Hi, I’m a freshman living in Florida. I am a good/average student, I don’t get C’s mainly A’s and B’s, and I also take honor classes, but I really want to get into colleges like Duke, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt. I absolutely need some advice to help me have a one of a kind resume. I’m already in one national club but I know that these colleges want to see more! what do I do to impress them???
You don’t have to make “decisions” any time soon.
Don’t think “how do I impress them”. Think: what can I find that pushes me out of my middle school comfort zone and has potential for growth?
Read How to be a high school superstar by Cal Newport.
Right now, focus on getting straight A’s in your “regular” classes and nothing lower than B in your honors classes.
For Top 50 universities/LACs:
You’ll need mostly Honors classes and no grade lower than a B, with mostly A’s.
4 years each of English, History/Social Science, and Science, plus Math up to Precalculus or calculus and a foreign language up to level 3, 4,or AP (the higher the better). For science, you’d be better off taking Bio, Chem, and Physics. An art class is often recommended/required/well seen.
Over the course of your high 4 to 8 AP classes, with perhaps 1-2 “Light” APs* sophomore year, AP English Language + 1-2 others junior year, and 3-4 APs senior year.
(* APES, AP Psych, AP Stats, AP Human Geog -those can be taken at any time, either as “gateway” classes early on, or as nice complements junior/senior year).
Freshman year is way too early to be targeting any particular school. For now, do as well as you can in the most rigorous classes you an succeed in, get involved in things you enjoy and feel strongly about, and find friends and enjoy HS life.
Your “resume” should reflect what you think is interesting and important. Things worthy of your time and effort. Not what someone else thinks. Trying to impress someone seldom succeeds. Best wishes!
You are a true aspirant if I may say. Just a freshman yet you’re already planning years ahead, wow!
If you ask me though just keep up your work and be more active on both academics and extra curricular that alone can catch their attention. You still have a couple of years ahead, good luck.