My fall 2016 PSAT score was 1200 with no advanced prep as a sophomore. I don’t know my present gpa but essentially, I have all As and B in math in all honors classes and AP Euro.
I am on track to be an eagle scout by next year, my junior year.
I do debate and model UN, bet I am not very good at either, although i try very hard.
I do cross country, swim team, and tennis for my school, but jv and not very good at sports.
I play the alto saxophone, but again, not outstanding.
I am good at drawing and painting, but I wouldn’t want to go to an art school, however will skill in visual arts make me an attractive applicant to regular colleges?
What else can i do/improve to become more competitive as an applicant? thanks to anyone who answers!
A more competitive applicant where? There are plenty of good, “regular” schools that would probably take you, but since you’re a sophomore you have time to raise your GPA (with a mix of As and a couple of Bs, it’s probably around a 3.7 unweighted/4.5 weighted), and you should definitely study to get an equivalently-strong score on the SAT. Shoot for at least a 1300, and a 1400+ would be even better. After that, if the rest of your application is good, then you can certainly be competitive at most schools outside of the top 20 or so – more than “regular,” if you ask me. I doubt visual arts skill would impact your chances much, though, if you’re not seeking to go to art school.
Thanks, as for where:
Ivies(Harvard Brown UPenn), Georgetown, and then schools like Boston Univ, northeastern, tufts, NYU, Fordham, Haverford. Thank you for answering.
Since you’re a sophomore, you’re well ahead of the game when it comes thinking about college. That’s good, because you have plenty of time to research and improve. While with a 1400+ SAT you’d be competitive at many of the schools that you just listed, the Ivies are certainly not “regular” colleges, and most of the ones you listed have very low acceptance rates. Harvard rejects hundreds of candidates every year with perfect grades and test scores, while NYU is extremely expensive, and is well-known for having horrible financial aid.
You, on the other hand, don’t have absolutely-perfect grades and test scores, and your extracurriculars need more development. You’re doing a lot of things, but you have no awards or leadership positions in any one in particular that would show that you’re involved in it at a deeper level – and that’s what the most-selective colleges prefer.
I suggest you revise your list to include some places that it’ll be easier for you to get into (matches and safeties), because at the moment it’s all reach schools. What state do you live in? You could be seriously overlooking a great public school that’d come at a great price.
“No awards or leadership positions that show a deeper level?” That’s exactly what an Eagle Scout is. Congrats to the OP.
Honestly if you are looking to be a stronger applicant, get a good SAT tutor and try to go for the higher/stronger scores. Keep your GPA up. You’re good.
Maybe I’m totally misinformed here, but I’m under the impression that, at the elite schools, Eagle Scout is like NHS President – helpful, but not outstandingly impressive given the other positions and awards commonly seen by admissions officers at those places.
I live in Massachusetts.
Also, the way I wrote of my grades I believe was misunderstood. I am in all honors classes, along with ap euro. All have all As except for a B in math.
Thanks for your answer