"Chance" me please?

Colleges & Universities Columbia University
1

<p>Salutations, </p>

<p>My name is Brooke Johnson. I am fourteen years old, and in the 9th grade. I attend an extremely small Christian School in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. It is my ultimate dream to attend an Ivy League school; whether it be Princeton, Columbia, UPENN, Harvard, or Yale (my first choices.) Last year I attended a very bad public school. The teachers never taught. They sat on their computers and handed us worksheets or assigned work in the book with NO lesson, and thereby I didn’t learn anything in 8th grade. So I decided that I don’t want to have anything to do with the Public School system (especially in the area that I live in.) So I came to the school that I’m currently at now. And since this is a much more rigorous school compared to the school I attended last year, my first quarter was pretty rough. I got C’s, B’s and one A. But the second quarter, I got on the honor roll, and this quarter, I have mostly A’s and a few B’s. You see, my school is brand new (three years old) and we have no clubs, basic courses (mathematics, science, english, spanish, history, (and p.e and bible class.) and the only honors courses they provide are in math (which I don’t have) science, english, and history (of which I DO have.) I’m going to start a (few) club(s) as well. This year, what I have to put on my resume is student council, softball, Next year, I plan on getting straight A’s (all my grades will be above 95%) and joining all the sports; and forming many clubs. Also, the summer going into my junior year, I plan on attending UPENN Pre-College (which will look great on my resume, right? increase my chances perhaps?) </p>

<p>Or am I pretty much screwed because of my freshman year?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Brooke</p>

2

<p>I really don’t want to sound mean, but I don’t think you’re going to get into Harvard or Yale because you haven’t done much this year in terms of ECs or grades. I doubt you have a chance at Princeton, but I do think if you do everything you say you will, you can get University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. However, this is just MY opinion, so if you believe you can get Harvard, then by all means disregard what I said! Good luck!! :)</p>

3

<p>I am no expert on college apps but i do know that colleges like seeing upward trends. If you truly do improve dramatically over the next 2-3 years the colleges will see your determination (you can also write about how you realized that you needed to turn your life around after freshman year).
Also, some colleges, whether they admit it or not, disregard freshman year totally. So my advice, dont get too upset about freshman year and move on, do the best and most you can, and hope for the best.
Good luck!</p>

4

<p>you are 14 go out there and have some fun… stop worrying about this stuff :/</p>

5

<p>You have a long time before you need to worry about all this, lol. Get involved in your school and start some clubs in subjects you are passionate about. Colleges will understand your limiting circumstances–they just want to see how you have contributed.</p>

6

<p>You’re 14? You sound like a 34 year old posting information a dating website. When I was a freshmen, I played volleyball everyday of the week and had snowball fights during winter. Be a kid, for Christ’s sake.</p>