Hello!
First post out here, I’m going to offer some, hopefully creative advice for some of you. I applied was accepted to four out of my five schools. I didn’t have phenomenal CC like stats, or a perfect ACT, but I was a decent, committed, hardworking student.
-Stay committed to several EC’s through all four years. Find a niche and exploit it, because you love it and have fun.
-Academics matter. A lot. A lot more than you think. Getting a 3.7+ in the most difficult classes demonstrates that YOU can do it, and does it for you. It puts you in the door for admissions around the nation.
-ACT and SAT don’t matter as much as you think. As much as a great test score is, it isn’t always the best indicator. Many colleges offer test-free application process now, seek that out.
-Don’t be discouraged to apply and attend a high-cost liberal arts college always. There is a stigma attached to paying so much for a college, but most of the time, many private institutions will meet any need you have. Most people who end up stuck in mountains of debt are ones who do not carefully consider loans, and sometimes, were not even ready for college. Sometimes bad things happen to good people though too.
Lastly, be optimistic.