<p>I want to either attend: Harvard, Columbia, Dartmouth, or the University of Pennsylvania. </p>
<p>I'm entering my sophomore year, and want to know if I can do anything to increase my chances.</p>
<p>At the moment: I get straight A's. I have a 4.0 GPA. I play soccer on JV, and I'm a representative for FBLA 2 years. The courses I'm taking this year will be: Geometry, Algebra 2 Honors, English Honors, Ap World History, Honors Bio 1, Ap Bio 2, and the usual kinda stuff like Gym, Health, Drivers Ed, etc. I might work at an insurance agency this summer. Is there anything I should do to increase admission chances? Volunteer work, summer classes, etc.</p>
<p>xforeverheather:</p>
<p>You’re still young. You probably have not researched enough about these Ivy League institutions, and more likely, you haven’t figured out what you want out of college.
Come back in a year and I’ll tell you. Feel free to send me a private message that criticizes me.</p>
<p>What grade are you in? If you are a freshman or a sophomore keep up with your schoolwork and take a heavy course load, but also focus on finding a passion or something that you enjoy doing, and find ways to show this through activities and leadership positions, whether it be inside or outside your school.</p>
<p>Do not take a heavy course load. Rather, take the most rigorous course load that you can handle. </p>
<p>I don’t believe in “finding a passion.” If you’re committing to these activities already, one of them is bound to strike a chord with you. Keep pursuing the activity that you enjoy the most. Expand your horizon, but don’t freak about not having the right “passion.” I utterly detest that word now . . .</p>
<p>@violistchan Sorry, I didn’t mean to confuse the OP or anything. I’m still in high school so I’m pretty much clueless. What I meant was that instead of trying to do volunteer work and ECs specifically to help her chances for college, she should find something she enjoys doing and commit to that.</p>
<p>@violistchan: i have researched, and most of the colleges i’ve narrowed it down to are ivy. & i focus a lot on soccer & fbla. i’m not sure how the honors/ap courses are gonna work out, since it’s a lot more than i’ve done before. we’ll see though!</p>
<p>@dancetilldawn: 10th grade, & thanks. around where i live there aren’t many places really for volunteering, i’m trying to do something fun. i tried helping old people…just no. still looking!</p>