I am a 8th grader in middle school and will be going to high school next year I didn’t do that well in eight grade and am now getting serious in school. My only high school credit classes were Spanish 1 and Algebra. I’m either going to barely get a A or get a B depending on my exam grade. And. I’m going espionage my algebra grade and retake to get an A in the summer even though I had a B ( guidance said colleges won’t know at all about the B before) Since I didn’t do that well I overrode the teacher recommendations of me for lower classes and I’m now in all honors and ap classes that are available. I’m planning on doing basketball track and cross country all 4 years of HS, I play the violin, I’m in a chior, running for offices next year and am starting to do community service every Saturday. I’m African American male. What are my chances? I haven’t started off the best with my (maybe) B in Spanish but what can I do to keep competitive?
… it’s kind of unrealistic for us to chance you at the moment. You have no test scores, no official uw or w GPA, and no exact available course load. It’s better just to do as well as you can your freshman year, come back in about a year and a half, and then go from there.
Also: I hope you realize why your teachers gave you your reccomendations for classes. At the moment, you seem to be overexerting yourself (there are only 24 hours in one day!) and you may not do well in all of your classes. Try to take a mix of regular and advanced classes your freshman year to see how hard each level will be for you. Don’t get me wrong: it’s great to be ambitious, but freshman year is a time to test the waters, and not to just dive straight in.
Anyone can take these classes, all you need is good studying and a positive work ethic. I know you can’t really judge me but am I in the right direction what can I change, what should I do to get there, is it even possible? Thanks so much for the reply
@ArIvy1 well, what I’ve done in high school (rising senior) is just basically trying to find myself. Find something you’re good at and passionate about, you can shed a few of these ec’s and commit to just a few things so you’re really good at them, not just “ok” at many things. Try to find a way to effectively manage your time and what classes suit you, NOT YOUR PARENTS, NOT YOUR FRIENDS, NOT YOUR SIBLINGS, YOU. If you have an uneasy feeling about any class before or at the start of the school year, it’s best to drop down a level: taking a few regular classes will not ruin your chances for any of the Ivies, trust me. Find studying techniques that fit to your skills and time allotment, and you should be fine.
Remember that freshman year is the year of exploration. It’s okay to hiccup a little, it’s okay to be involved in many things, colleges will understand. As you go farther into high school, you’ll realize that it’s okay to drop a few ec’s so you can focus on being good at a select few. You’ll realize that the way your friends study isn’t necessarily the way you study. Just try to spend this year finding what works for you, and don’t be afraid of failure. If you do mess up, just work your way up again. And remember this: the college you end up going to does not determine who you are. Good luck.