<p>I’m a rising tenth grader. My goal has always been to get into an elite college. I spent 9th grade accordingly. Here are the activities I was in outside school:</p>
<p>School office volunteer (5 hours/week)
Law office volunteer (3 hours/week)
College class for credit (4 hours/week)
Tennis/speech/debate depending on season (10 hours/week)</p>
<p>Also, my GPA was 3.85 with the most difficult classes. I even took the SAT the summer before 9th grade (and got a 1750). As you can see, I’ve devoted a lot of time and energy to getting into an elite school.</p>
<p>But now I’ve decided that I don’t care about prestige and that my goal should instead be to save time and money in the future. To do this, my plan would:</p>
<ul>
<li>Forget about attending an elite school, instead plan on taking dual-enrollment classes at local U (in the top 75 USNWR) in 11th and 12th grade and then continue on after HS graduation.</li>
<li>Drop all 9th grade ECs in 10th grade except the college class.</li>
<li>Self-study APs to get myself more credits.</li>
<li>Get a job.</li>
<li>Keep taking summer classes at the local U every summer.</li>
</ul>
<p>But I would feel guilty about just giving up on the goal I had for so long. I would kind of feel like I wasted 9th grade. On the other hand, hypothetically I’d be able to graduate from college only one year after graduating HS if I did change plans.</p>
<p>I have three questions for you:</p>
<p>1) Should I change plans? Or should I keep going as I was in 9th grade and let it all work out?
2) Is there a way I can find a selective, high-paying job that will consider my EC record when deciding whether to hire me? If so, I wouldn’t feel like 9th grade was a complete waste.
3) My main dream school was the University of Michigan (OOS). If I go with plan 2, I’d still like to attend Michigan for grad school. How hard is it to get in and what criteria do they use?</p>
<p>Chill. Wow, I admire you for working so hard freshman year, as a fellow rising soph my freshman year was total garbage (in CC terms) on pokemon / WoW / Starcraft / CS / WC / BF2 (still playing now @ summer, with more time available xD) …etc gaming like 7 hours everyday on schooldays and stuff. I did no EC’s, no jobs, no studying, no interns…etc etc. </p>
<p>Either way, you’re fine, I’d have to stick with the cheesy pokemonic advice of “nothing is in vain”. Your EC’s that you’ve worked so hard this year will probably benefit you in the long term in some way, providing you skills and etc.</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with going to Michigan state for undergrad, I’d say go for it. But if you want to “change” your plans, go for it.</p>
<p>yes, do not go to uber competitive college if you can graduate in 2.5 to 3 years from public. It is not worth it. Ever ever ever. My plan is to enter the Univerity of minnesota chemE (ranked no 3 btw) as a soph, and then maybe get an MS in 4.5 years. Wherever you go, make sure they have good parties. </p>
<p>As far as a job goes, work at a restaurant, find a local family restaurant, they pay great if you bus tables for tips (I average 11.50/hr). It is also very very fun work if you like hard work. Ask your friends around town/upperclassmen where they work and how it is. There is sooo much good in actually having a job, and not spending high school trying to conform to some uber student (academics are great, what top colleges make you do as far as joining clubs and all this bs stuff is not). Do you want to do business or engineering.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t understand why you’d want to change plans. You’re well on track to getting into a great school - I wish I had been that aware/motivated as a freshman.</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t see much benefit in changing your goals. Keep going the way you’ve been headed and you’ll surely get into UMich.</p>
<p>But seriously, why wouldn’t you want to continue what you’ve been doing? Is there some big benefit I’m missing out on?</p>
<p>Like many others, I really admire your thoughts and aspirations, but from what I have heard from other college students and older cousins, I will also be passing down to you. College is an era that willl not repeat ever in your life. Your undergrad years will those to remember. The people and enviornments will come across are going to be an unforgetable learning experience. So watch out. Do make your decisions wisely. What’s the rush? You have your whole life to work, just be sure not to cheat on some of the most important parts of your life. </p>
<p>haha as a rising junior myself, i sure do sound like an old person. However, i am looking college personally as a growing period of my life in addition to a way of settling my future career and life.</p>
<p>Why would you only want to spend one year in college? If you spend four years in college it’ll be easier for you to boost your resume enough to get into a good grad school…plus college is really fun and you should enjoy it :p</p>