<p>Hi everyone, I'm a sophomore with a college question (I'm aware it's a little early) :</p>
<p>My guidance counselor suggested I should start researching and maybe visiting a few colleges in the coming months. When I went to our district's college planning website and entered my preferences into the system, colleges like Yale and Princeton were suggested. Obviously, it takes a little more than a smart kid to be accepted there...so what should I do? At this mid-way point in my high school career, I've gotten pretty competitive grades (97 UW GPA), joined a few clubs (jazz band, etc.), play varsity sports (I'm no college recruit though), some decent achievements (NSE gold medal, all-county band) and recently got a mentor to work with at one of the best cancer hospitals in the country. If I'm looking to stay within the NE/Atlantic area, what are some good suggestions? P.s, right now I want to become a doctor.
Thanks!</p>
<p>I am junior and will probably visit colleges during spring break this year. I think that is what you should do, spring break of junior year. I am taking my SAT in January, so once I get that back I know where I will be visiting. Again, that is the same for you. It wouldn’t be worth it to waste time as a sophomore to visit colleges yet. First, take the SAT when you are ready, then go visit some colleges that relate to that score(s), If you are getting a 2000 on the SAT, Harvard may not be worth visiting. You can always go during the summer btwn junior-senior year too.</p>
<p>Right now focus on visiting different types of colleges. They don’t have to be colleges that are necessarily on your radar. Go tour a big public research university and a small liberal arts college and your local community college and a mid-sized master’s university. That will at least give you a little bit of a feel for differences in type and let you potentially start narrowing your preferences. </p>
<p>Any time you travel (for vacation, EC events, etc.), if you are at all able try to visit a college or university at your destination. If you can plan the travel (e.g. the family vacation), think about picking a destination that has a college you might be interested in.</p>
<p>Given your geographic area of preference, you could probably take a train tour of a good number of colleges. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Lynxinsider is right, don’t worry about specific colleges, go to whatever is available. As you visit colleges, you’ll start figuring out what’s important to you. Based on new experiences, you may want to go back and visit some that you had before but look for something different. It’s not too early to start. Some colleges won’t let you sit in on a class as a sophomore but you can still attend preview days and similar events. </p>
<p>Think about it this way, you’ll only have a few opportunities to actually visit a school and sit in on a class while it’s in session (time when you can get off school and the college is in session). You want to spend that time on your top choice colleges, not figuring out if you like large classes or urban schools. Also, being open to visit any colleges now may take you in directions you haven’t anticipated with time to do something about it.</p>
<p>2 previous posters beat me to what I was going to say, so I can do little more than echo their advice… Rather than focusing on specific colleges, figure out what type(s) of colleges would be right for you and what you definitely want to avoid. Plenty of time to make an informed choice on which ones, in a range of selectivity, match your interests.</p>