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I am aiming to get into an Ivy college, and I wonder if you guys can give me any tips on how to prepare during high school. THANK YOU!

School background: I attend a fairly small international school outside of the United States, only about 400 students in 12 grades. I am currently a freshman. The course rigor is up to standards, our "normal" courses being much more difficult than some US "honor" courses. (We don't have "Honors" tacked on to our courses, but our counselor says many school considers courses from our school as "Honors) We have approximately 4 to 5 AP's offered annually, with some offered in alternate years. EC's include -- science trips, science club, math club, competitive sports (compete with international school from other countries, our team won several champions in the Pacific region), orch/band/ensemble.

Personal background: I have been a straight A student in all of my schooling, getting up to straight A+ in 7th and 8th grade. I have served on the student council during Middle School. In terms of one Standarized Testing we take every year (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills) I have consistently scored in the 98 - 99 percentile.

My overall summary now:
4.0 GPA
Fluent in: English, Chinese, Taiwanese
Learning: Japanese (getting a certificate next December), Arabic
Piano - 8 years (do I need a qualifying certificate?)
Cello - 3 1/2 years
First chair in middle school orch
Science club member
Active participant in many science club trips to different regions of the country.
Math club member
Australian Mathematical Contest 9 2003 (didn't receive certificate yet, but should be coming soon)
Iowa Tests of Basic Skills - several 98 and 99 percentile overalls.
Joining track team in the spring.

Planning to do:
PSAT next year. (Hope to get National Merit)
TOEFL, maybe? (Do I need one as an international student if my English is fluent?)
Join school orch next year.
Taking AMC 10 in February
AP Bio/AP Statistics next year.
Taking Spanish starting this summer.
Participate in contests such as essay contests and math contests.

The major concern I have is we have very limited EC's because we're such a small school. There isn't really a lot of clubs. I hope to do well on the SAT, and take several SAT II's. Other than this, do you have any suggestions on how I can compete against all the prep school students in getting into an Ivy school at such a small school as an international student?

Many thanks!

P.S. Sorry if a lot of the things done are in middle school. I just finished one semester in high school, and haven't done much yet, but I would like to look ahead especially since I'm in a more difficult position.

By Theanswer (Theanswer) on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 12:41 pm: Edit

Okay your a smart kid.. but please RELAX! ..take your PSAT next year do well, but you cant get national merit until junior year, other than that try just learning about colleges here in the states as your college process is just beginning
good luck

By Number9 (Number9) on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 03:20 pm: Edit

Take as many AP classes you can. If your school only has Bio and Stats available next year, then its okay. Max out your schedule. Take the hardest classes you think you can handle.

Stats is considered an easier AP (some ppl just buy a review book and get 5's). Try to get some other AP classes in addition.

I don't think you have to have certificates for piano.

Make sure you aren't just joining sports team just to say that you did them. You gotta do well, or I'd say they're a waste of time.

As said before, you can't get NM from a sophomore PSAT.

You only need to take 3 SATII's. Taking any more is useless (it really hurts you more than it helps.) Make sure you take the SATII in Writing and Math (IIC especially if you are planning to major in science or math fields) and one of your choice.

Ivies don't care what you did in middle school, so you probably wont be able to put that stuff on the apps, but if you continue to do what you are doing now, I'd say you are in good shape.

Just max out your courseload, take as many APs you think you can handle, study for the SAT (and those 3 SATIIs), and you'll be set for non-EC things pretty much.

By Enlightenment (Enlightenment) on Saturday, December 20, 2003 - 08:05 pm: Edit

hey cool, I'm Taiwanese too

By Deeny1414 (Deeny1414) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 08:13 pm: Edit

Your freaking out and your a freshman? What is this world coming to?

By Oasis (Oasis) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 10:18 pm: Edit

Thanks Number9.

I am not freaking out. I am only assessing my position right now. I don't go to top schools like Andover, Choate, Milton that nearly gurantees entry to a Ivy college if manage to stay on the top in those schools. My school is extremely small and it's lacking in many academic resources. Given this disadvantage, and the position that I'm an international student, what's wrong about trying to see what ways I can improve on?!

By Aspirer42 (Aspirer42) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 10:47 pm: Edit

Relax on studying; junior year is most important.

The fact that there aren't too many clubs at your school means that you have tons of room to found one (or two), which is a rare opportunity that colleges just adore, especially if you put some time into it.

By Soccerguy315 (Soccerguy315) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 11:14 pm: Edit

you are not penalized for where you attend school. They expect you to make the MOST out of the opportunities you have, and can make for yourself.

By Bruceconti (Bruceconti) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 10:43 am: Edit

Im just in middle school, but you sound like an awesome candidate for ivy.

By Justice (Justice) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 11:44 am: Edit

You need to be either a US citizen, a pending US citizen, a green card holder, or a pending green card holder to be eligible for National Merit.

By Ratrace02 (Ratrace02) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 05:50 pm: Edit

Oasis you have awesome stats so keep up the good work!

The sad thing is that many ivies tell people to take the most rigorous curriculum and do many ECs but then they reject a lot of people who do those things. The valedictorian of my school who was in many ways 'a perfect fit' for an ivy and he did A LOT of ECs was flat out REJECTED by Yale. Goes to show you that sometimes REALLY hard work doesn't pay off.

Well that was just my $0.02.

By Oasis (Oasis) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 11:57 pm: Edit

Yes, I am an US citizen. I'm just an international student. So I am qualified for National Merit.

Thanks to all your feedbacks!

By Bruceconti (Bruceconti) on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:00 pm: Edit

Ratrace02, what you said was completely ambiguous...

"keep up the good work!"

"goes to show you that sometimes really hard work doesnt pay off"

Thats gonna help motivate him...

By Ratrace02 (Ratrace02) on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 01:57 pm: Edit

bruceconti~

what i was trying to say is to keep up the good work but applying to an ivy league school is just a shot in the dark. like seriously, you still need to be motivated but you also have to be in touch with reality...sometimes people with great stats get in, sometimes they don't. besides...ur just in middle school ;)

By Oasis (Oasis) on Thursday, December 25, 2003 - 12:17 am: Edit

Yes, I get your meaning, Ratrace02. I agree that people with great stats do sometimes don't get in, but I'll still try my best. Applying with 100% of your effort in is always better than applying with only 60% of your effort in.

By Freak4korn72 (Freak4korn72) on Thursday, December 25, 2003 - 01:30 am: Edit

Applying is better than not. Even if your chances are very slim. There still is a chance. Essays could work wonders.

By Soulofheaven8 (Soulofheaven8) on Thursday, December 25, 2003 - 09:00 am: Edit

Hehe, Ratrace02 and I: similar academic stats, probably similiar academic aptitude, my ECs and volunteerings aren't too far off. (Ratrace02, I hope you are not insulted by my comparing myself to you. )

The difference? She's heading to Harvard and I am a future state school alumnus.

Give it a shot, and if nothing happens, move to California so you can at least go to a good state school.