how a student from not-so-good high school stand out?

Applying to College
1

<p>My situation is slightly different from yours. I’m a recent immigrant from Asia(no more than half a year). I took grade nine and ten in my original country, in one of the best high schools in my country. However, when I arrived here, I was arranged to a rather common high school in NYC. (I should have entered a much better high school due to my academic records; anyway, they neglected all this and arranged me to a zone school near my home, which has a graduation rate of only 60%). I’m now a sophomore in this school. They said I didn’t have to take ESL since I’m able to communicate in English(I totally understand English in class, but when they talk after class I can only understand around 70 percent), so I go to regular class. Some people said it would impress college admission officers if you don’t go to ESL as a recent immigrant. I don’t know whether it’s true or not. However, the courses they gave me in the first term is rather common, lacking challenge. They don’t even allow me to pick up challenging courses next term, saying that I have to take more regular classes to gain enough credits before I can choose to pick up difficult courses. Here’re some statistics.</p>

<p>Accounting(Next term would probably be career planning)
Chinese for natives (I’ll take regent in June, and finish this course)
MathB-31(I’ll take geometry and algebra regents in June, next term go to a new area)
Chemistry-31(next term Chemistry-32)
English-4(next term E-5)
US History-(next term E-5)
Gym
(next year) AP statistics
Average: 94
Volunteer: after school program assistant tutor in a community 3 hours a week</p>

<p>I know I need more extracurricular and volunteers. </p>

<p>What I really want to ask is,
1)how should I improve myself as a recent immigrant(besides improving my English skills), who can communicate in English but not really fluent on it? (since I’m not a native speaker, it’s difficult for me to become leaders of clubs and things like that. Is there another way to stand out?)
2)if you’re in a bad or not-so-good high school, is there anything you can do about it?
3)I took grades 9,10 and half of 11 in my original country, half 10, 11 and 12 in the US(Confusing? That’s the truth). Will my records in my original country do any help when I apply to college?</p>

<p>I know my questions are a bit too long. Anyway, I really want to know more. It’s often helpless for a new student in a foreign country. Thanks.</p>

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<p>Not really. In most states, it doesn’t matter how bad the local public school is - you go where your home is zoned. That’s why an academic record won’t get you into a better school. If you live in a neighborhood with a bad school, you go to that school. You can go to a private school or you can homeschool, but both are (can be) very costly. You can also move into a better school’s district.</p>

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<p>First, as far as grades and classes, you will be assessed in relation to what your school offers. So take rigorous courses and keep your gpa up. Also, you can supplement your academics by taking colleges courses, participating in competitive summer progams, etc.</p>

<p>Second, adcoms will use standardized tests to help compare you to kids in better HSs. So study and do well on your SAT/ACT tests.</p>

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<p>In the U.S. most often students go to school close to where they live, not to the best schools in the area. New York has some specialized high schools, but you have to apply by test and only a small fraction get in.</p>

<p>In any case, your high school won’t matter that much. They compare what you do to what your high school is. It would be unfair, for example, to compare you to students who have taken 10 APs if your school only offers 3 or limits you to 3 of them. Colleges don’t do that – that’s why they get school reports from guidance counselors.</p>

<p>Just do what you like to do. Join clubs that look interesting to you, and participate in activities you like. Volunteer for things if they look interesting and fun, but don’t clean up the local park if you hate it just for volunteer hours.</p>