@goneaway You should NEVER drop a foreign language for an elective, unless you have completed four levels.
@goneaway I found it pretty easy as a self-study, but the difficulty probably depends on the context in which it is taught. I wouldn’t drop foreign language for it because 4 years of the same foreign language is a more standard recommendation from many universities.
Sooo I have a question this may be a stupid one. I’ve been writing a book and am in the process of trying to publish it, not for college applications, but reading and writing has just been something that has been a passion of mine. When I apply to colleges I will be applying for Majors in STEM, and I have an interest in AI, Computational Biology, and Mechanical Engineering. Would including that I wrote a book harm my application?
@collegeready33 I highly doubt that will harm your application at all because it shows a wide range of interests as writing is such a fundamental skill to use! It also shows dedication towards publishing something, seriously, it’s a great accomplishment.
Did any of you take the AP Psych exam? I honestly felt so… indifferent to it. I didn’t have a good teacher this year at all and I procrastinated to the max on self studying so I ended up cramming the whole course work in a week. I don’t have good experience AP testing either because I have mad testing anxiety. Oh well, it is what it is
@collegeready33 No, actually. At MIT, there are a lot of students who are interested in various subjects. You can often see students playing instruments, doing magic, etc. Writing a book is something that not a lot of students do, so I would definitely include that.
@katherineh4 I did take it. I did not think it was too bad. There were a few concepts that I literally had no clue about. That is how it is for everyone, though. I suspect that I will get a 4 or maybe a 5.
@collegeready33 You’re writing a book? Me too! That is really awesome! Good luck!
Have a good day!
@ab2002 Yeah, it was definitely easy on some MC questions, and others I had no clue about. I managed to guess my way out of some I think, but it’s cool that you think you did good!
@katherineh4 @ab2002 thanks guys! @anthonytheboy that’s so cool! Good luck!
@collegeready33 It will only harm your application if you also add a ton of other insignificant activities such as clubs you went to twice and contributed little to. If you have lots of activities like that, it is best to list at most maybe 5 activities you spent a significant amount of time doing and had serious interest in because colleges want to see that you have passions rather than just being a joiner. Writing a book definitely is a serious interest and is something you spent a significant time on so it should not hurt your application.
Do you guys have those friends who do not want to listen to your advice, lol. I keep telling my friends they need more involvement to get into the schools they want to get into (they are in two clubs), and they tell me that they will be fine. I think the interesting thing about this website, for us, is that we are pretty skilled in the college game. I think a lot of us have strong plans and reasonable expectations. I haven’t seen anyone with a 3.3 and a 25 ACT shooting for like Dartmouth, so I think we are pretty stable.
@katherineh4 I may have gotten a 5, actually. Obviously, I can’t be 100% sure, because I don’t know if I got a 78/100 or higher. I feel like I got a 5/7 or 6/7 on both of the FRQs.
@ab2002 2 clubs or activities can be enough to get into any school with the right conditions. My friend this year is headed to Harvard and his only extracurriculars were a few clubs which he did not receive any major awards in and the cross-country team which he used to fulfill a requirement. Some special circumstances which can help overcome a lack of extracurriculars are: near-perfect-test scores, being black or Hispanic, being a first-generation college student, or being from a feeder school. My friend had near perfect scores and grades and our school could be considered a feeder(6 kids each year out of 300 at a public school get into Harvard). So it shows you do not need incredible extracurriculars to get into a good school.
I agree with @Max147. I get why you are saying this @ab2002 and while doing more clubs can help you, they are looking more for quality over quantity.
Have a good day!
@Max147 They are both white, not first-generation, middle class, and we go to a public school. They also hold no leadership positions. I extremely disagree with your statement about not having incredible extracurriculars. Your friend is a rare exception. Harvard has more than enough people with near perfect test scores and grades. In fact, about 10,000 of the students who applied to Princeton were more than qualified to attend. I quote from one of your posts, “My tests scores will be about the same but my ECs don’t stack up at all”. It sounds like you are making excuses for something that you lack. @anthonytheboy Two clubs is not enough. Doing an internship and being a general member in MUN is not going to get you into Harvard or any top 15 school, unless you blow your test scores and grades out of the water, and you have a hook.
@ab2002 You’ve got a point, but most people in Ivy Leagues have a hook, which is why they’re not a part of many clubs. I do get your concerns for your friends, though. I used to have a good friend who had Princeton as his safety school… he still has it as his safety.
Have a good day!
Hello everyone! I hope everyone’s been doing alright (especially in the middle of AP testing week).
Last week, the writing scores were released for the ACT I took, and I somehow managed to get a 12! With a 36C and a 12 on the essay, that’s one thing off my chest.
Just this morning, I took the APUSH test. Many people, both in my school and online, are talking about how easy it was, but I personally feel very troubled and unconfident about it, so we’ll see if I manage to pass, with the curve stacking up like it looks like it’s going to. I’ll be taking the Calc BC exam next Tuesday.
Again, I hope everyone’s doing well.
Hi @phanakin! Congrats on your ACT score, your school allows you to take it as a sophomore or was it a practice test?
Also, from what the seniors are telling me about the APUSH exam, is that it was somewhat difficult to them. I’m sure you did your best but I didn’t realize that AP exams give curves?
Good luck on your calc BC exam.
While this talk about EC’s is going on, I would like to echo what @anthonytheboy has already said:
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
There are so many identical applications - 4.7 GPA, Key Club, Debate Club, it’s all the same. And I’m not saying joining these clubs are a bad thing, but MANY people sign up because it’s what “they” want to see. Stop thinking about what “they” want!! Start doing what you love. What do you care about? What do you love doing?
Be unique. Be YOU and stop doing things soley for college apps. And heck, you don’t have to join clubs if it’s not your thing. Do you enjoy making origami animals for kids? Saving dolphins? Selling balloon animals?
Do these sound silly? These are ALL things students in the past have done, and yes, they made it into the top schools. Delve into your interests. Dig deep, not wide.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: Per the Terms of Service, CC is not a debate site. I had to delete quite a few posts. Please be careful with how you post.