Increasing my chances..

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

<p>I know this should probably be somewhere else but I feel like we’re a close knit family in this little sub category called ‘high school life’. </p>

<p>My dream would be Princeton: the small town, the gorgeous campus, the renowned programs for engineering, and yes; its prestige. But I know it’s really a reach… In all senses. I just want to better my chances in whatever ways I can.</p>

<p>My current stats:
GPA: UW 4.0, W 4.875 (only includes 9th grade but this year will boost the weighted up to 5.0 if I get straight a’s… Which is likely)
Course Load: one of two sophomores in AP Calc and AP Physics, most rigorous courses available to me.
APs: human geo, physics B, Calc AB, psych. No exams yet…
SAT: 1760, 1820(superscore) (R:590, M:640, CR: 530)
Rank: 3/680 (soon to go up to 2)
ECs:
Student council (it will likely be 10-12th grade) (around 30 hours)
Compassion in Action (service club) 10 hours so far
Math honors society (it’s not a very active club so I have 1 hour so far)
National Arts Honors society (around 30 hours)
DNC internship(34 hours, given an A)
Race: Black
Income: 100,000-120,000
Hooks: first gen</p>

<p>Things I’m working on/planning:</p>

<p>Not the sporty type (I love working out, but I’ve never been on a sport team or done anything like that) but planning to go out for track this spring (and cross country for next year). </p>

<p>Will probably be in NHS (only for juniors but you get invited and apply sophomore year), key club (junior year), beta club (same as NHS), and trying to find time for tech/robotics club. The stuff really interests me but I’m SO tired after school… But I’m gonna start going to the meetings. </p>

<p>I’ll most likely be president of the service club I’m in next year and also have a leadership position in NAHS and possibly tech club. </p>

<p>Also gonna take my ACT this summer and retake my SAT once next year and senior year. </p>

<p>Any advice for me? I’ve got my schedule down but I feel like my ECs are weak…</p>

2

<p>Work on getting that SAT to at least 2000+; 2200+ will greatly increase your chances. You also might want to try the ACT; a lot of people do better on that.</p>

3

<p>Your a first gen and your parents or guardian make 100,000-200,000. Impressive. </p>

<p>I don’t think your EC’s are weak. Maybe try participating in a competitive activity, whether it’s a sport or an academic activity (math team, debate team).</p>

4

<p>ECs aren’t particularly weak. They can be stronger, but they’re good. SAT needs to get better (Granted I had an 1830 off of one time) but this isn’t bad. </p>

<p>Also, what are you planning to major in?</p>

5

<p>Work on SAT’s and maintain your GPA. I don’t really know what more to say than to write a great essay! Good luck.</p>

6

<p>@tinny, yeah my mom got the job she had today out of highschool… It’s a pretty good job and she’s worked from home for the last decade.</p>

<p>@MIT, programming indie games is somewhat of a passion I have… Though I’ve not yet succeeded–But I’m so lucky to have an artistic side (and when I was younger I was quite the writer… Has really helped me developed story lines.) aswell as a programming interest. I don’t think it would be a good/stable career so the next best thing is major either in software engineering, computer programming, or something along those lines. I’ve always liked computers and technology… So yeah :)</p>

<p>Also… Will it help my chances at all if I say I live with a single mom? </p>

<p>Thanks for all the advice so far!! Really trying for track in spring!</p>

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<p>Gotta say, if you have an artistic and CS side, there are programs out there for you. Like Carnegie Mellon’s BCSA program for Computer Science and Arts. And I say the single mother thing, if you can write about the experience and apply it well, it can help. </p>

<p>And programming as a passion is a good thing. </p>

<p>And you’re a black male? Good. More black people in CS.</p>

8

<p>@MIT , I’m a black female actually :slight_smile: . And I’ve looked at Carnegie Mellon but the other schools I’m looking at seem so much more appealing to me… But I’m probably not in the right headspace… I want UNC mostly for it being so cheap but being recognized as a great school… If Wake was the same way I’d probably add that one to my list too so long as it offered the degrees I was looking into… Princeton has both the rep I was looking for and the program… And it’s located in a great space, with a beautiful campus… I really shouldn’t be basing my education on what other people think though… But Carnegie Mellon has been on my list of schools, including Stanford, Cal poly, Cal tech, MIT an Yale haha (Yale happens to be in my hometown… And I’d love to go back to living there… But I know alot of these schools aren’t too realistic for me)</p>

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<p>Psh you kidding me? Black, Female, want to go into CS? I would say a lot of schools are looking for that. They’re killing for females right now. Also all those schools are really great.</p>

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<p>I hope… But im only a sophomore… So i still have to go along time keeping up these grades and ECs… I just really have to focus on them. Hopefully I’ll reach my goals :)</p>

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<p>I’m confused about the breakdown of your SAT scores. Regardless, Stanford should be near or at the top of your list.
Also, since you just a sophomore, is that an SAT or PSAT score ?</p>

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<p>^^axel, for the SAT thing, my raw score is 1760 I guess but there was a slightly higher score and it was 1820 on my results. Not sure which to go by. Stanford would be but I dislike heat and being stubborn about getting farther from New England (where most of my family is and where I grew up). But if i was excepted itd definitely be a contender. My score is an SAT score, I took it last year in 9th grade, haven’t received my PSAT scores yet. There wasn’t too much prep so I’m confident I can get a couple hundred higher (definitely >2000) with some studying</p>