<p>Please Help.</p>
<p>Does admitting to doing SAT Reasoning test prep classes on my college application lower my chances at getting in?</p>
<p>No, it is not an EC</p>
<p>No but…why would you put that in your application?</p>
<p>Why not? Being a TA can count as a job and therefore it’s an EC! Especially if one is looking to go into academia, there is a great deal of value in learning how to teach!</p>
<p>Agreed! I doubt it would hurt, but what is the value of adding that to your application?</p>
<p>My name is Osama and I absolutely DESPISE the name, not only because of the racism and Islamophobia aspect but also because I simply hate it. My religious beliefs aren’t even Moslem. When I move to the states, I wanna be called Sam (which is what my name would be if you cut the initial and the last letter). Would it be okay if I put that as my preferred name on the common app? Would it make me look like a self hating pric*? Can I do it without my parents finding out?</p>
<p>You need to put your actual name on the applications. This is to assure that everything that comes in, such as transcripts, test scores, rec letters, anything else, matches up with the name in the application because if things don’t match you will face problems getting your application reviewed. You can mention in the app elsewhere or an essay that you preferred to be called Sam but you should not put that in place of your first name in the applicable spaces identifying who you are. You need to trust that those making admission decisions who see your name are not going to assume anything bad.</p>
<p>I’m not sure about that one. Definitely put your real name on the first and last name lines. My first name is Anna Michella, and for the preferred, I just put Michella since that’s what everyone calls me, though all my school records say Anna. But I don’t know about putting a name that isn’t, technically, yours.</p>
<p>For your applications and your ACT/SAT/TOEFL exams you need to use your legal name so that it matches up with your school records and your passport. Once you enroll at a college or university here, you can let everyone know that you preferred to be called whatever it is you prefer to be called.</p>
<p>You have to put your full name, but you can always legally change your name. Definitely put your real name on the college apps though, because they need official records and such.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Have you looked at the Common App? (<a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/2013AppFY_download.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/2013AppFY_download.pdf</a>) There is a place for you to put your preferred name. So you do need to put your full legal name, but then you can put just about anything you like for your preferred name.</p></li>
<li><p>I don’t see any reason why you can’t put Sam for your preferred name. Your parents could find out that you’ve done this, however, if any of the colleges you’ve applied to send you mail that addresses you as Sam.</p></li>
<li><p>Under no circumstances would I recommend that you write Samuel unless you want to be called Samuel. I do not think it would “look more officiating on college apps.” But to be quite honest, I have absolutely no idea what “it will look more officiating” is supposed to mean. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>But I’ll say this. Don’t say that your given name is Samuel if it isn’t. That will cause colleges difficulty in matching up all the pieces of your application. Don’t say that your preferred name is Samuel if it isn’t. That will cause people to address you as Samuel, which isn’t what you want.</p>
<p>Sikorsky, that poster was a ■■■■■. His account’s gone now, along with all his posts.</p>
<p>At my school, students can choose to be an office assistant, library assistant, or teacher assistant for a period they have nothing to fill with. They mostly grade tests now and then, or file some. Most of the time they leave to go talk with other TAs. That would not be an extracurricular. If you go to shadow a teacher, say, at a local college outside of school and are actually involved, with a letter of recommendation saying so, then sure. We would really have to know more about your involvement.</p>
<p>Also, is it legal to only send 5 O levels when I have more with results I just don’t want to show?</p>
<p>What’s your SAT score?</p>
<p>@pandapwner Yet to do the SAT in June but every prep test I’ve done in the last week has been in 1700 - 1800 range! I know, I suck.</p>
<p>Also, is it legal to only send 5 O levels when I have more with results I just don’t want to show?
My SAT score is 1700 average btw</p>
<p>Blogging (Grade 11 & 12)
Founder and Chairman of Why Not?! School Magazine (Grade 11 & 12)
Cofounder and student council president (Grade 11 & 12)
First Place in Debating Competition Grade 10)
Teaching Assistant (Grade 11 & 12)
Activities Committee Head (Grade 11 & 12)
Youth Development Program (Grade 9, 10, 11 & 12)
Best Delegate in Model United Nations and Model Arab World. (Grade 11 & 12)
Local Charity committee going to outreach places in Egypt to aid people under the poverty line with food, clothes (Grade 11 & 12)</p>
<p>Um. What do you want us to say? Go do some authentic, large-scale ECs.</p>