High School question

[GPB]

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...

Here it is, though... and it's already been said in this thread... schools don't want to see a student with perfect grades/test scores and nothing else to back it up. Here's my story: I graduated 8th in my class out of >400 kids, Got a decent yet unimpressive SAT score, and held a 3.6ish (out of 4) gpa. Not very good numbers, when looking at top-tier schools. However, I was an awesome musician, a leader in the marching band, played tennis for 4 years, and wrestled for one. I also played piano at my church and started a lawn-mowing company. I was a semi-finalist for the President's scholarship at Georgia Tech, and got accepted "early decision."

My good friend got better grades and a much higher SAT score, but didn't have much other activity. He enjoyed spending his time fishing or helping his parents around the house. He BARELY got accepted into GT, but he was much smarter than me, and graduated with highest honors.

What I'm saying is that if you want to "get accepted" into school, the numbers don't matter. Schools want people, not statistics. However, if you want to succeed in life, then you need to do two things: (1) learn how to learn, and (2) learn how to be liked. Think about it.

 

[LuckyR]

While GPB's post is true, the amount of time between each of the steps (getting into Undergrad, Grad schools and getting a job) are so vast that you can tailor your approach to each individually. That is: give the Undergrad admissions folks what they want to see, even if that isn't what the job recruiters are going to want seven years later, since you've got seven years to buff up your resume to what they want to see.

 

[GPB]

While GPB's post is true, the amount of time between each of the steps (getting into Undergrad, Grad schools and getting a job) are so vast that you can tailor your approach to each individually. That is: give the Undergrad admissions folks what they want to see, even if that isn't what the job recruiters are going to want seven years later, since you've got seven years to buff up your resume to what they want to see.

Very true.

 

[xnarek]

Yea thank you.

So you're saying if im in the top of the class with high SAT grades and good position in the school tennis team and and and and in an extracellular activity, i can get in easily?

 

[dave333]

Forget the easy part. It's never easy, you never know who you will get rejected, deferred, or accepted. A friend of mine got accepted into Yale and Harvard, but not into Duke? Yeah, it can be strange.


Anyway, in addition to grades, and sports, you should be part of MORE than 1 extracurricular. Choose a few that interest you, and really hunker down and get to work there. Hopefully you can get an officer/leadership position later.

And don't just get A's; get A's in hard classes. Most schools would rather see you have straight A-'s in the most difficult classes you can take (though your GPA will come out higher than that).

In addition, get a lot of community service done as well.

And if you feel like you can do it, try taking up singing as a musical thing. It is very difficult to be a good instrumentalist if you don't start at a fairly early age, but singing isn't too tough to do, especially if you have a decent voice. Doing some kind of music is quite valuable in admissions, as it is something you really have to devote yourself to in order to be good. Colleges are impressed by strong musicians who do many other things, because music does take a lot of time. I'll just bring my friend up; he just got early decision into Yale. He did fencing (sucked though, got cut junior year), he took hard classes but wasn't even in the first decile, and got a pretty weak 2190 on the SAT. Also in a few clubs, but only a leader in one (captain in math team, but only because he has seniority). That probably isn't good enough for a school like Yale. But he is easily one of the best violinists in the country, and he went to a variety of prestigious musical camps, and some very famous youth orchestras. That was what probably got him in.

 

[xnarek]

I still haven't joined an extracurricular and in a Sophomore in the middle of the school year . Before i injured myself i used to play tennis 1-2 hours after school, private lesson. So compared to an extracurricular, i rather play tennis and get better. Now i guess ill sign up. I'm also going to ask for as many AP classes as they can throw at me (going to talk with my guidance counselor as recommended). Sports scholarship used to be a big encouragement for me because i have been playing tennis since i was 4, everyday, 2 to even 4 hours until i started to hate it.
I also haven't started on community service :O . I used to be busy playing tennis every-day (aside from the private lesson). Ill start that next year i think, and get more points than required.

I also used to go to a Armenian school where they taught us to sing, dance, and the language(which i know as it is my native language). We used to sing and dance on stages for a long time but i don't know how i can squeeze that in school. I don't think I'm a good singer xd.
And heck i really don't know how to come close to a leader position.

 

[tennisfreak15347]

hmm, I'm going to graduate high school with a 97.5-ish GPA, with 3 extracurriculars and a sport( tennis, obviously ) with a ranking around 15 out of 670. around what SAT score should I shoot for, and does anyone know the general academic requirements to get accepted in good colleges? (the top non-ivy league and ivy league schools)

 

[meowmix]

Aim for the highest you can get. But be realistic. If you got something like an 150 on the PSAT's, don't try to get a 2400 on the SAT's. Generally, aim about the equivalent of 100 points higher than what you got on the PSAT's.

Surprisingly, the SAT "academic requirements" aren't all that high for a few ives. My cousin's at Harvard, and I've got a good friend at Yale. They both tell me that the average 50% of the students there have between a 2200 and a 2400. Which, admittedly, is high, but it really shows that even the top tier schools aren't looking for complete and utter nerds. I would venture to guess that (unless you're Asian, in which case, bump the following score up by 100 points) you would probably need around a 2100 for a good shot at the top tier schools.

 

[tennisfreak15347]

I would venture to guess that (unless you're Asian, in which case, bump the following score up by 100 points) you would probably need around a 2100 for a good shot at the top tier schools.

yes, I am asian. why would I have to score 100 points higher just based on that fact?

 

[xnarek]

Dam tennisfreak that's a neat GPA. And since you're Asian i guess you're in a top school too? xd

 

[LanEvo]

Forget the easy part. It's never easy, you never know who you will get rejected, deferred, or accepted. A friend of mine got accepted into Yale and Harvard, but not into Duke? Yeah, it can be strange.


Anyway, in addition to grades, and sports, you should be part of MORE than 1 extracurricular. Choose a few that interest you, and really hunker down and get to work there. Hopefully you can get an officer/leadership position later.

And don't just get A's; get A's in hard classes. Most schools would rather see you have straight A-'s in the most difficult classes you can take (though your GPA will come out higher than that).

In addition, get a lot of community service done as well.

And if you feel like you can do it, try taking up singing as a musical thing. It is very difficult to be a good instrumentalist if you don't start at a fairly early age, but singing isn't too tough to do, especially if you have a decent voice. Doing some kind of music is quite valuable in admissions, as it is something you really have to devote yourself to in order to be good. Colleges are impressed by strong musicians who do many other things, because music does take a lot of time. I'll just bring my friend up; he just got early decision into Yale. He did fencing (sucked though, got cut junior year), he took hard classes but wasn't even in the first decile, and got a pretty weak 2190 on the SAT. Also in a few clubs, but only a leader in one (captain in math team, but only because he has seniority). That probably isn't good enough for a school like Yale. But he is easily one of the best violinists in the country, and he went to a variety of prestigious musical camps, and some very famous youth orchestras. That was what probably got him in.

i wouldnt call that weak

 

[xnarek]

i wouldnt call that weak

I was going to say that on my last post, but decided not to.
Well, 2190 isn't weak if you say that SAT scores don't count that much. As much as i learned it depends on the school.