<p>I am a freshman in high school and I want to start planning for college starting right now to improve my chances at being accepted into the college that I want (UC Berkeley). I don’t have a concrete idea of what it is that I want to pursue but at the moment I’m interested in agricultural science and toxicology. What is it that I can do to improve my chances starting right now? I’ve joined a few clubs already and I’m in a few PreAP classes but not many. I have all A’s at this point but again as I stated earlier, most of my classes are not advanced. I do volunteering occasionally but the one thing that worries me is that I am not in any sports due to health restraints. Will that affect anything? I am also not currently a resident in California and so I do realize that the in-state benefit of going to Berkeley would not apply to me. Would it still be worth it?
This is the first time that I’m starting a thread and I am honestly pretty clueless as to how the whole process works so please forgive me for any mistakes! Thanks in advance! </p>
<p>Your dreams and interests are similar to my daughter’s. Berkeley was also her favorite, but because we are out of state she did not even bother to apply there as it’s cost-prohibitive (perhaps graduate school may be an option later). Set your sights on any land grant university, as they have the top programs and research opportunities related to ag science. Here’s a map of the best land grant universities: <a href=“http://www.nifa.usda.gov/qlinks/partners/lgu_map_1862_6_25_2014.pdf”>http://www.nifa.usda.gov/qlinks/partners/lgu_map_1862_6_25_2014.pdf</a></p>
<p>Also, take the highest level curriculum you can handle at your school with high grades. Start practicing for the standardized tests also. A strong GPA and SAT/ACT score can get you good scholarships to many land grant universities, and even if money were not an issue, you would need that as a minimum to get accepted to a competitive program like Berkeley. Be on the lookout for opportunities to join clubs or found your own club, conduct research in the summer or intern for the USDA, volunteer for food and agriculture organizations and activities, and compete. Some competitions related to ag science are in the nature of essay contests – search for national opportunities as well as state and local (e.g., search for high school essay contests related to agriculture, food and hunger). You can also do science fair projects and choose research related to toxicology. </p>
<p>It’s great you’re thinking about a plan already! A strong plan will include goals for curriculum and grades, standardized tests, extracurricular activities at school, volunteering/interning in the community, research in the summers, and (national) competitions. Remember that you will be applying to college right after 11th grade, so your real timeline for big achievements is now through 11th grade. This book can also be a great help for you: What High Schools Don’t Tell You (And Other Parents Don’t Want You to Know): Create a Long-Term Plan for Your 7th to 10th Grader for Getting into the Top Colleges. </p>
<p>You might want to ask your parents how much they can pay for your college education each year for four years, before you set your sights on a college that might be a financial reach.</p>
<p>We read Cal Newports How To Be A Highschool Superstar during DDs freshman year. A great read. Do yourself a favor & pick it up. He also has a blog. </p>