<p>Stellar AP/IB/SAT/ACT scores + Weak ECs + Early Graduation + Gap Year (volunteering in Guatemala, teaching in parents’ impoverished African homeland, and interning in Europe) = Top 20 School</p>
<p>Yes?! =)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What about grades?</p></li>
<li><p>If the point of a gap year devoted to “service” is to get into a top 20 college, then I’d say it seems venal–maybe even morally bankrupt. And why do 3 things during this gap year? Why not do one thing, and do it so thoroughly and so well that it could actually make some kind of impression on you?</p></li>
<li><p>Why graduate early? What’s the point of that?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>1) Good grades, good GPA, good rank. I assumed listing that kind of thing on CC would be unnecessary. </p>
<p>2) The service projects I listed over the course of my gap year are very fulfilling to me or I would not have considered them. Rejection into a Top 20 school would not alter of hinder my enthusiasm or eagerness for my upcoming adventure. I wanted to abstain from lengthy posts, but I assure you my interest in the future of developing nations has always been a deeply passionate one. Furthermore, thoroughly completing three projects over the course of a year seems entirely feasible to me. I’m a lot of things, but venal isn’t one of them, but I can understand how my initial post may have come across as unethical. More than anything, I just want some opinions on how an application like mine would fare, a condensed ‘chance me’. </p>
<p>3) It’s a decisions that’s been discussed at length with my family and a decision that’s appropriate for me; again, I’ll spare you the novel. </p>
<p>Thanks for your feedback, Sikorsky =)</p>
<p>OK, then. If you soften the wording of my last post a little bit, you can arrive at the more gently worded response that there’s a risk your plan would look mercenary, even if your motives are pure.</p>
<p>Beyond that, I don’t think any plan, including this one, makes a person a lock for top 20.</p>
<p>I’m still a little unclear how you’ll really accomplish anything important in Central America or Africa or Europe in three months, but you seem quite convinced you can.</p>
<p>As for graduating early, I don’t think it has much bearing on the rest of your college plan. I don’t think it particularly enhances your prospects at highly selective colleges and universities. On the other hand, if you are graduating regardless of that, a gap year might be a very good idea.</p>
<p>Would you apply to colleges during your gap year, then? That can be a logistical challenge. Especially if you’re in Africa, where internet access can be both spotty and unstable, and you’re many time zones ahead of the U.S. Remember you’ll not only be far away from American colleges and universities, but also from the high school that has your transcript, the teachers who knew you and can recommend you, etc.</p>
<p>If you think there’s a formula for getting into a top 20 school, you’re sadly mistaken.</p>
<p>Your question basically boils down to: will taking a gap year and doing interesting things make up for a lack of activity/experiences in highschool? The answer is: maybe.</p>
<p>Most of the people I know that graduate early are the lazy/dumb people that take the bare minimum amount of courses needed for graduation. I don’t know how that would help with college admissions, especially to a Top 20 school.</p>
<p>BTW I’m not saying that you’re lazy nor dumb, I just don’t understand why you would want to graduate early.</p>