Conflicted student with a confusing transcript + limited college options

I’m a junior but I should be a sophomore. Currently, my plans are graduating an entire year early (next year is my last). Next year, most of my classes (all but two) are through dual enrollment. I’ll apply to colleges second semester of next year. I believe myself to be mature enough for college, I would be 18 shortly into freshman year of college so it’s more of catching up than getting ahead.

I’ve exhausted most course options at my school, and the only courses left do not interest me at all, I’ve told my counselor this but she still pushes me to take AP sciences to complete my schedule. I used to have a STEM passion, but my interests have shifted. Next year is the first year I’m open to DE, which I’m really glad for, because I can take writing and history classes of my choice. I’ve finished all of my required classes for graduation except for English and history, which I enjoy anyways. But even with the DE selection, I will have worn it out if I stayed an extra year (senior year).

Prior to freshman year and during freshman year, I finished all of my maths up to Precalculus at the honors level. This year I did not take math, my only options are AP Calculus (which I am not interested in) and AP Statistics. I didn’t take math this year and my counselor said I need to take it once more or no college will accept me, so I’m opting for Statistics DE. One semester is a lot more convenient for me than two, since I’m trying to get credits. In freshman year I took AP Physics and finished my other two sciences at the honors level this year. I’m caught up on English at the honors level, History also, but I’m missing a few for graduation. I have a decent number of electives (more than required), I’m in two languages currently.

To graduate I need:
Two English Classes
One History Class
Any other classes of my choice to reach the amount of req’d credits for graduation

I average at about a 90 (B+ to A) for most of my classes at the honors level. I really feel that my school is limited, I have taken a decent amount of courses online to suit my needs which I really find dull and disappointing. I’m studying for my ACT, I’ve been scoring around 28s on practice tests, but I will study this summer and give the exam.

Currently I am enrolled in:
French II
Arabic I online (I took an online class as an alternative to Apparel or Microsoft Word, but I enjoy learning langauges)
Home Economics (not my choice, I had no other available options)
Creative Writing

ECs: I’m in Operation Smile, I was in the Math Honors Society but I couldn’t attend fundraisers (lack of transportation, can’t stay after school) and I didn’t have enough points to stay in the club so I got removed. I’m trying to get a job this summer and next year–if I can arrange a ride–to save for some important things (like a laptop for college). In my free time, I really like reading books (non-fiction, autobiographies) and writing about and researching global affairs and engaging in activism, but online. I’ve written a lot of pieces on conflicts in my home country (particularly an insurgency movement I find very interesting, and human rights in the Global South in general). I’ve reached out to journalists and activists for interviews, and I’ve done a lot of campaigning on social media. I feel like my complete absence of ECs is very detrimental to my applications.

I find politics very interesting, English as well, which is apparent in my transcript.
I’ll have taken
Honors English I
Honors English II
Honors English III (first semester)
Honors English IV (second semester)
Creative Writing
Journalism (this summer)
Writing & Inquiry (DE)
Writing & Research (DE)
American Lit I (DE)
by the time I graduate.
I’m actually ready for my last two English classes, we work on our graduation project and do a big research paper and make a product and presentation which I secretly enjoy NGL.

I really like researching the politics and issues of the ME/SA, foreign policy, and the history and cultures of the ME/SA. Currently, for example, I’m reading a book on communism in Afghanistan and the Saur revolution, and a book on the history and effects of British imperialism on India. I hope to study Political Science, International Affairs, or Journalism/English in college. I love learning about languages, especially Indo-European languages and their similarities, and I really want to go to a college where I can take courses for the languages I would be interested in learning.

I’m almost guaranteed admission to a nearby university that my siblings attend, I’m fine with going but I can’t dorm which is an issue. I’d have to get a ride everyday to class with my sisters, which is hard because they have their own schedules and work, so I have to work around their schedules and it’s very difficult. I don’t have my license and won’t have it anytime soon due to financial reasons. I’m not sure if I can dorm because my mom says that it’s too costly and financial aid doesn’t cover housing. My family makes about <$30,000, my sisters are in university, and there are 6 of us. They don’t pay any money for college and receive grants for books. So can financial aid cover housing? My mother is trying her best to send me to take classes at the community college next year so I can get credits (the nearby university will accept them), and she changed her work schedule so she can pick and drop me. I’ve picked all of my classes MTW, but on Thursday and Friday I won’t have a ride to English class at the high school, so I will have to take the bus and stay from 8 to 12 PM, take my class and then wait from 1:30 PM - dismissal twice a week in the school being unoccupied. It’s tiresome, but maybe I can find something to do that would equate to an EC.

My ideal college: top 200, urban, diverse, good political science program, really awesome library, good at meeting student’s needs fully, and a liberal atmosphere (leaning towards the left spectrum of politics)

I very much appreciate you if you took the time to read this, I am kind of lost about college and I don’t think where I am set to go meets my needs. And my parents just want me to have a good career, they aren’t too concerned with what field I choose and the classes I pick. If it helps, I am an NC resident. If you are willing to help me, I am willing to answer your questions. :wink:

My questions follow:

Can aid cover housing?
Is graduating early negative to admissions?
At schools with an International Affairs/Studies major, I heard you have to study abroad as part of your major. Is this true for most colleges, and could I evade this? (for financial reasons)
How can I demonstrate my interests through ECs?
What do you think would be a suitable college for me?

I also have no idea about scholarships, where to start, or which I would be eligible for.

Yes but it’s not usually the case. It’s very hard to find Full Rides which include room and board.
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/

No, but graduating on time gives you a chance to raise your grades and improve your SAT/ACT

Not true in all cases. Check the web site of each school to find out.

The big questions are what scores do you have for the SAT/ACT and how much can your family afford for college.

Based on your record and your financial status, your best bet is to apply to 100% need colleges. These typically cover everything for kids from families that make 30K or less, including room and board and even, sometimes, enough to pay for transportation and a laptop. However you do have to work and contribute (which is a small request since they give you so much). Look into Questbridge.

If you’re to graduate in 2017, the first applications start July 2016 and for state universities with merit, applying early is important (Dec1st is the absolute latest). REA/ED deadlines are November 1st. RD deadlines are between Jan 1st and Feb15.
Are you registered for subject tests for June? Based on your alleged points of strength, I’d suggest English Literature, American History or World History? Then retake your lowest score and add French + the other History test.
(Don’t forget to ask for your fee waivers to your guidance counselor. You’ll have to pay the late fee for the June test if you haven’t registered yet. But the waivers will work in the Fall if you register on time).

Try to take French through your community college in order to reach level 3 at the college (you’ll have to take College French 2 and 3 next year, it’ll take you further than High school French 3.) If you can add Arabic II it’d be good, too. You DO need to take one more year of math.
Reading books for fun on topics of academic interest is VERY good.
Graduating early will hurt you for selective admissions though because you’ll have had one less year to do something unique and impressive.
Any way you can study in a high school abroad (I know it’s frequently done in France, not sure about Arab-speaking countries. The ideal may be a school in France where you can study Arabic or that has many Arabic-speaking students?) Contact your local Rotary and ask about their scholarship program. It’s competitive but it covers all your fees at the school abroad. A French “12th grade” would likely be quite unlike what you’re living. You’d have lots of French literature, Philosophy, foreign languages (Arabic? English?), History… at a rather advanced level.

You should have by the time of graduation: 4 units in English (good: DE Literature and DE Composition; DE Philosophy also “counts”); 4 units of Math including precalculus Honors + 1 (calculus, statistics, discrete math); foreign language up to level 4 or AP in high school (up to level 3 or 4 at the college level - since you won’t have calculus, it’d help if you had French up to level 3-4 college + Arabic up to level 2 college or HS3); 4 units in history and social science (try to take 2 at the community college level but having more would help due to your major: human geography, cultural anthropology, political science, seminars in history); 4 units in science (including bio, chem, and physics, +1). Since you’re fascinated with ME/SA history, look at the local college’s professors’ specialties and ask if any could use you as a research assistant.
Try to retake the ACT and increase your score.
Colleges that would be interested in your profile include Tufts and Macalester (especially if you can combine an International Relations major with both French and Arabic); Northwestern and its MENA major. Georgetown and American University may be interested.

Are you an international student?

I agree that you should look beyond the local college…look for ones that meet your financial need. Then you just need to get there and get picked up at the end of the semester.

Are you a US citizen or here on some sort of visa? If you’re a citizen, your family may qualify for a Pell grant (~$5k/year) and you can take out a federal student loan (~$5500/year). If you want to go away to college, you probably need to work summers to raise some money. You also need stats that are high enough to qualify for merit aid. There’s a thread about guaranteed merit pinned to the top of the financial aid forum. Use that to get started. I don’t think I’d graduate early if I were you. You need time to raise your GPA and test scores if you want a chance at dorming somewhere.

If you’re an international student it will be much more difficult because costs are higher and the competition is tougher.

@“Erin’s Dad” No, I’m a US citizen living in NC.

Thank you for this advice @MYOS1634 , I had not known about Questbridge. I am considering staying another year, but I’ll have to work out what to take senior year because I have limited options.

This worries me, I don’t think I have an application impressive enough to apply ED next year. I think it’d be smart to stay an extra year. I’m also debating on whether I should go to community college for a year and transfer. Would I be applying as a freshman since my credits wouldn’t transfer? I would run out of the good DE class options senior year, and I’ve mentioned that my home school is limited. Would CC be costly? Since it’s cheaper, would I probably not get that much aid (can you get aid for CC or is that not how it works)?

I’m really into the History/Geography/Gov’t classes I can take DE. I don’t want to continue French because we have one teacher at my school, we don’t do any oral and it’s not teaching me any French. There aren’t any French levels open after III. And Arabic II is the last level, and I gained nothing from the class. I would rather spend that time (since I have the freedom to) take more English related subjects.
Thanks for your advice. :slight_smile:

It’d be a burden for me to go to this college (it’s a 1.5 hr commute my siblings have to make) so I’m very much considering community college.

It’s worth noting that I believe I have a learning disability of some sort, maybe ADHD/inattention. I have a lot of trouble focusing and it impairs me. I’m always the last to finish my tests and exams. I remember on my Civics & Economics final, I had trouble focusing and I had to randomly bubble a little less than half of the exam because I didn’t have any time left. The curve saved me, but there’s not always a curve, and too often I find the teacher taking the test away from me because I take too long. As aforementioned, I have been studying for the ACT but I am no way prepared for the actual thing. I never timed myself, and the English and reading passages took longer than they should have. I really enjoy reading, a lot, but it is a very slow process for me. I buy/rent books I am very interested in, but it’ll take me as long as a month to read a 200 page book. I bring some to school and back, but even then I can only read 3-4 pages without stopping. I really enjoy writing as well, but it is a long process for me, and group projects are hard for me. I’ve tried hard to not let this impede me, and I’ve been trying to show improvement each semester (which I have). I usually average around 85-92s for my honors classes. Last year, on top of this I had depression and one of my classes I didn’t turn in any work, three months into the class I was forcefully dropped and replaced with study hall. I have a 0% average, and I have a WF on my transcript. I want to make up for this and I can only do so by staying in school longer. There’s a note on my record that my doctor advised the drop and there’s a note from my principal. I got on SSRIs, I’ve been fine since then and I’m no longer dependent on them. I couldn’t focus on the assignments at all, and I never paid attention. My mom says that these drugs for ADHD are hard to get, and even if I do have it, they’re not for children and she doesn’t want me to be dependant on them. I’ve heard ADHD symptoms subside as you get older.

Since you’re a high need student, DO NOT graduate and attend community college. As a transfer you won’t be eligible for the big scholarships nor Questbridge nor Posse.

If you can attend CC through dual enrollment, do it, take as many classes as they’ll allow, provided you don’t graduate from high school. It’s typically the best solution for students who have used up all course offerings at their school.

I’m worried that you’re trying to cut corners and take the easiest way out. It translates as “intellectually lazy” for adcoms and since your EC’s are average, the only thing you have going for you in order to get sufficient scholarships to attend college is to push yourself academically in every possible way.

Doesn’t your DE college have French if your HS teacher isn’t good? What about taking it through your state’s virtual high school?

Unfortunately, if you want to get a full scholarship to a good college, you’re going to have to push your foreign language level past level 2. You have to show excellence at all levels, whether you’re interested or not. You should push yourself in the areas you’re interested in and complete what top colleges expect from a regularly well-rounded student. If your school offers an upper-level class of something and you don’t take it, or if the local college offers it and you don’t take it, it’ll be counted against you because your school system is rather weak. For instance, it’s typically not required to take calculus if your school offers 20 APs - you can take 6-8 others. But if your school only offers 3 AP classes and one of those is calculus, you’re supposed to take it.
In addition, if you don’t take calculus, you really should take French and Arabic to the highest level offered at your HS or CC, in addition to English, History, Political Science.
Colleges will NOT care whether the teacher’s horrible or if you find the class boring.

I agree it’d be smart to stay another year, focusing on your research project and DE classes that you can push to the highest level offered by your community college.

That took me 20 minutes to type, and even that was a burden. :))
Also, my sister is an adult and she has been diagnosed with ADHD and she takes medication for it. I don’t know if ADHD is genetic.

I forgot I wouldn’t be eligible, but I think QB is too much for me. I’ve decided to stay an extra year, I think I’ll ask about taking classes further than the ones listed. And I will take higher levels of French and math, I will consult with my counselor. I’d really love to go to NC State, that’s the school I’m trying to get admission into. Thanks @MYOS1634

I am the parent of a kid with ADHD, very well versed in the subject, and I can tell you that your mother is wrong on all counts. I assume she isn’t a medical professional, so why depend on her statements when you’re smart enough to do some research on ADHD and learn about it yourself? ADHD meds are so frequently prescribed that the main concern is that they are too easy to obtain, not that they are hard to get. Most diagnoses of ADHD are made while the patient is a child, and many, many, children are prescribed ADHD meds. (Again, the concern is that too many receive them.) While many adults do learn strategies to compensate for their ADHD, with guidance or through trial and error, the condition doesn’t just disappear in adulthood, and many of those wirh ADHD take meds their whole lives. There is no issue of dependency in any case of true ADHD–functioning well with meds and not so well without them is not dependency, any more than needing medication to keep one’s blood pressure under control is dependency.

Your inability to concentrate for extended periods and slow reading and writing pace will be huge obstacles for you in college. You should get a neuropsych evaluation to find out exactly what’s going on and how to best address it.

Which ACT prep books have you been using? Try and get a copy of the official ACT book because your scores may not be accurate. I was super worried about my ACT also because I was scoring around 29-30 on Kaplan practice tests. I ended up getting a 35 composite.

Try to get a diagnostic because it does sound like you have a Learning Disability. Remember that it doesn’t affect your intelligence, just the way you process things.