I am a sophomore in high school and I know it’s early but I want to see what I can improve on before I start applying to colleges. This is what I have done so far since I’ve started high school:
- I have a weighted GPA of 3.85
- Am taking AP World History
- Will be taking AP Lang. & Comp., AP US, and AP Music History next year
- Volunteer at my local Soup Kitchen once a week
- 1st violinist and am the Secretary of my schools orchestra
- Am on the Robotics Team at my school
- Take a Saturday SAT class at a Museum in the city
- And over the Summer I am taking a computer science course called Girls Who Code.
+Plus I volunteer ALOT in my school
+Going to apply to NHS next year (I think I’ll get in)
+Applying to take AP Bio, AP Gov, and maybe AP Chem Senior year
– Got a 1550 on me PSAT (hence the SAT class)
I feel like I’m doing a lot, but at the same time when I think of all the things that I’m not doing I feel as if this won’t get me in to schools like UPenn, Stanford, University of Chicago, etc. If you were reviewing my application to UPenn would you except me, and if not what would you recommend I do to improve? I really don’t know what to do. Please help!
At the moment, you do not sound very competitive for the schools you listed. Is that 1550 out of 2400? I’m guessing it is, given your allusion to the SAT prep class. You are an excellent candidate for most colleges, but probably not for the ones you listed. See how you do on the rounds of tests and your AP classes as a junior, but you might want to begin familiarizing yourself with some other colleges, especially test-optional ones. You mentioned three colleges out of the three thousand four-year colleges that exist in the United States. Keep doing well and participating in the activities you love. Take the SAT and ACT at least once apiece, but do not compromise other activities and interests in pursuit of elusive scores. They are not the be-all and end-all, and more colleges adopt the test-optional model every year.
Definitely improve your GPA. You’re competing with people that have higher than a 4.0.
Thank you so much I’m making a list of everything and work towards it for next year.
For the schools you have listed you have to be perfect in every single way possible to have a chance. Being honest, you are very far from standing a chance at those schools. Just try your hardest, study A LOT for the SAT, and you can still make it to a top school.
Hey burttrillion, I don’t mean to sound rude, but how can kids have over a 4 unweighted. This girl has a 3.85 unweighted, and by the time she’s a senior it is likely to be over 4 if weighted with AP classes.
I think for a sophomore, you’re doing great! The classes you take this year and next year will have you prepped for the ACT/SAT and definitely keep up the prep class for test taking strategies etc. Try and show colleges you’re a leader and not just super smart! And if you are not a girl, very sorry, I made a presumption based on your computer class’s name.
Remember, those colleges are great, but look at some liberal arts colleges too. Williams and Pamona are just two of many many LAC’s that are ranked super highly! You sound like a good fit for them
A couple of people have suggested that you broaden your horizons, which is good advice, but I would also suggest that you learn more abut the ones that you have already named. Learn more about each one, and think about why it is on your list- and why you think it is a good fit for you. UChicago and UPenn are really really different schools. The requirements at Stanford and Columbia are pretty different. The better the ‘fit’ between you and the college(s) you apply to, the stronger your application will be. Also, try really hard not to get locked into a handful of big names: you should be growing and changing a lot over the next 18 months, and what you want from your college may change along with you.
When you get to the point of applying to colleges, you want to be able to tell the story of who you are, and why college X is the right place for your next chapter- both in what it will add to your story and what you will add to that community.