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I'm a sophomore in HS and I dream of going to an Ivy League, or other highly-competitive school. So far my grades in school are pretty good, but I just have no interest in doing any ECs. Is this really going to ruin all my chances?

8th Grade-
Biology Accelerated (95 on Regents)

9th Grade Classes-
Italian 2
Studio Art
Earth Science Honors (98 on Regents)
World History Honors
English Honors
Math A
I finished with around a 98.9 unweighted average, and was ranked 2/512 at the end of last year.

This year I'm taking:
Concert Orchestra
Italian 3
Science Research
Chemistry Honors (Will be taking SAT II)
AP World History
English Honors
Math AB Honors

I aim by the end of HS to have taken:
APs: World, US, English Lit, Biology, Physics B, Economics, Chemistry
SAT II: Chemistry, Math, Writing, Biology

I plan to work extremely hard to ensure good SAT, SAT II, and AP grades. My only real problem is ECs. I dance 3 hours a week, no competition or anything, so I know that's barely worth mentioning. I was in All County Orchestra in 5th grade, so that doesn't matter, but I really hope to work harder in that and maybe start doing that again next year. I was planning on volunteering at a hospital this year but I would have to get a full physical and complete blood count, but I have a paralyzing fear of doctors so I really can't put myself through that. This summer I'll be starting research, and probably competing in Intel and Seimens-Westinghouse.

So, if all things go as I hope, do I have any chance? Or do I need to get my butt in gear with the ECs?

By Trojan1444 (Trojan1444) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 08:51 pm: Edit

"If I don't have any EC's, will this hurt me?"

If you are dumb enough to ask this question you will not get into any Ivy league schools anyway.

By Gigix7x (Gigix7x) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:15 pm: Edit

Wow, that's hostile.

A simple "You absolutely need to work on ECs" would have served the same purpose and be a lot less nasty.

By Crnchycereal (Crnchycereal) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:15 pm: Edit

Sorry, but as it stands right now, you have NO chance at the Ivy's, even if you had the most amazing essays and recs on the planet. ECs, even minimal ECs, are an absolutely mandatory part of the application. If you want any, and I mean ANY hope of getting into the Ivy's, you'd better join some ECs and get REALLY involved. I'm talking leadership positions, awards, competitions, whatever. Your only other option is to compete at Westinghouse or Intel. If you placed in either, then your chances would improve significantly, but then again, you don't really want to put all your eggs in one basket, do you?

By Gigix7x (Gigix7x) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:30 pm: Edit

I definitely expected these types of responses, but when is it too late to start ECs?

Can I join something and get very involved in it in Junior year? Would that matter?

By Cornell00 (Cornell00) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:33 pm: Edit

hehe 8th grade dont count!!

By Gigix7x (Gigix7x) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:37 pm: Edit

>hehe 8th grade dont count!!

Um, I put Biology because it was an accelerated high school level course and therefore does count.

By Bignick123 (Bignick123) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 10:04 pm: Edit

i dont like varr_rdz/cornell 00

By Crnchycereal (Crnchycereal) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 10:08 pm: Edit

It'll be hard to join some ECs this year and then get really involved NEXT year. Start getting involved this year. Devote your time, expect to spend at least a good 5 hours a week on ECs.

By Chen (Chen) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 11:01 pm: Edit

You're only a sophmore? It's a VERY good year to start your ECs. Not too late. Go go go. Stop reading this board. Get involved while you don't have any AP classes, get used to it, and then keep going junior year.

By Sarbear (Sarbear) on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 11:48 pm: Edit

Gigix7x -

About the 8th grade biology thing - my junior high was an accelerated program attached to a magnet high school. All our courses were "accelerated high school level courses." It still doesn't count, sorry.

By Gigix7x (Gigix7x) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:04 am: Edit

>About the 8th grade biology thing - my junior high was an accelerated program attached to a magnet high school. All our courses were "accelerated high school level courses." It still doesn't count, sorry. <

No, it was done differently in my school. I go to a very public (non-magnet, I suppose) school and about 25% of 8th graders are selected to take Bio then with the Regents (NY state testing), recieve HS credits and not have to take it in freshman year. Our district does the order a little differently than most (Bio before Earth Science) so that might be adding to the confusion. But it is a high school course equal to an honors level 9th grade class.

By Nealp (Nealp) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:11 am: Edit

still. doesn't count. afterall how the heck is a bio class an ec??

By Sarbear (Sarbear) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:15 am: Edit

Nealp is right. Still doesn't count. I took pre-calc in 8th grade and that's not going on my transcript. And I go to a 'very public' high school as well (inner city, 2500 kids), but it is a magnet schools because it has the IB program. Don't worry about it though. Hnrs. biology wouldn't make that big of a difference anyways! I really wasn't trying to sound mean.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:42 am: Edit

I'm afraid that "doing EC's" isn't going to help you one iota. They're looking for people with a checklist outlook to reject; they're looking for evidence of passion and deep involvement in something and that's hard to fake in an essay, interview, or rec. You're problem isn't the lack of EC's...it's the lack of interests outside the classroom. On the scale of things, you're right, your dance is pretty minor...serious dancers your age are taking 12-15 hours of dance a week or more.

What *were* you thinking of when you were in middle school?

By Drfunk (Drfunk) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:46 am: Edit

wow that is terrible for you guys yet it would save my GPA.

I took algebra in the 8th grade and got a B (yea yea.. i know.. terrible.. but i dont think the grade was based on any numerical test scores, hw assignments, or participation.. if you catch my drift).

To the point--that lowers my GPA by like 0.05 which doesnt sound like much but it sends someone from a 3.78 to a 3.83 and a 3.97 to a 4.02

i even asked my counselor to take it off my transcript since it was 8th grade but he said it was too late

wow this was kinda off topic.. sorry

By Rubenizm (Rubenizm) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:15 pm: Edit

"I dream of going to an Ivy League, or other highly-competitive school"

Haha

By Rubenizm (Rubenizm) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:16 pm: Edit

btw i don't like bignick123

By Alise (Alise) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 12:26 pm: Edit

WORD OF ADVICE: don't take the chemistry SAT II unless you've taken AP Chem. They cover way beyond the normal chemistry class on the Exam (or so i've been told). At least buy yourself a few SAT II Chem and AP Chem books (I don't recommend the princeton review books, they are just supplementary for the class).

By Esmerelda (Esmerelda) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 05:37 pm: Edit

wow, you all are really harsh. Borderline Mean even. Thedad is right in that you don't need extracurriculurs, you need to show your passion. But, it's the begining of sophomore year, it's not that late to find something you enjoy and that you'd like to commit to! Try things out. You don't have to start in elementry school to be good at something. Maybe you have a hidden talent somewhere! And if not, you can work at whatever for the next few years and become good at it. I'd try and stay clear of things where other people have much more experience than you (for example don't start ballet or something because most people start before middle school) unless you are really passionate about it. Try fencing or volenteering, or tutoring. OR find a job. See if local animal hospitals need help, or get an internship at a nearby office. Do things that maybe you couldn't start when you were younger. Don't do something you hate just because you want to put it on your college application though. Find something you can love. Try caving. whatever. be yourself. You'll do fine.
oh, and about the middle school classes, every high school does it differently. She was just putting it on there as a class NOT as an extra curricular!
Don't be discouraged.
GOOD LUCK!

By Gigix7x (Gigix7x) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 06:45 pm: Edit

Esmerelda,

Thank you so much for some kind words *finally*! You had a lot of really good ideas. I was thinking about tutoring Italian, and I may volunteer at the hospital once I get my courage up. Volunteering at an animal hospital also sounds really interesting and I've never thought of that before!
Thanks again and the best of luck to you to!

By Justinfiddler (Justinfiddler) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 07:37 pm: Edit

some eighth grade classes do count

i took hs french and math in ms.
it is on my transcript

i took ap chem last year. i got A's and a 4 on the test. i'm taking it october 11.

i going to start studying tomorrow
what score do you think i'll get?
750 possible?