What can I do to set myself apart from the thousands of other applicants?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hello, I’m a high School sophomore in NYC. I go to a specialized School (I had to take a city test, the SHSAT to get in). My school is incredibly competitive, and I can’t say I’m proud of my grades as a freshman. Will these grades impact me really heavily in the college application area? My transcript has the overall of a high eighty grade from freshman year. I know nothing I saw will excuse my poor grades, but it’s undeniable that I had a pretty rough time that year.

I’m on the volleyball varsity team, have 60 volunteer hours (so far), and am hoping to get an internship with the city congressman in the next few months. My plan is to boost my grades to at least a 94 average for the winter grade and a 97 for the spring report card, and to be part of an intense summer law program where you shadow attorneys, attend a Columbia law lecture, travel to Fordham for a Moot Court, and more.

I’m hoping to either study abroad for the summer next year, or intern for the mayor.

Is there anything else I can do to make my college resume look unique and worth the attention of my dream schools?
These include Columbia (pre law) UPenn, NYU, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Brown, Dartmouth, Pace, and others of this kind.

I know my grades aren’t even close to satisfactory so far, but I would like any advice or recommendation on how to raise my college chances.

2

Read “How To Be a High School” superstar by Cal Newport.

3

Find something really meaningful to you and continue to expand upon it. The colleges want to see something you’re really passionate about. For example, if you like computer science maybe start a club, or do hackathons. I know you can make it! I believe in you! Hope this helps!!! :wink:

4

Thank you!! I’m really interested in law, which is why I’m trying to get into these different programs. I’m also very interested in writing, as I’ve written fiction when I was small and won contests but I just have had a writers block for nearly 6 months. Thank you though!! I’ll try my hardest :slight_smile: