<p>Hi guys this is my first post to CC so please take it easy on me if I've done something wrong...
When I grow up I either want to be a doctor or engineer if not I would definitely do something in the math/science field. I would like to go to the best school I can get into (as everyone else would) My school does GPA on the 100 point system and I will probably have a 101.5 weighted which will put me in the top 20 of my grade which has 600 kids. This year I am taking all honors and both geometry and Algebra II. Over the summer I will be taking Pre Calc so sophomore year I will be in AP Calc AB and junior year I will be in BC. My junior year I will also take AP stats so that I can take a college course at either Rutgers or Princeton my senior year. With all the extra AP's I am taking vs other kids I should probably move into the top 15 in my grade by the end of high school. All of my electives will be AP's with Stats, Art History, and Macro Micro. I will be taking my computer course online my senior year so it does not affect my class rank and so it will not drop my GPA till after college apps are out. Obviously I will be taking the highest level courses I can, with two AP's my sophomore year, all junior year, all senior year and a college course. I also play first singles on varsity on the tennis team at my school and we are top 20 in state. Right now I am on track to play either D3 or walk on D1 tennis. Also, I play golf tournaments and am currently shooting in the low 80's and I might be able to get my golf to the same level as my tennis. This year I am in german club and will be joining either debate or the UN club next year. I hope I can be president of german club, captain of the tennis team, and maybe start up a club. This summer I am also going to host a charity for American Cancer Society where hopefully we can raise around a $1000. I also am working as a receptionist and a coach at a local tennis club. I do not know what kind of college I can get into but I hope some of you guys can give me some insight into what chances I have by pointing me in the right direction and giving me some examples! If anyone has any suggestions for what I should do to improve my chances all is welcome. (PS I'm asian so it's gonna be harder for me to get into a good college) Thanks for the help and the time!!! All is appreciated!</p>
<p>As a high school frosh, concentrate on taking rigorous courses and doing well in them.</p>
<p>Other things to do:</p>
<ul>
<li>Take PSAT in junior year for National Merit qualification if practice tests, or previous PSAT/SAT tests indicate a chance of reaching the National Merit thresholds.</li>
<li>Take one each of SAT and ACT in junior year. If desired, retake the initially higher one in senior year after additional preparation.</li>
<li>If interested in colleges wanting SAT subject tests, take them when you complete the appropriate courses.</li>
<li>Before making your college application list, talk to your parents about cost limits and financial aid situation so that you can run net price calculators.</li>
</ul>
<p>But the number one priority now is to do well in a rigorous course selection in school.</p>
<p>Also, learn to use paragraphs when you write.</p>
<p>As a freshman, it is too early for us to give you any ideas as to what colleges you would be competitive for. Come back in 1.5-2 years and post when you have more things confirmed.
Giving your post a cursory look though, you look like you are on the right track for very competitive colleges. Take AP and honors courses and get As, get involved in ECs and try to get leadership positions (you look like you are really doing well with this) and take the PSAT sophomore year to get a feel for how much test prep you will have to do. And don’t stress yourself out. </p>
<p>Relax, you’re a freshman. Most colleges won’t even look at anything you do this year. I don’t wanna say what you did this year doesn’t matter, but yeah, pretty much, it doesn’t matter and won’t even be looked at. Sorry. But good luck next year!</p>
<p>Aye caramba, you poor child.</p>
<p>How about this: Just research how students prepare to be competitive for med school (and how med school admissions works) and pay little attention at this point about WHICH colleges you should target for undergrad studies. Sounds like you’ve got all elements up and running (from sports to APs), so just keep the helm steady — and have some fun and joy, too (now, not just when you’re an M.D.). </p>
<p>Sorry more like top 30 in my grade not 20… Thanks for the input so far! Keep it coming :)</p>
<p>I feel like screaming when I see headings like yours, but I’ll be nice this time. You are obviously an excellent, highly-motivated student, but a lot can happen in the next two years, for better or worse. Nobody can predict the future. When it comes time to select colleges, it will be perfectly valid to consider non-academic factors. Most colleges, large and small, offer the basic science curricula you need for pre-med. The list of engineering faculties is somewhat smaller, but there are lots of good ones out there. You undoubtedly know that competition for admission to the very top tier of schools is brutal, and so you should keep your mind and heart open to other possibilities (especially if you want financial assistance, and I can almost promise that you will if you also have your sights on medical school further down the road). Figure out what really interests you as you progress through the next few years. Inspiring essays and gushing teacher recommendations can provide the extra nudge in admissions, and you will only have those if you are excited and exciting. Can you and your family incorporate some college visits into vacations? This might give you a chance to see whether you prefer large universities, small campuses, or urban communities. As I said before, it’s absolutely fine to think about other interests (e.g. skiing, golf, beaches, local music scenes, etc.) when determining which colleges you want to look at. My older son was interested in theater, and wanted urban schools. My younger one applied to fifteen colleges, ranging from huge, public universities to tiny (ie. under 1000 students) liberal arts colleges. The one factor that he insisted on was that they be outside of the Northeast, because he wanted to broaden his horizons beyond the region where he’s spent his first eighteen years. My advice is to keep up the good work, but have a little fun, too.</p>
<p>Bump</p>
<p>You need to really calm down. Right now, just focus on getting good grades. For worry about getting grades for colleges yet because you are a long time away from that. Many schools won’t even look at this year. Just continue to work had as if your don’t get into a top 15 school, that’s okay too :)</p>
<p>Do you not understand the concept of not enough data? Chillax and get a book like Fiske Guide and learn about a variety of different colleges and what they have to offer.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in colleges, buy one of these: Princeton review’s best colleges, Insider’s guide to the colleges, Fiske guide, colleges that change lives. Start a “college notebook”’ and keep notes about colleges, one double page per college, leaving space for later when you want to add elements. Fill out some “request information” forms from colleges within 100 miles of home and go visit a few that are different (one large public, one regional public, one larger private, one smaller private, one religious, for instance) and add comments to your notebook.
Your perspective is likely to change a lot in 3 years (hopefully since it’ll mean you mature) though so stay flexible and DO NOT fixate on one college.</p>
<p>Wow! I was once in your same shoes. Hillsborough High School, New Jersey. Correct me if I am wrong. Graduating GPA was a 104.74. Did the same thing as you except for the tennis part of it, thought I was the head of the chest club. Say, hi to Mr. Dang for me, will ya. I think I took as many APs as you did, but I think you are taking AP Art History, they didn’t have that beck in the day. I did take Math Anal over the summer online. Not my best move in high school, but not my worst. My recommendation is to beast your Math Anal course, but I will promise you that AP Calc AB will not be easy for you, especially with your poor expectation of a 101.5. I wasn’t the best student, but c’mom. I’ll take it easy, since its your first post. I suspect you are probably taking two math’s this year cause if you were smart, Algebra 2 over the summer would have been better than Math Anal over the summer before sophomore year. Not to mention, you weren’t part of the Algebra 1 group in seventh grade, either. Also, you are probably used to A’s because you care so much as a freshman about college and stuff. When you start taking APs, you wont be getting A’s all the time, especially not the low A’s you get. [-X Don’t beat yourself up over it, just try to keep your foothold in the class and minimize your bad grades. Also, don’t keep the thought of a specific college lingering in your head, just strive to go to a great college, so you can focus more on the present and the outcome of 3 years in the future. (P.S. If you are in a 600 kid grade at Hillsborough, I don’t think a 101.5 will cut top 20, may be top 30.) Don’t loose sight of the forest! I specifically reached out to you cause my sibling found this thread and I thought i could give you some information. Feel free to inbox me if you have any questions about HHS!</p>