I’m currently a high school freshman, so idk if anyone will even be able to answer this… I was just wondering, based on what I know so far, what general “level” of colleges I could be looking at realistically. My GPA so far is 4.12, weighted and unweighted since I haven’t taken any AP classes yet. I’m planning on taking 3 next year, 10 in total. Generally, I get good grades (straight As) and am in a few clubs, drama, band, etc. I’ll hopefully do honor society and music honor society. I’ve been looking at places like Tufts, Williams, about that level.I know a lot of people can easily get good grades, and I don’t really have anything special that sets me apart, so I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to do. I’m planning on going into the science field, something like chemistry or physics.
what are your standardized test scores?
If you’re into science, try joining Science Olympiad at your school, and if your school doesn’t have a team, maybe try establishing one. A research internship over the next 3 summers is probably your best bet. Participate in regional and state scires competitions; eventually, you’ll participate in prestigious competitions like Intel ISEF and Regeneron STS, which look extremely good for college applications.
Also take the USABO, USACO, USAPho exams in your sophomore and junior years. If you achieve semifinalist in any one of them, that’s also a boost.
The STEM route is an extremely hard route to take nowadays, and you should try to stand out. You’re in your freshman year, so you have plenty of time to work towards the aforementioned goals
@kalons I haven’t taken any standardized tests yet. I’m planning on taking the PSAT and SAT next year if possible
yeah, that’s what i figured.
here’s the thing: you’re a freshman. start thinking about where you want to go around your second semester of junior year. until then, work on yourself now. take classes you’re genuinely interested in (don’t “fluff” up your schedule by taking all AP classes [if your school offers them] only because you think college admissions officers will want to see that), find things you’re passionate about, etc. because, as of right now, i do think it’s too early to really help.
(also, keep an open mind when looking at colleges. a year ago, if you told me i would end up at a liberal arts college in iowa, i would have laughed in your face. sometimes the best things take time to reveal themselves.)
I agree with @kalons on several points. You are a freshman. You have a lot of time to grow in high school and a lot of things to learn before you need to worry about what university to attend. There are a lot of universities and colleges in the US, and a lot of very good ones. When the time comes you will be best off to keep an open mind, figure out what is a good fit for you, and specifically not to just look for a famous or highly ranked school. I have one daughter at a relatively small university right now and it seems to be a really good choice for her. You will at some point need to think about what is a good choice for you.
Excepting perhaps a few tech-focused colleges such as Harvey Mudd (which enroll exceedingly strong classes based on simple statistics), you will really not find a level of schools that are more selective than Williams.
I agree focus on grades and fine tuning some ECs. Take some visits to schools nearby to check out what feels comfortable size wise etc. We always checked out colleges when we traveled just for fun. By junior year my D was confident a small LAC was right for her. Then she started working on a list.