on the path to Princeton and garnished them with gold-leafed crevices.</p>

3

<p>You took Calc BC as a sophomore? Wow.</p>

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<p>for some reason I have a feeling that sounds bad, even though it probably is a compliment? Im new so Im not gonna jump to conclusions...was that a positive or negative metaphor?</p>

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<p>yeah I took it as a sophomore...this is gonna sound like a bragfest, so I apologize in advance. I did the CTY Distance Education with Johns Hopkins at the end of 8th grade for Precalc, since my school has an integrated 3 year math sequence where Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II all mesh together. If I hadn't gone on vacation in august, I might have finished the course by september and taken calc bc as a freshman. But enough with the would have and could haves, I'm happy with how things turned out the way they did.</p>

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<p>That was a compliment. A very nice compliment.</p>

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<p>Wait, you took 4 AP's as a sophmore? Man, I hate you, slash admire you. I took one.</p>

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<p>Marble and gold are usually indicators of a good message. Refer to the Taj Mahal and expensive jewelry, respectively.</p>

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<p>Ok lol I was just making sure there was nothing subliminal, but I am being a bit too uptight for just a message board so I'll relax. And thanks for the compliment arjun.</p>

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<p>Actually it was a highly cynical stab, but the sarcasm is not conveyed well on such mesage boards (just oges to show you how much these things are worth). Anyway, I have problems with people who design themselves for colleges.</p>

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<p>Ok, so the community service is partly due to applying for college... but who doesn't want to do the best they can in sports and academics? It's just a good boost of self-esteem regardless of what college you get into. I'm not going to kill myself over not getting into princeton. As of now, I'll aim for cornell, MIT, Columbia, or just study in Europe if I don't get into any of the above, preferrably in Germany.</p>

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<p>and I had a feeling it wasn't an actual compliment, but ah well I gotta get these ideas out on some forum where I can get proper feedback.</p>

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<p>I hear you. You do what you gotta do.</p>

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<p>by the way, I was wondering if getting states in cross country this year and nationals as a senior would help much or just a little in terms of ECs?</p>

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<p>dude, there's no doubt that you're academically qualified to go to Princeton. now you need to just stop stressing about it, because in many ways it's a matter of luck whether or not you get in--many superbly qualified people don't make it.</p>