<p>Hi, I am a tenth grade student in New York. I was hoping to hear from those already accepted into PS-UP (congratz btw!) about some helpful EC’s that you felt gave you an edge in the admissions process. I already play a sport, 2 instruments, involved in a few clubs, and hope to join a few honor societies by next year. Thank you and please comment ASAP!</p>
<p>Take AP classes, get over 3.5 unweighted cumulative GPA, have a good class rank and get over 1800 on the SAT, then you are pretty much in…ec’s don’t matter much at a big University like PSU unless you are a borderline student…some leadership positions and volunteer works are fine</p>
<p>10th grade is far too early to worry about your acceptance…Enjoy your high school life</p>
<p>From a parent, your list is already commendable, collegeeager. Certainly rigor, grades and test scores are prioritized at PSU; however, if you intend to apply to Schreyer Honors, meaningful ECs are critical. They should be quality (ie something that you feel passionate about) over quantity. Moreover, I am unsure of whether ECs factored into the number of scholarships PSU awarded this year? Lastly, remember that your outside activities can enhance your chances of additional outside scholarship awards.</p>
<p>There was a recent discussion on the Parent Forum about NHS. Interestingly, a number of parents said that their kids opted out, it was a formality and meaningless. In my kids’ schools, you participated because it was more noticeable (negatively) if you didn’t:) In any event – choose wisely.</p>
<p>Good for you for being proactive! I’m sure that you will balance “enjoying your high school life” with preparing for the future also!</p>
<p>Thank you for the replies and the insight. You touched upon a few other questions I have. Is Schreyers available for first year freshman? Or do you have to complete a certain number of years of college in order to apply? Definitely making my HS years last, just very nervous about the next few years.</p>
<p>I can say with authority that:
- PSU admissions (regular) will be impacted little by ECs and not at all by letters of rec
- your competitiveness for most PSU scholarships IS CERTAINLY impacted by ECs and letters of rec- the evaluation process looks at you much more deeply
- The biggest mistake most applicants make (for SHC) is not “preparing” their referees to write an outstanding letter and they overestimate how strong their letters will be. They take the letters for granted.
- The majority of the students admitted to the SHC are “ivy competitive” (grades, ECs etc).</p>
<p>PS rather than asking questions on this site google schreyer honors college for information</p>
<p>luvthej is spot on. What he means by “preparing” your (I believe he meant) recommenders is-- give them a copy of your resum</p>
<p>You can certainly ask questions on this site regarding Schreyer, collegeeager. You would submit the PSU Undergraduate Admissions Application and also submit the Honors College Supplement. The following link has additional information – also about Gateway Admissions.</p>
<p>[How</a> to Apply: Schreyer Honors College](<a href=“http://www.shc.psu.edu/future/apply/index.cfm]How”>404 Error: Page Not Found - Schreyer Honors College (SHC) at Penn State University) </p>
<p>As an aside, if you are considering applying to Schreyer, it must mean that you are an exceptional and dedicated student. Schreyer is an outstanding Honors program. On a personal note, I am aware of one student who competed for and won the Presidential Scholarship for Villanova University, was accepted to CMU and is currently attending Bucknell University as a Presidential Fellow. She was not accepted into Schreyer. Through merit scholarship and financial aid packaging, her costs to attend Bucknell have been considerably less than PSU, even with Schreyer, and she has excelled – it worked out. The point of my long-winded discourse being that you will have tremendous options and should remain open-minded when exploring them. </p>
<p>One more thing about LORs. Not only should your teacher/advocate/mentor have written documentation for easy reference, but if at all possible, it is beneficial to establish a rapport with that person so that when they recommend you, it resonates.</p>
<p>Finally, most Schreyer applicants spend tremendous time on their ESSAYS – it would be wise to budget significant time as they are meant to provide a holistic snapshot of you.</p>
<p>No need to be nervous – where you go to college does not conclusively determine your path/success. Good luck and enjoy high school!</p>
<p>well, its more than just providing the resume/CV. Be very careful about approaching them and making suggestions about what to include in the letter. That’s dangerous ground unless you know them very well.
More like what pilot2012 wrote- establish a relationship and prior to asking them, make it a point to talk to them about your interests and passions throughout the school year. Make sure they know you as a person.
Be helpful to others in class and provide respectful, constructive criticism to your classmates. think twice about arguing over that 3 points out of the 600 total that will make up your grade.
One more thing. Be sure to pick teachers who not only like you, but also have the experience and dedication to write an effective letter. Some well meaning teachers just don’t know how to write an effective letter.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. Would you say that it is “easier” to apply for SHC for your sophomore year (or any year after) or for your freshmen</p>
<p>no. Also, you don’t get the scholarship if you apply through the gateway admissions process</p>
<p>I agree completely with the advice you’ve received here. My son was just accepted to SHC… He has a variety of ECs, but I believe what helped him the most was that many of them related to a common theme. Take something you’re passionate about and run with it. For example, if its art, join your school’s club, volunteer at a local museum, lead an art enrichment program at an after-school program, take lessons, etc. All these activities will demonstrate your passion and commitment. As for the application, it did take him a while to complete since it required 3 thought-provoking essays. Definitely apply for freshman year as you get some wonderful perks - $4,000/yr, honors housing & priority class selection. Good luck to you!</p>
<p>I would also like to add that my teacher has approved of me founding a new club (Stock Analytics Club) which is related to my possible major.</p>
<p>That club will be a great EC, especially since you will be creating it!</p>
<p>thanks for all the advice. Really appreciate the foundation you have helped me establish to bring just a tad closer to my goal of getting into PSU.</p>