I am a 17 y o junior in high school. So far i have taken 6 APs and i plan to take more senior year. My current cumulative gpa is 4.676. I have no idea what i want to major in but my parents want me to go to a prestigious school. I am first generation and my SATs are at 1430. Any advice?
The top schools are hard for everyone to get into. Because of that be sure to find some schools that you like that are easier to get into. Your safety schools should be schools that you also would be happy to attend.
Also: fit is much more important than prestige, IMHO. Find a school where you feel at home. Admission to Harvard may seem the golden ticket to a life of happiness, but it’s no more so than anything else in life. You will find happiness there and you will find happiness other places. You will find misery there and you will find misery other places. You can find success or failure there, and the same goes with other places.
Find the school where you fit in and feel at home.
‘prestigious’ also varies on the beholder : some families think their public flagship with the famous top-ranked team is prestigious. Some look at subjects - petroleum engineering, English, CS will provide very different lists. Some look at the prestige of the scholarship (Jefferson, McNair… ) Some want what’s top for their faith (Notre Dame or Holy Cross for Catholics, St Olaf for Lutherans…) Colleges like Earlham or Reed aren’t well-known from the general public but are very reputable among academics and, consequently, have an excellent reputation with grad schools and students who want an academic career.
So, what should you apply to?
First, find at least two schools with 40+% acceptance rates that are affordable and that you like.
Run the NPC and talk finances with our parents : what can they afford from income and savings?
If your parents want you to go to a prestigious school are they prepared to shell out 60k a year for it? Have you had that discussion with them yet?