Question by Cinnamon: What else would help me get in to a great college?
I just finished my sophomore year of high school. I have taken one AP class and test (AP European History) but have not received the test scores back. I don’t play sports, but I am planning to volunteer at the library. I have a non-weighted GPA of 3.83 (weighted of 4.0). I took the PSAT both as a freshman and a sophomore. I am in Key Club and on the Principal’s Advisory Board. I am a fairly strong writer. I was chosen to be the senior editor of my Yearbook for the next two years. What else can I or should I do to make myself a worthy contestant for prestigious colleges and universities? That is, besides from earning good grades in rigorous courses and , obviously, scroing high on the ACT and/or SAT.
Best answer:
Answer by Tracey O
keep volunteering, in fact join organisations that require you to volunteer like National Honor Society or Student Council
also, speech and debate (or forensics) is rumored to be a GREAT organization to get yourself involved in when it comes to college admissions… and if your school doesnt have one (which they should), try to be involved in performing SOME kind of way. join theare – even if you can’t act, be apart of the crew, help build things or paint. but keep in mind, only do as much as you have time for… or course colleges LOVE well rounded students, you dont want to spread yourself too thin if you can’t handle it. try things out a bit, see how it goes.
and dont forget – start figuring out which teachers you want to write your recommendations. a good rec letter can make a big difference (or so i’ve heard)
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It sounds to me like you’ve got a lot of the important stuff down already! Colleges especially love to see A grades in high-level math and science classes, but different schools look for different skills.
The yearbook position is excellent, but does your school have a newspaper? If you are a strong writer/editor, work on a high school newspaper, very especially an editorial position, is highly-regarded. Student government is also great, and you probably want to join the National Honors Society if you’re not already in.
One of the things colleges consider MOST valuable is membership on a speech and debate team. The ability to communicate clearly, influence others, and think logically will lead you to success in any field. Colleges know this. If your school has a team or a club, join up right away. If not, see if you can find one outside of school. Or, better yet, start a club at school yourself!
Next, extracurricular activities. Schools love it when you have a talent or skill that you pursue rigorously outside of school. This tells them that you are a devoted and self-motivated learner. Sports and musical instruments are pretty popular here, but _anything_ that you actively involve yourself in outside of school is well thought of. “Official” events or awards sound best here. “I play in four major concerts a year” sounds a lot better than “I practice every day!” If writing is your thing, then write. Try to develop your style and get a few publications to your name. That’ll look great. There are plenty of literary magazines that exclusively publish young people’s work.
Volunteering is good. It tells schools that you are a good citizen and are willing to take the time and effort to do something productive. Try to think of a place to volunteer (_regularly_) where you can make yourself a truly important and valued member of the team. More unusual volunteer activities or activities that require some special skill or training are best.
Also: write a great application essay. Spend a lot of time planning and writing, and get experienced teachers to edit it and help you with it. Multiple teachers, if possible.
Gooood luck!
The 2 people above me have it right on the dot.
Listen to them.