Hi! I’m going to be a junior next year, so I’m just beginning to look into colleges (late?) - I still have much to learn, so any feedback at all would be extremely helpful.
Naturally i would want to attend a prestigious school, but there are so many out there so please give me as much recommendations and advice as you can!!
So about me…
Gender: F
Ethnicity : Asian
I’m not an US citizen so does anyone know if that would be a factor in anything?
State: IL
GPA- 4.0 unweighted, don’t know how much weighted (my school uses a 6.0 scale and honors is worth as much as APs so it super confusing, but I’ve been taking all honors and ap classes and will continue to do so)
Don’t know school rank either, I’m guessing between top 10% to top 5%
APs: world history- 5
Chinese language and culture - 5
Physics -5
European history - 5
Will take 4 more APs junior year and probably 5 senior year (good/bad idea?)
ACT -34 (I took it during February this year, it was almost 33, but on the other hand I didn’t study and my cousin woke me up at 5 AM the day of and I have to take it again anyways)
Should I take the SATs?
Or the PSATs?
Oh also I may or may not be dyslexic and I’m not sure whether I should bother get tested since I heard then I might get extra time and I didn’t finish the last few questions for the ACT but should I bother with the trouble?
Extracurriculars-
Freshman:
Art club
Math team
FCCLA
Badminton team
Sophomore
Art club (I organized a mural project thing)
Mah team
FCCLA (leadership team, will be treasurer next year)
International club
Junior Achievement
JETS - only sophomore on the competitive team, which placed in state
Extra talents:
I’m a decent viola player - have played section leader in school orchestras as well as a small local youth orchestra. T
I was also an on and off pianist since we couldn’t always afford piano lessons so I stopped last year, but I did place pretty well in the competitions I was in (if I am to apply to college, should I mention this at all?)
I’m good at math and sciency stuff but don’t know how to prove it (would colleges take it if I brag about self teaching myself math levels from between third grade to eighth in two years because CPS schools are horrible?)
I won some writing award my English teacher entered me in for, not sure what it’s called, something to do with Illinois teachers of English or something
I’m also a decent self taught artist - should I send schools a portfolio? How should I prove that? I’ve heard about Scholastics but is there anything else?
Also I’m bilingual and for some reason strangely good at Chinese - again, don’t know how to prove
Recently I’m really into entrepreneurship and starting a small business on Etsy/my own website as soon as I learn how. My mom said it’s a waste of time but what do you guys think?
so what I want to major in: (which is basically undecided, but I’m interested in the following)
Business
Education
Engineering
Art/design
Performing arts
Humanities
Philosophy
My school requirements
- has to meet if not full then a lot of financial aid (would it be a factor if we definitely need financial aid but live in a really rich neighborhood?)
- has to have a decent orchestra
- easier to switch between majors the first two years
-not in the middle of nowhere
-has study abroad program in either France, China or Japan
So any advice to where I should start my college search?
Thanks!!!