What should I do?

Lindagaf
Wed, 17 Feb 2016 15:42:00 +0000

First, stop being fixated on Ivy schools. There are a ton of amazing colleges that don’t have Ivy status. Now accpet that piece of advice and feel the weight lift off your shoulders. Second, when your counselor writes your rec, they will undoubtedly mention the undiagnosed adhd which coincides with your drop in grades. You must discuss with your counselor how you would like this handled. Third, I would not call attention to it yourself. Too many kids feel they must explain their weak points, their low grades, their problems. Don’t do it. It can come off sounding like an excuse, or they might think you won’t be able to handle the rigor of an intense academic environment (be honest, can you?) Fourth, they want to admit people they like, so make your essay upbeat. It is probably okay to mention that you went through a hard time, but don’t make that the focus. The focus should be on who you are now, what makes you unique and why they should admit you, and what is great about you.

I am sure you can get into some great, amazing colleges with your stats. Will they be Ivy League? Maybe, maybe not. The same is true for everyone, including kids way more qualified than you. Once you get to the gate of the top schools, it’s anyone’s guess who actually makes it through the gate. I wouldn’t waste anymore time repeating either the SAT or ACT. Your scores are both fantastic, any slight improvement you will not be beneficial at all. You are already in the top 99% with those scores. If you don’t get in with 2310 or 34, it WILL NOT be due to your test scores. Use that time to focus on other things. Seriously, do NOT bother taking the tests again. Why add that stress, and waste that time?

Finally, please get the Fiske guide or Princeton guide and find some colleges you would like to attend that are not Ivy schools. If you think those are the only schools worth aiming for, you are bound to be disappointed, as many a valedictorian and 2400 SAT and 36 ACT is every single year. Look at some of incredible LACs, Honors colleges, state flagships, etc… With your stats, you might be looking at huge scholarships at colleges you will probably be very happy at. Focus your remaining school time on doing well at things you enjoy, and for the love of Pete, don’t retake your tests. Good luck to you.