High School question

[xnarek]

Im a sophomore in a school that is considered bad, but people view the "honors" with respect. I'm in the "honors" which is called IPS. I don't know much about it besides that it has the word Individual in it xd.
Well im getting 94 average, aiming for a 98+ because my test grades are bad. I'm also currently studying for the SAT.
If this keeps up, do i have a good chance of getting in a good college and also may be with a full scholarship? (say i score 19-22 on the SAT)

Thanks, just wondering.

 

[NickC]

Where are you from?

 

[Headshotterer]

what honors class is it?

 

[mhstennis100]

19-22 on SAT? The SAT is out of 2400 now, so do you mean 1900-2200, or were you talking about the ACT? Anyways, I think it's pretty hard to get a full ride on academics (or anything for that matter), but with good grades and test scores, I think you'll have a good chance at getting a partial scholarship to some school.
I'm in the same positing as you, but I'm a junior in high school. I'm looking at Baylor, Texas A&M, Univ. of Texas, Auburn, and possibly TCU. What schools are you looking to go too?

 

[xnarek]

I'm from New York.
I don't really know what honors class, full IPS program. I guess IPS is considered "honor" but it isn't so i cant unquote that.
Yea i meant 1900-2400!!! see from 2200 to 2400 lol. aim higher!
Oh good luck xd, unlike you i should but i don't know what college. It depends on my SAT score, that's when ill decide

 

[PopWar]

Take some AP's get into some clubs and after school activity
Define a "good" college.
Schools like Havard, Stanford, and Duke are good to me, and schools like UT, UCLA, and UNC are OK.

 

[10sfreak]

The SAT goes up to 2400 now? When did they change it, and WHY? When I took it, it only went up to 1600.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

The SAT goes up to 2400 now? When did they change it, and WHY? When I took it, it only went up to 1600.

I believe a writing portion was added.

 

[dave333]

The SAT goes up to 2400 now? When did they change it, and WHY? When I took it, it only went up to 1600.

Yes, they added a writing section like the PSAT and an essay.

 

[xnarek]

Take some AP's get into some clubs and after school activity
Define a "good" college.
Schools like Havard, Stanford, and Duke are good to me, and schools like UT, UCLA, and UNC are OK.

I cant really say, i didn't get involved in that much. I would define a good college as one that is hard to get in, and respected haha.
I guess, but isn't Harvard a bit too good? I don't know much about it but everyone always talks about it. May be only the kids that possess innate educational adept skills could get in(Can you fit those 3 words in that sentence without any errors?). Eh i just felt like throwing those words in xd...prolly used them wrong.

Yeah they changed it to 2400. I thought the one before was easier but whatever i guess they thought of it with equivocal views. Wow this is fun...even though i used those wrong.

 

[xnarek]

http://www.majortests.com/sat/sentence-completion-test01

Wow this site is really helpful. Interesting to stop playing games and feed your curiosity (To see how many mistakes you DIDN'T get)

Yea by the way, i got a 98 last year as a freshman...but my class was SO NOISY. Now one cared about their grades, besides me. I ended up getting a 98 average> Do colleges pay that much attention to call that 98 average stupid? ( Freshman year is the first time i started actually doing work in school)

 

[J-man]

Take some AP's get into some clubs and after school activity
Define a "good" college.
Schools like Havard, Stanford, and Duke are good to me, and schools like UT, UCLA, and UNC are OK.

Yeah that is over looked. Try to get into some clubs colleges like that, like Model UN or congress, debate, governor school ect.....

 

[mhstennis100]

I agree with joining clubs. Also, community service is very helpful (recquired at my school). If you do want to join some clubs, keep it from 1-3. It's not good to be involved in so much stuff that you can't be dedicated to each thing you do. They'd rather see commitment to 1-3 organizations rather than just being a member of 10 things.

 

[J-man]

I agree with joining clubs. Also, community service is very helpful (recquired at my school). If you do want to join some clubs, keep it from 1-3. It's not good to be involved in so much stuff that you can't be dedicated to each thing you do. They'd rather see commitment to 1-3 organizations rather than just being a member of 10 things.

That too, community service. And yes don't get involved in too many clubs that is one thing to remember

 

[LanEvo]

i gto a question also, right now i have a 4.067... GPA, and ranked #11 of 585 in my class, im a Jr., do u think ill get into a good college?

 

[Headshotterer]

4.067 is pretty low

4.5 and other extra curriculars gives you a shot at harvard

 

[J-man]

i gto a question also, right now i have a 4.067... GPA, and ranked #11 of 585 in my class, im a Jr., do u think ill get into a good college?

That's not bad at all. I mean lets be honest you won't get into harvard or a school of that caliber (but either will I) but you will get into college to say the least.

Whats your college situation like now? Are U getting ready to start sending applications?

 

[D1hopeful]

would high school tennis count as an extra curricular?

 

[SirBlend12]

4.067 is pretty low

4.5 and other extra curriculars gives you a shot at harvard

That's not bad at all. I mean lets be honest you won't get into harvard or a school of that caliber (but either will I) but you will get into college to say the least.

Whats your college situation like now? Are U getting ready to start sending applications?

Your both pushing the limit here. If he has that GPA and joins some clubs/sports, has a real life outside of school i.e. personal hobbies/interests that have yielded some sort of "regard", does comm. service and writes a great essay on his application, it is rather likely he would get into Harvard.

Can't remember the exact numbers, so don't quote me on it, but I recall seeing some statistic from 2006 about Harvard acceptance. Something like 2,000 Valedictorians applied, and about 600 got in. On the other hand, 4,500 regular folk applied and 2,700 got in.

Colleges nowadays care more about what you can actually SHOW yourself doing than about numbers on paper. You have a greater chance at getting into a good school with a 2.7 and a real life than a 4.5 and... that's it.

As for financial aid, apply for LOADS of scholarships, grants, yada yada yada, and impress the school you choose and they will throw more and more aid at you.

NOTE: Contrary to popular belief, you will get more aid from SUPER EXPENSIVE PRIVATE SCHOOLS than from anything else. They have the money to give you if you prove that your worthy of it's reception. Trust me, I'm not too far from a full ride myself, and I got there based on everything I said above.

Anything else you need to know, just ask.

Good luck

 

[xnarek]

i gto a question also, right now i have a 4.067... GPA, and ranked #11 of 585 in my class, im a Jr., do u think ill get into a good college?

Hey i thought 4 gpa was the highest you could get. Is 4.5 gpa a 100 grade in there? (we count from 0-100 where i live) .
I was also the number one singles in the tennis team last year as a freshman. I won 3 matches and lost like 7. ( I lost to like seniors and juniors which some were actually ranked in the 100 nationally )

But that doesn't matter much anymore since my injuries messed my game up so im sticking with education! *puts on glasses*

 

[J-man]

Your both pushing the limit here. If he has that GPA and joins some clubs/sports, has a real life outside of school i.e. personal hobbies/interests that have yielded some sort of "regard", does comm. service and writes a great essay on his application, it is rather likely he would get into Harvard.

Can't remember the exact numbers, so don't quote me on it, but I recall seeing some statistic from 2006 about Harvard acceptance. Something like 2,000 Valedictorians applied, and about 600 got in. On the other hand, 4,500 regular folk applied and 2,700 got in.

Colleges nowadays care more about what you can actually SHOW yourself doing than about numbers on paper. You have a greater chance at getting into a good school with a 2.7 and a real life than a 4.5 and... that's it.

As for financial aid, apply for LOADS of scholarships, grants, yada yada yada, and impress the school you choose and they will throw more and more aid at you.

NOTE: Contrary to popular belief, you will get more aid from SUPER EXPENSIVE PRIVATE SCHOOLS than from anything else. They have the money to give you if you prove that your worthy of it's reception. Trust me, I'm not too far from a full ride myself, and I got there based on everything I said above.

Anything else you need to know, just ask.

Good luck

Interesting read thanks. I mean honestly I don't think you can get into Harvard but maybe I am wrong, but hey just keep it up and let it take its course

 

[IanRichardson]

The main thing about choosing a college is choosing one that is right for you. Dont select a college because of its name. What I would do is decide which college you want to go to, if it is Duke or Wake Forest, or Harvard or Yale, or South Dakota State University, choose the one that fits you. Then figure out what you need to get into that school. If you choose a school because of its name instead of it being right for you, you will never be happy. If you follow your heart then everything else will fall into place.

That being said, try to make the best grades you can make. Join clubs you are interested in. Do activities you like doing. That makes you a genuine person. Colleges can tell when a person is a real person, and when they simply do things for their resume

I hope this helps.

The best advice I can give you is to interview at all the schools you are considering, as this will help you get a much better feel for the school.

Good Luck!

 

[Leublu tennis]

I just posted this at another thread (Exactly how difficult is it?) which was in response to a fairly similar question. You might want to look at that thread. But here is what I said:

Top Ivy league schools have a terrific choice of applicants. Lots and lots of students with near perfect grades apply. If they wanted to, those schools could load up on superior students. But thats not what they look for. They want a varied student body. They want students to learn from each other and share the experience of college. So they pick a few 16 year olds who skipped grades and got perfect scores. They are needed in a top school.

But they also pick student athletes. Top athletes who are good students. Not necessarily the top students, but good students. A's and B's, probably more A's. All the schools like to have athletes and top schools have a variety of sports. Not just the usual ones, but lacross, wrestling, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, etc, etc. But you have to be very good at the sport to use that as an entry card. Look at Blake. I imagine it helped him that he was a super athlete and excelled at tennis.

There are other characteristics that appeal to top schools and that is extreme dedication to something tangible. Publish something? Form a business that makes money? Act in a local theater? But these have to be real. If you happen to be doing something that deserves to be noticed it will be. Pursue a hobby to an extreme. Spend your summers in unusual ways at unusual places, doing unusual things. What the schools look for is depth of character. One school interviewer told me that he particularly liked a student who got up at 4am every day to practice swimming until school starts. This was every day and full days on Saturday and Sunday. And he was a pretty good student. The interviewer said, people like that, not only do well in college, they go on to become top notch professional in medicine, business, or anything they pick.

Good luck.

 

[LuckyR]

Folks who have gone through the mill more recently are more knowledgable but my understanding is that at the current time there is little to no true "scholarship" money in the sense of what that word originally meant.

Now it's all either grants or financial aid. So if your grades are good enough to get in and your family doesn't have means, you're Golden. If your family has money you are SOL on free money regardless of your grades.

 

[dave333]

^^^^

Actually, one reason to go Yale, Harvard, Stanford, etc. is that those few top schools with huge endowments can offer huge amounts of financial aid. I went to several picnics for Harvard and visited Yale, and there is a reason they are ranked best values; families pay less than 1/3 or 1/4 or even less of the tuition.

Unfortunately, the lower Ivys, like brown, cornell, darthmouth, Columbia, etc. don't offer nearly as much.

 

[Spokewench]

Go talk to your highschool counselor - they will know more than a bunch of guys on a tennis forum. If you are serious about improving your chances and your grades, that should be where you start with your questions.

spoke

 

[xnarek]

I don't really want to get that yet, ill do it as a junior while keeping up good grades.
What if you get a, say, 2300 on your SAT but average grades in school? Will you be able to go to Harvard and such? Because studying for the SAT will most likely kill the school grades. I used to study 20 words a day but now that I'm focusing on school work its 20 words every 2 weeks.

 

[LanEvo]

hey guys, yea i dont have much community service or extra curricular activites, but i plan on doing some of them later on this yr, but as of right now i have my mind set on two colleges University of Pacific and Stanford

 

[dave333]

I don't really want to get that yet, ill do it as a junior while keeping up good grades.
What if you get a, say, 2300 on your SAT but average grades in school? Will you be able to go to Harvard and such? Because studying for the SAT will most likely kill the school grades. I used to study 20 words a day but now that I'm focusing on school work its 20 words every 2 weeks.

Good grades and class rank are more important than your SAT. SAT is still extremely important, and its almost essential you get at least 2100-2200, but based on the colleges I've looked at, the usually put grades and class rank slightly higher.

And by average grades...what do you mean? Are they straight C's or B's? If so...you probably shouldn't bother with a really top school unless you are top ranked in ____ in the world. But if it is A-'s or A's, then its probably okay. Obviously not everyone who goes to those colleges have GPA's above an A+ equivilant (though I know someone who did they had no non-honors classes and have completely straight A's and A+'s from sophomore to senior year).

 

[LuckyR]

I don't really want to get that yet, ill do it as a junior while keeping up good grades.
What if you get a, say, 2300 on your SAT but average grades in school? Will you be able to go to Harvard and such? Because studying for the SAT will most likely kill the school grades. I used to study 20 words a day but now that I'm focusing on school work its 20 words every 2 weeks.

Think about it. Your grades compare you to your classmates. If they are average, then a large percentage of your classmates scored better than you. Would you select that student if you were a top school?

SATs compare you (and your grades) to other schools and locations across the country. They are useful if the college is unfamiliar with your school (they don't traditionally select students from your school).

 

[xnarek]

I am attending a bad school, in a good program. Unless they actually look at the people in the program and exclude the school then I might have a chance. In here our grades are from 55-100. Last year my average was 98. This year i switched to honors, and therefore my average was 91 the 1st marking period, and 93.60 the second marking period. I've started this last marking period well with 97, 99, and 101 on the tests i have taken, so i think i might get higher then 95 or even 96 this marking period.

In the honors program in my school there are several kids with 98 average or even higher. Either their teachers went easy on them, or if they are in my class i know that they aren't good at much more like SAT (The words they use are weak, and somehow they just end up with high grades even though i don't see a difference from them and me. They actually seem weaker than me in the whole school if you don't the grades)

Well, anyway, i think there are kids who get a higher grade than me in my school, but my grades are better then 80-90 percent of theirs. I am adapting to the challenge and i do see a remarkable difference. I predict that soon i will be with the 98's. When the colleges look at the statistics i think hey will see my SAT score higher then 99 or even 100% of the whole schools. <Because after the first PSAT every smart person, even people with a 98 average complained of hard the test was, and they "failed". Yes, "failed" the SAT lol.

 

[LuckyR]

I am attending a bad school, in a good program. Unless they actually look at the people in the program and exclude the school then I might have a chance. In here our grades are from 55-100. Last year my average was 98. This year i switched to honors, and therefore my average was 91 the 1st marking period, and 93.60 the second marking period. I've started this last marking period well with 97, 99, and 101 on the tests i have taken, so i think i might get higher then 95 or even 96 this marking period.

In the honors program in my school there are several kids with 98 average or even higher. Either their teachers went easy on them, or if they are in my class i know that they aren't good at much more like SAT (The words they use are weak, and somehow they just end up with high grades even though i don't see a difference from them and me. They actually seem weaker than me in the whole school if you don't the grades)

Well, anyway, i think there are kids who get a higher grade than me in my school, but my grades are better then 80-90 percent of theirs. I am adapting to the challenge and i do see a remarkable difference. I predict that soon i will be with the 98's. When the colleges look at the statistics i think hey will see my SAT score higher then 99 or even 100% of the whole schools. <Because after the first PSAT every smart person, even people with a 98 average complained of hard the test was, and they "failed". Yes, "failed" the SAT lol.

The colleges only get the information supplied to them. For example, if your transcipts say "A" and your buddy's says the same, but he was a 98 and you were a 96, the college will never know the difference unless whomever writes your letters mentions it.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Im a sophomore in a school..... do i have a good chance of getting in a good college

I don't see that you have thanked a single person who took the time to give you helpful advice. Its not too late to learn good manners and you might consider starting that now. It will help you in life.

 

[crazysoccer00]

take a chill pill bro

 

[GeorgeLucas]

I am attending a bad school, in a good program. Unless they actually look at the people in the program and exclude the school then I might have a chance. In here our grades are from 55-100. Last year my average was 98. This year i switched to honors, and therefore my average was 91 the 1st marking period, and 93.60 the second marking period. I've started this last marking period well with 97, 99, and 101 on the tests i have taken, so i think i might get higher then 95 or even 96 this marking period.

In the honors program in my school there are several kids with 98 average or even higher. Either their teachers went easy on them, or if they are in my class i know that they aren't good at much more like SAT (The words they use are weak, and somehow they just end up with high grades even though i don't see a difference from them and me. They actually seem weaker than me in the whole school if you don't the grades)

Well, anyway, i think there are kids who get a higher grade than me in my school, but my grades are better then 80-90 percent of theirs. I am adapting to the challenge and i do see a remarkable difference. I predict that soon i will be with the 98's. When the colleges look at the statistics i think hey will see my SAT score higher then 99 or even 100% of the whole schools. <Because after the first PSAT every smart person, even people with a 98 average complained of hard the test was, and they "failed". Yes, "failed" the SAT lol.

Freaking huge bragfest with people like you and especially LanEvo. If you must know, though, if your school is bad, make sure you keep up your CLASS RANK (which would tell colleges how you rank relative to your mates) and a HIGH SAT SCORE. These are what will seperate you from your classmates who might simply be riding easy teachers or classes.

What do I know, though. I just averaged in the 98th percentile for the PSAT and am a card carrying member of mensa international... meh...

 

[xnarek]

Freaking huge bragfest with people like you and especially LanEvo. If you must know, though, if your school is bad, make sure you keep up your CLASS RANK (which would tell colleges how you rank relative to your mates) and a HIGH SAT SCORE. These are what will seperate you from your classmates who might simply be riding easy teachers or classes.

What do I know, though. I just averaged in the 98th percentile for the PSAT and am a card carrying member of mensa international... meh...

True dat xd
That's awfully awesome, 98 percent? You mustv worked hard for that xd. Nice

 

[Leublu tennis]

take a chill pill bro

A very sophmoric remark, if addressed to my comment.

 

[xnarek]

A very sophmoric remark, if addressed to my comment.

Hey you obviously don't have anything better to do than **** people off on the internet, but at least don't get mad at them when they actually get pissed off. Take a chill pill once in a while.

 

[crazysoccer00]

I don't see that you have thanked a single person who took the time to give you helpful advice. Its not too late to learn good manners and you might consider starting that now. It will help you in life.

Welcome to the E-Manner school. Seems like you have already met our principle, Leublu Tennis!

 

[OhDear]

Xnarek there are 7 "hooks" in the college application process
Are you looking at top tier schools, like the Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, UChicago, and other powerhouses?
It'll be hard with what you've got to be honest, there have been with 99/100 GPAs, 2350+SATs who've still been rejected.

The hooks are
1) GPA/Class Rank
2) SAT Score
3) Academic Rigor
4) The Essay
5) Recommendation
6) Extracurriculars
7) Intangibles- (things like ethnicity, birthplace, geographic diversity, personal struggles, books published, etc.)

In order to get into colleges you want you have to get 5 out of 7 of these "hooks".

 

[xnarek]

Welcome to the E-Manner school. Seems like you have already met our principle, Leublu Tennis!

Haha, yess yess i see.

 

[xnarek]

Xnarek there are 7 "hooks" in the college application process
Are you looking at top tier schools, like the Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, UChicago, and other powerhouses?
It'll be hard with what you've got to be honest, there have been with 99/100 GPAs, 2350+SATs who've still been rejected.

The hooks are
1) GPA/Class Rank
2) SAT Score
3) Academic Rigor
4) The Essay
5) Recommendation
6) Extracurriculars
7) Intangibles- (things like ethnicity, birthplace, geographic diversity, personal struggles, books published, etc.)

In order to get into colleges you want you have to get 5 out of 7 of these "hooks".

Oh that's helpful thank you. Really, people with 99 average and 2350 SAT score didn't get in? .
Well ill try to get all of those to broaden by chances.

 

[dave333]

I know a kid who had perfect SAT and 98 GPA who didn't get into Yale (Darthmouth). And another girl who has above 99 GPA and is going to be valedictorian who was deferred by Upenn early decision. Not sure where she is going yet.

Why? Because of a severe lack of extracurriculars. All they did was study and thats basically all they did for four years. Yeah, they did a few other things, but they didn't show qualities like leadership, didn't show any real athletic ability, and didn't do much community service.

But my parents friends kid didn't do much of that, but was an olympic mathlete and did extremely well in the international physics exam, and he did get into Harvard.

But well roundedness is usually the best way to go around, because its absurdly difficult to do some of the things that some kids do.

Top schools aren't looking for tools.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Hey you obviously don't have anything better to do than **** people off on the internet, but at least don't get mad at them when they actually get pissed off. Take a chill pill once in a while.

This is supposed to be in liu of a thank you for my note? I do have better things to do and I feel sorry for your for growing up without gaining any maturity.

 

[crash1929]

A ivy league college only matters if you want to work at goldman sachs, McKinsey and company and crap like that. If you're worried about being able to get a job at a place like that you probably never had a chance.

Just do well enough to go to law school and you should be ok financially. MBA is another thought. Don't know but I believe MD is the hardest.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Welcome to the E-Manner school. Seems like you have already met our principle, Leublu Tennis!

Oops. I stand corrected. I said your remark was sophmoric but I see that you have still not reached high school and are not doing well with your spelling lessons. Its "principal" not "principle".

 

[dave333]

A ivy league college only matters if you want to work at goldman sachs, McKinsey and company and crap like that. If you're worried about being able to get a job at a place like that you probably never had a chance.

Just do well enough to go to law school and you should be ok financially. MBA is another thought. Don't know but I believe MD is the hardest.

Going to a good college, especially Ivy Leagues, however, helps you get into better law and medical schools later.

btw it is spelled "sophomoric" Though mixing up principle and principal (think your principal is your pal...) is a worse sin. Sophomoric is a common SAT word, so its more for 11th graders.

 

[Leublu tennis]

btw it is spelled "sophomoric" Though mixing up principle and principal (think your principal is your pal...) is a worse sin. Sophomoric is a common SAT word, so its more for 11th graders.

Woops. Thanks. Wouldn't mind being back among the 11th graders, though.

 

[crash1929]

The school you go to is overated. If you go to a state school you will have less competition from less intelligent and less driven people and most likely get good grades and be able to get into grad school. Its all about grad school and just getting that paper. Undergard is like high school now. Then its just-basically about wether or not people like you...are you charismatic and all that crap. I've seen tons of people go to crappy schools but become lawyers and are making nice money. Or they don't have a grad degree but people like them.

 

[xnarek]

Haha so unfair. They use their time to study and get 98-99 GPA and such a high score on the SAT, but they still don't get in. I hate how athletics in a way comes before education in very "good" schools. Like they accept a rank 1 tennis player without looking at his education grades right? Assuming that a professional kid should be smart as well as athletic...

Yeah i guess its overrated. You know how in every school you can find dumb students right, yeah me too. Well it would be good for this shoulder and wrist to heal so i can get back to playing tennis. I'm going to quit the team the way this is going, and that's going to create a mess.

I don't know how some kids do it, it really makes me mad. When a very athletic kid is also one of the smartest kids in the region. <LOL

Dave got you "Leublue tennis", so please don't be childish and stop complaining to yourself. Calling me immature when you start blabbing...just don't comment after this. That goes with scanning my grammar errors and calling them out, its winter and we are on the computer do you think we caer about our gramme?