<p>Well, not exactly,
But its my junior year in HS. I'm a very hardworking dedicated and enthusiastic student... but this year, the "make it or break it year", is not really going as planned...
I realize the series of events I am going to disclose has severely impacted my grades and overall participation, so I just want to get a clue on what I should do, or what should I expect in regards to applying to colleges and receiving decisions. I will be applying to very highly selective colleges, including Ivys/MIT/Stanford... the works you guys are familiar with this ambition on this site.
For starters:
-ADHD. Lovely little pain in the neck which makes everything much harder and painful than it needs to be.
-This year, though I am the least promiscuous person in my school (please, my source of entertainment Saturday nights is computer programming) I got... the lovely mononucleosis, which stayed around a long time because I wasn't allowed to stay home and miss days of school thanks to great parenting! (sarcasm). Hooray. I've had 0 energy and i'm asleep before I can open up my backpack to do homework :(.
- Then while all this stuff is going on... tripping down the stairs in school for a ... you guessed it ... concussion!
So.. my grades have been As/A-s (surprisingly however), but i did get 1 C and 1 incomplete, because of all this. The A's were in the classes I don't have to study for (math science type), because I already did so much of it over the summer.</p>
<p>So. What should my course of actions be?
What should my expectations be?</p>
<p>(also if it helps i'm female)
Thanks so much you guys!</p>
<p>Make sure your guidance counselor is aware of your health issues (mono, concussion) and the resulting dip in grades. They should be able to talk about it in the GC recommendation. Or you could put a sentence or two about it in your additional info section of the application (but talk to your GC anyway, you want them tuned in if colleges call to ask about the junior year grades).</p>
<p>And make sure you have some match/safety schools you like as well (but that is obvious advice regardless of issues encountered in your junior year). Obviously it is okay to have reach schools like you do on your list, but makes sure you spend time finding schools more in the match & safety category that you REALLY like and could attend. It is super easy to find tippy top schools to like (everyone likes them!). It takes more elbow grease to find other schools that aren’t “big name” where you could be happy. Don’t skimp on that process.</p>
<p>I agree with Intparent, particularly about finding a safety - a school you would like to attend, are virtually sure of getting into, and your family can afford.</p>
<p>Aright thanks for the advice guys! I already do have safety schools of course, but for perspective, I go to a 40% ivy pipeline prep school, but I have zero idea how that factors in to things (immigrant parents we have no idea about legacy or “prep school prestige factor” or anything like that). I’m just trying to gauge my options here.
But thank you so much for your wise words!</p>
<p>I don’t think what you described is the end of the world. Especially if, as intparent suggests, you have your guidance counselor address the health issues. You still have the rest of this year and first semester senior grades to show the colleges your real potential.</p>
<p>FWIW, mono may have the knick-name “kissing disease”, but it has nothing to do with that. It’s easily spread by coughing, and is a very serious disease. People can die from it, and a word of warning to anyone who has it, do not play contact sports for at least 6 weeks after having it, not that you would feel like it anyway, you a very susceptible to liver rupture.</p>
<p>If you’ve never had it, it feels like a truck ran over you. Then backed up and ran you over again.</p>
<p>If you go to a prestige prep school and you have no idea how that factors in or how you sit in your class and your own prospects then you aren’t taking advantage of the resources there. They are the ones who are going to know best. That doesn’t mean to not be an active participant, however, but you need to pull your head out of your nether regions.</p>
<p>Take advantage of your GC. Do the best you can in Spring and Fall.</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m making sure not to participate in sports @BrownParent,
Actually funnily enough, my college counselor isn’t allowed to disclose those details to me until AFTER junior year… Because the cutthroat environment can be so nasty at my school there is less hassle by not disclosing that information.</p>
