How to stand out?

Colleges & Universities Brown University
1

<p>I am a high school freshman in a very small high school, I think our class has 130 people. I am expecting to be in the top three of my class come senior year, I have planned out an academic schedule with my guidance counselor which reads:</p>

<p>Freshman:
English 1
Geometry
Spanish 1
World History
Lunch
Biology/Lab
Gym/Health
Band</p>

<p>Sophomore:
English 2 H
Algebra 2/Trig H
Spanish 2
U.S. 1 AP
Personal Finance/ Entrepreneurship
Chemistry/Lab
Gym/Health
Band</p>

<p>Junior:
English 3 AP
Pre-Calculus H
Spanish 4 H
U.S. 2 AP
Child Development OR Band
Chemistry AP
Gym/Health
Entrepreneurship 2/3</p>

<p>Senior:
English 4 AP
Statistics AP
Spanish College Comp H
World History AP
Sociology
Biology AP
Gym/ Health
Band</p>

<p>(In my state gym/health is a requirement for all four years)</p>

<p>My extra circulars (to date) include:</p>

<p>Yearbook
Select Chorus
Choir/Chorus
Pep Band
New Jersey Regional Chorus
Track and Field
Academic Bowl
Ecology Club
Future Buissiness Leaders of America (FBLA)
Kindness and Justice
Science League
Field Hockey
Women’s Ensemble (Chorus)
Student Council
» Vice-President of Class
Drama Club</p>

<p>I have yet to performed any community service, but I plan to begin this summer.
I am planning on saving to spend a summer abroad at a program in Spain
I have been trying to get a job and am now waiting for responses.
I plan to become president of a few of the activities I listed.
I am going to take classes at my community college during one summer.</p>

<p>I was wondering if anyone has any advice of how I could really stand out on an application for Brown University. (such as hobbies, or anything else) I have been researching colleges like crazy but I keep going back to the Brown pages. Thank you for reading this rather long question.</p>

2

<p>Stop researching colleges and focus on high school. Find things you enjoy doing and do them – make your high school and/or community a better place, NOT to get into a good college but because you want to make a difference. And then, do it – contribute to your world and make it better. </p>

<p>You listed 16 ECs – well, four of them are chorus, so it’s more like 13. That’s too many. Narrow it down to chorus and one, maybe two others. It is much better to devote yourself wholeheartedly to 2-3 activities than divide yourself between a dozen. </p>

<p>You are going to change so much in the next three years. You have no idea what person you will be when you are applying to colleges. Enjoy the moment now, instead of looking to the future.</p>

3

<p>I would almost 2nd fireandrain but you have to be sure your program of courses are competitive at your school. That means take Calc BC instead of Stats. Treat Stats like a strong elective. No Physics? Why? Take 4 years science.</p>

<p>And I agree on the EC’s…do what you love but pare down and FOCUS.</p>

4

<p>"How to stand out? "</p>

<p>Stop worrying about how you appear to others. Everyone does it. Be original. But if you have to ask how, then you probably aren’t.</p>

<p>Standing out is a reflection of who you are, not *what you *do. The fact is very few people stand out. If indeed you are a “stand out” – it’ll be natural – and not assembled from a checklist or scouring advice fora.</p>

<p>Just like the myth that parents believe that every one of their kids is “gifted” or “above average”.</p>