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This is only my sophmore year of high school, but I want to make SURE I get into the colleges I want to get into. In 8th grade I started taking the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (B+ both college semisters) - its supposed to be like widely recognized by colleges. This year I am in Acc. Pre Cal, AP US History, Advanced Lit I/II/ Speech, Spanish 3, Accelerate Biology ect. Next year I am planning on taking AP Stats, AP Cal, AP European History, AP Language, Accelerated Chemistry, and Spanish 4... and continue that track my senior year. I have a 3.85 GPA still as well! I havent taken the SAT's since I was in 8th grade - so its been about two years and I think I could do a lot better now- but in 8th grade I got a 650 math and a 550 verbal (I am certain I would do WAY better being my vocabulary has expanded so much). I am on the debate team (since my freshman year) and qualified for state this year... next year I will be captain - as a junior. This year I am starting the speech team also. My school is known nationally for our debate and (especially) speech team. I have played the piano for 6 or 7 years, volunteer a lot through my church and other programs, and work-out all the time on my own at the YMCA (but not any school sports). SOOOO other than OBVIOUSLY re-taking the SAT's/ACT's... what do I need to work on and what are my chances for getting into top colleges? Oh- I forgot to mention that almost all of the 3.85 GPA is due to my 6 credits of college math... my high school doesnt weigh them or raise them a grade like many do. Plus, I am an excellent writing, friendly, love people, and good at communicating. I have awards too from ec's. Special info on Northwestern would be great too!

By cook on Saturday, January 11, 2003 - 04:51 pm: Edit

you'll be fine...

By your local mayor on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 01:51 am: Edit

brag sheet....blah...so what schools exactly do you want to attend?

By Ashley Smith on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 02:28 am: Edit

I am not sure exactly....and by no means is this meant to be a brag sheet your local mayor.... I was looking for some honest feedback. I was thinking Northwestern...because I dont know if I could actually get into Harvard or Yale or anything.

By Tuannguyen (Tuannguyen) on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 03:02 am: Edit

"I am not sure exactly....and by no means is this meant to be a brag sheet your local mayor.... I was looking for some honest feedback. I was thinking Northwestern...because I dont know if I could actually get into Harvard or Yale or anything."


You're a SOPHOMORE! You're doing fine, don't say stuff like "i probably won't get into harvard" because in a lot of peoples eyes it's the equivalent of "i WON'T get into harvard". Anyways, I have a friend who got into Harvard pretty much because of her debating skills (although she also did well at her academics, i say her hook was debating). She was co-captain for the Canadian Debating Team that went to the Internationals in South Africa in 2001 (i think). If you work REALLY hard at debating, maybe you'll get on the American National Debating team or something. That on it's own is impressive.

She was ranked first for a while (http://www.pwsb33.ab.ca/~brhs/spectrum/1999/past/may17_2.html).

Anyways, she's ranked 25th on the site below for the international one.

http://www.schoolsdebate.com/wsdc/years/2001/indivresults.asp

*you can almost tell i'm on peer-support (you have to be voted on! I actually didn't know i supoorted people til i was voted on, sometimes even your own skills aren't obvious to yourself...)*

The thing is that she worked her ass off to be first. If you can work, you can work your ass off...

*by positive did you mean this way?* Probably not...

By Ashley Smith on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 05:39 pm: Edit

thanx

By IAMGREAT on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 07:08 pm: Edit

Debate is not single handedly going to get you anywhere. YOur grades must be good as well as your SAT/ACT everything else is just supplementary.