Agree, the only kids earning a good amount of money when college is in session are very astute computer sorts. This isn’t about some come and go tutoring. If you get an off campus job, you have to get there, compete with locals for the work, work on their schedule (regardless of say, classes or an exam scheduled,) and it takes from study time.
These are all examples of what you have yet to learn about and process, before jumping ahead to envision yourself at one college. These assumpions lead to “pipe dreams,” not informed knowledge.
It’ s crazy to think we’re spending this much time on a case where only 9th grade is done. Ordinarily, we say, drop back, see how it goes, then ask questions when more detail is available.
You’re rushing this-- without proper background, first.
By fall of senior year, the typical compelling applicant to a top tier college will have much more than stats and dreams. There will be experiences in the hs (clubs/activities,) experiences outside hs (community service, maybe local organizations, and for many kids at this level, some real world experience in the field you hope to major in.) If you’re thinking museum studies or perhaps education, the museum and library work might be ok, but you haven’t told us what you hope to study. And even so, the competition for an admit, especially from your area, will have been doing more. Depth and breadth.
Then, yes, there’s the writing. How you answer will show them your understanding and thinkng skills. You have to rise to the level of their thinking and expectations. The top colleges don’t mess with “dreams” and “I WANT.” They look for proofs you are their type, down to attributes and traits. I don’t think you know what those are, not even close.
If you come on with any hint, eg, that you do think you’re better than the average Brown admit, you’re out.
Why the rush?
Don’t tell us you just like to set high goals and feel the competition. Great, but for a tippy top applcation, that’s empty. It’s another signal of “young.” Face it and take the right steps first.
It has never been easier than it is right now to look at colleges. We have been watching virtual tours with DD and they have been extremely informative. In a typical virtual tour, one gets perspective and impressions from multiple students, not just the one tour guide to which one would be assigned for an in-person tour (who may or may not know anything about how things run in the major or department of interest).
Take some tours - NOT of Brown or UCLA or anything unaffordable. Start looking at tours of Florida’s directional colleges, maybe some colleges ranked outside the top 75 top universities or so. Watch those tours with an open mind and you just might find yourself, as we did, amazed at the possibilities out there.
I agree it is too early to put together a college list. It is not too early to get a sampling of what is out there, provided you are indeed sampling colleges of various sizes, rankings, location. and focus - and not daydreaming over colleges that are unaffordable and reaches-for-everyone type places.
If your father doesn’t want you to go anywhere other than UF, then he’s not going to complete his part of the CSS Profile, and you absolutely won’t be eligible for any need-based aid other than the federal loans at places that require the CSS Profile. This means that you are best off focusing on institutions that are FAFSA only and at places that are likely to offer significant merit-based aid for grades and test scores.
@Groundwork2022 's idea is excellent.
Virtual tours!
Take a virtual tour “at” NCF, UCF Burnett, Rollins, Emory, Davidson, College of Charleston. Report here: which are your top 3 and why?