What can i do?!

Applying to College
1

<p>I think i Posted Something similar before.</p>

<p>I'm a 14 year old indian and in a high school in Singapore run by the national university. It's a special school for people especially talented in Math and Science. however, i have not been doing very well. I got a 3.8 for my CAP last semester(out of 5). And i think i didn't work that hard and could've done better. I only realized the importance of doing well.
My school doesn't have AP classes but we're taught AP stuff in class, normal class.
We only choose honors in year 4. I just started year 3 in January. You guys got advice??
Here are my (current) stats.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.8/5 ( I KNOW I CAN PULL IT UP!!!! )
Loads of community service hours. President of National Education Ambassador's International Friendship Day Committee.
Was in a show called Singapore's Brainiest Kid a few years ago(finalist).
I got selected for the national physics olympiad but didn't attend because i didn't think i was good enough for it.
Starting a club to help elderly due to increasing dependency ratio in the population.
going to take up a student job during the summer holidays. (What would you recommend? Volunteer in an organization or waiter?)</p>

<p>Ok i'm not trying to show off or anything but i know i'm smart and i can do well if i study, i KNOW i can, but it always turns out otherwise!!
I have started studying etymology and a bit of latin and greek to better prepare myself for the SATs and read several books on college admissions. </p>

<p>I know how much the essays and recs matter. The teachers are happy with my social character but i REALLY need to pull my grades up. I ALWAYS screw up WHENEVER i try.</p>

<p>I know this might sound optimistic and stupid but i want to get into a good university. I was even aiming for the ivies. Am i too bad for them?!
Furthermore, what can i do? There aren't as many voluntary opportunities here in singapore but i can try looking for one. I have friends who work for ngos and a guy who owns the best .net programming company in singapore. I asked him for a job. Will this be better than volunteering?
Besides all this, what can i do to make my stats look better by the time i post here in 2011.
By the way, looking at you people here getting into colleges and all is cool.
congratz to everyone you got into the college they wanted to!</p>

2

<p>Woah</p>

<p>First of all, calm down. It's not the end of the world and you are not a bad student. I think that you lack self-confidence, which is a very dangerous thing and you need to work on it. Don't give up on your Ivy League goal, I almost did and if I didn't apply, I wouldn't be attending one in the fall. It's statements like this that make me question your confidence:</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
I got selected for the national physics olympiad but didn't attend because i didn't think i was good enough for it.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Don't be discouraged by anything and try your best. You said that you'll be applying for college in 2011, which probably makes you Class of 2012. A "bad" freshman year is not the end of the world and if you are determined as seem to be, you CAN do it. Retain a positive attitude and work. You're at a school for talented math and science kids, that gives you a leg up. Just continue to work hard, don't stress so much and work on your confidence. If you can do that, you'll be fine.</p>

3

<p>Thanks. But i thought it was better to stay away than looking like an idiot. <em>shrugs</em> the first round was open book so i got through it. But the second round would've book closed book. Thanks though, i'll try looking into my confidence. Thanks for the quick reply too!</p>

<p>But still, besides all this, what can i do, like work on various other parts. I'm in the school's tennis team and i play the guitar...? Stuff like that? Does it matter?</p>

4

<p>You should pursue things that interest you. Ivy Leagues are far more interested in people who are passionate as opposed to "resume builders." If you play tennis really well, stick to that and add a couple of things on the side. Don't do 20 activities that don't interest you when you can do 3-5 activites that really interest you and that you are really good at.</p>

5

<p>anymore suggestions?!</p>

6

<p>I'm with Colbert on this one. It's better to be a mile deep in a couple of activities than to be spread a mile wide in tons of ECs.</p>