What Did you Achieve today?

Irish Caesar said:

I would add to that:

Some colleges offer early admission or early action. It's worth applying to a couple of schools which will let you know as early as December whether they accept you, but be aware: this may be binding. Make sure you know if you are telling the schools that if accepted, you will attend. Unless it's the school you really want to go to (and even if it is!), you might want to have some more time to think it over in the event that they accept you. Plans can and do change between application and acceptance.

I did this non-binding early application and knew I was accepted to my top two schools before the application deadlines at any others. Saved me the hassle and expense of applying to any others, and had I not been accepted, it would have let me know that my application needed some work.

Click to expand...

Fair point. I didn't do early action, because I was still taking SAT II's in November (and December!). I think the general rule of thumb is, if you don't think your profile will change from November 15 to December 30, do early action; if you think it will, maybe hold off until the profile is as strong as it can be.

Early action usually involves applying by November 30th; the great part is, you know by December 15th if the college accepted you. The downside is, as Irish Ceaser said, it is usually binding.

Integral

Integral said:

May I suggest a rough timetable? I have no idea what grade you're in, but this may help.

Click to expand...

Sure, help is always appreciated!

Integral said:

Sophomore spring: Begin researching colleges, and pick up a review book for the SAT. The Princeton Review, and Barrons are the best. Take one AP test if you can; if not, that's ok.

Click to expand...

I took an AP test last year as a Freshman, but in this school, I cannot take any AP Courses until junior year (next year). Well, I already know what colleges I want to go to. I just don't have any info on them. What should I look for?

Integral said:

Sophomore-Junior summer: Work, study, do some volunteer community service, anything to build your profile.

Click to expand...

Usually I AM working in the summer (summer assignments ). I plan on doing community service. I need 75 hours for the Bright Futures Scholarship (Florida Scholarship), which IIRC, covers your education for like, at least 2 years.

Integral said:

Junior fall: keep looking at colleges. By November I had a list of 10-15 colleges that I was really interested in. Take the SAT or ACT once in the fall, probably the November or December test.

Click to expand...

Holy crap! 10-15 colleges?! I don't even think there are that many here in FL!

Integral said:

Junior spring: Keep your grades up! Take the other standardized test in the winter, say the January or February date. Whichever one you liked better, take again in April.

Click to expand...

I always keep my grades up. What other standardized tests? The ones that the colleges I researched require?

Integral said:

If you're applying to top-20 schools, take the SAT II's in the late spring (May or June). Your goal is to be (nearly) completely done with testing by the end of Junior year. Personally, I took the SAT II's in my senior year--but I didn't plan well enough. ALso, try to do some college visits. Take AP tests; 1-3 should be fine.

Click to expand...

What do you mean top-20 schools? I'm not going for that Ivy-League crap or any John Hopkins or Duke University. I'm interested in the ones here in FL. I plan on taking 6 AP classes next year. I always take the highest possible courses. The SAT II is dependent on the colleges that require it or do all colleges ask for it? Or is it simply bonus for a college application?

Integral said:

Junior-Senior summer: Work, study, do some volunteer community service, anything to build your profile. Think about college admissions essays.

Click to expand...

Community Service - I already know. I plan on doing it anyways.

I need to do an essay to get into college?!

Integral said:

Senior fall: Finalize your list of colleges. I applied to 7; some do more, some less. It really depends on how strong you think your record is. If you're still not happy with your scores, take a standardized test again. Work hard on your college admissions essays.

Click to expand...

Hmm...damn, I didn't know I would need to apply to so many.

Yeah, I heard it's always good to take the SAT's and those tests at least twice since the colleges will take your best one.

Integral said:

September and October senior year: start hunting down teachers to get letters of recommendation. Choose teachers that know you well, perferrably ones where you did some stellar work. Begin working on the Common Application.

Click to expand...

Ok. I am usually good with teachers.

Integral said:

November senior year: Keep working on the common app. Don't blow off your classes, because colleges will see these grades.

Click to expand...

I never blow off my classes.

Does the application really take that long?

Integral said:

December senior year: Keep working on the common app. Try to be done by December 15th; that way you have nearly half a month to revise it.

Click to expand...

I thought a application was simply like a job application...

Guess not.

Integral said:

Press "submit" on the common app by the end of December.

Click to expand...

All right.

Integral said:

Senior spring: Relax! It's all over now. College admission decisions will come in late March/early April.

Click to expand...

So I get to just work on my classes then?

It just becomes a wait-and-see game until the letters arrive, I guess.

Integral said:

SUMMARY OF TESTING: One test (SAT or ACT) in junior fall, one in junior winter; whatever you liked better, take again late spring if not happy with the score.

Click to expand...

Wait, fall and winter? So I take one in October and one in December?

Ok. spring if not happy with my score.

Integral said:

SUMMARY OF AP: 1 sophomore year, 2-3 junior year, 2-4 senior year. That's straight from the Yale admission committee.

Click to expand...

Darn! I could only take one my freshman year. I can't any this (sophomore) year. Do you think they won't mind me with 6 AP classes next year (as long as I do well in all of them?)

Integral said:

DISCLAIMER: ALL OF THIS IS STRICTLY IMO, OK?

Hope that helps a bit...

Integral

Click to expand...

It helps A TON! Thanks, Integral!

I'll make a thread for any other questions that may arise.

LightFang said:

I lived through the first day of high school as a veritable junior. I'm scared. I've been told to expect around an hour of homework time for each IB class. That's six hours. I don't get home until around 4 o' clock, a good hour later than most students, because of my special condition of having seven periods due to my extra jazz band period. This means that I won't get to sleep until 10, at the latest, assuming I don't do anything else, like eat, or clean my room, or fool around on CFC.

I was told that sleep deprivation kicks in at around the end of September, and around the start of November is when one gets used to it. I fear for my life.

Plus, I'm taking Math and Science HL, and people have already sent me flowers.

I'll probably drop off the face of CFC. If you don't see me, you know what I'm doing (either praying or studying.)

Click to expand...

Why Jazz Band? I would simply focus on the academics, not on instruments.

Irish Caesar said:

I would add to that:

Some colleges offer early admission or early action. It's worth applying to a couple of schools which will let you know as early as December whether they accept you, but be aware: this may be binding. Make sure you know if you are telling the schools that if accepted, you will attend. Unless it's the school you really want to go to (and even if it is!), you might want to have some more time to think it over in the event that they accept you. Plans can and do change between application and acceptance.

I did this non-binding early application and knew I was accepted to my top two schools before the application deadlines at any others. Saved me the hassle and expense of applying to any others, and had I not been accepted, it would have let me know that my application needed some work.

Click to expand...

Interesting bit there.

So what would happen if multiple colleges accept me?

I'll respond to the rest later, but questions always come first.

ansar said:

Sure, help is always appreciated!

What other standardized tests? The ones that the colleges I researched require?

Click to expand...

Most colleges only require the SAT or ACT. There may be some that require other tests...a few schools, for example, require SAT II's.

What do you mean top-20 schools? I'm not going for that Ivy-League crap or any John Hopkins or Duke University. I'm interested in the ones here in FL. I plan on taking 6 AP classes next year. I always take the highest possible courses. The SAT II is dependent on the colleges that require it or do all colleges ask for it? Or is it simply bonus for a college application?

Click to expand...

6 AP's? That's excellent! My school only offered 5, total, so I only took 3. (Although I made up for it by taking classes at a local college) The SAT II's are dependent on the college; if a college requires one, they will put that on their website.

I need to do an essay to get into college?!

Click to expand...

For some, yes. For others, no. I had to write an essay for most of the colleges I applied to, but for the public schools there was no essay. The essay was relatively short--between 500 and 800 words.

Hmm...damn, I didn't know I would need to apply to so many.

Click to expand...

It really depends on the admissions rates of the colleges you're looking at. No college I applied to admitted more than 35% of applicants, so I had to spread my risk. Well, except my safety school, but I don't count it.

Does the application really take that long?

Click to expand...

Not usually, but it never hurts to be safe.

I have to leave for a bit, but I'll be back. I'll check this thread again around 11:00 Eastern Time. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to start a new thread.

See you guys in a few hours!

Integral

ansar said:

I took an AP test last year as a Freshman, but in this school, I cannot take any AP Courses until junior year (next year). Well, I already know what colleges I want to go to. I just don't have any info on them. What should I look for?

Click to expand...

Check out the websites of those schools; they generally have a section for "prospective students." Many (most? all?) schools give tours to high school students who are interested, they'll help you get to know what the school is like and if you still want to go after the tour.

Holy crap! 10-15 colleges?! I don't even think there are that many here in FL!

Click to expand...

I don't think I looked at that many, but keep your options open. As time goes on, the list may narrow down. Or it may not.

The SAT II is dependent on the colleges that require it or do all colleges ask for it? Or is it simply bonus for a college application?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure who wants it and who doesn't; Tech didn't ask for SATII's on the application (although this may have changed since then), but a good score on a couple SATII's was worth a few credit hours and saved me a ton of time and money. Some colleges will want you to take some SATII tests, some will not, but there will probably be at least one school you will want to go to that will ask for them.

Hmm...damn, I didn't know I would need to apply to so many.

Click to expand...

High school guidance counselors will tell you to apply to a ton. I think this is overkill. If you are confident that you will get into the schools you want to go to, why apply to ones you don't?

If you get an early start on your applications process, it will be easier and you will be less rushed and tense about things. Plus, many schools (neither of the 2 I applied to) accept a "common application."

Does the application really take that long?

Click to expand...

Allow yourself plenty of time. They want your name and transcript, but they also want you to explain why they should accept you and why you want to go to their school.

And besides that, you're simply not going to want to do the whole thing all at once. It's not really that daunting, but it certainly seems it when you think your future depends on it. The key is to take it easy (but not too easy!) and relax. If you're going to be eligible for a two-year scholarship from the State, you're clearly a good student and will be accepted somewhere you'll want to go, even if it isn't your first choice.

It just becomes a wait-and-see game until the letters arrive, I guess.

Click to expand...

That part is no fun at all!

Darn! I could only take one my freshman year. I can't any this (sophomore) year. Do you think they won't mind me with 6 AP classes next year (as long as I do well in all of them?)

Click to expand...

You won't need to take a ton of AP classes, just take as many as you are comfortable with. Don't work yourself too hard, you'll make your life miserable. I took one AP class junior year and two senior year. I figured there was no point taking AP classes I wasn't interested in. And, again, those that I did take saved me a considerable amount of time and money once I got here.

I'll make a thread for any other questions that may arise.

Click to expand...

Aaarghh!

I should read the whole post before responding like this...

Irish Caesar said:

Check out the websites of those schools; they generally have a section for "prospective students." Many (most? all?) schools give tours to high school students who are interested, they'll help you get to know what the school is like and if you still want to go after the tour.

Click to expand...

Ok, thanks.

I'll see if I find such things in the college websites.

I'm not sure who wants it and who doesn't; Tech didn't ask for SATII's on the application (although this may have changed since then), but a good score on a couple SATII's was worth a few credit hours and saved me a ton of time and money. Some colleges will want you to take some SATII tests, some will not, but there will probably be at least one school you will want to go to that will ask for them.

Click to expand...

I guess SATII's won't hurt.

High school guidance counselors will tell you to apply to a ton. I think this is overkill. If you are confident that you will get into the schools you want to go to, why apply to ones you don't?

Click to expand...

I am confident. I just hope not too confident.

I recieve good grades all the time A's and B's (mostly A's though).

If you get an early start on your applications process, it will be easier and you will be less rushed and tense about things. Plus, many schools (neither of the 2 I applied to) accept a "common application."

Click to expand...

I'll start next year.

Allow yourself plenty of time. They want your name and transcript, but they also want you to explain why they should accept you and why you want to go to their school.

Click to expand...

That's what the essay is about? Doesn't sound extremely hard.

And besides that, you're simply not going to want to do the whole thing all at once. It's not really that daunting, but it certainly seems it when you think your future depends on it. The key is to take it easy (but not too easy!) and relax. If you're going to be eligible for a two-year scholarship from the State, you're clearly a good student and will be accepted somewhere you'll want to go, even if it isn't your first choice.

Click to expand...

Well, duh. You can't just expect to do everything at the same time.

As my teacher says, failure to prepare means preparing to fail.

That part is no fun at all!

Click to expand...

I bet it isn't!

You won't need to take a ton of AP classes, just take as many as you are comfortable with. Don't work yourself too hard, you'll make your life miserable. I took one AP class junior year and two senior year. I figured there was no point taking AP classes I wasn't interested in. And, again, those that I did take saved me a considerable amount of time and money once I got here.

Click to expand...

I take the AP classes because they challenge me.

Also, because I hate being with dumb kids, so I don't feel forced to.

Aaarghh!

I should read the whole post before responding like this...

Click to expand...

Not really.

I never said I had opened a new thread.

ansar said:

Interesting bit there.

So what would happen if multiple colleges accept me?

Click to expand...

If you had committed to both (all) of them?

I think they just charge you a penalty if you decide you decline after all. They don't take a pound of flesh, but it's still not something you want to deal with.

A good friend of mine actually told two schools he was going there, and ended up going to a third!

ansar said:

I am confident. I just hope not too confident.

Click to expand...

That's all anyone can ask of you!

That's what the essay is about? Doesn't sound extremely hard.

Click to expand...

Generally it's about yourself. There will be a question, and you'll answer it, and you'll probably have an English teacher assign you to write it--so you'll have some feedback from classmates and the teacher before sending it in. Personally, I hated writing mine, but that's mostly because I came into it disliking essays. In retrospect, it was one of my easier essays in high school; I had known the subject for my whole life!

Nothing to worry about; I think a pretty high percentage of us in OT have done the applications process within the past few years...

ansar said:

Why Jazz Band? I would simply focus on the academics, not on instruments.

Click to expand...

It looks really bad if you're in band since 5th grade and then suddenly drop it spontaneously.

Plus, extracurriculars are important when getting into college.

Plus, I never practice anyway.

ansar said:

I always keep my grades up. What other standardized tests? The ones that the colleges I researched require?

Click to expand...

Ok, I missed this the first time around. I'm doing a bad job explaining the testing stuff. It works in my head, I promise! This is what I get for posting at night...

Let me try again.

Junior fall semester, in November or December: take either the SAT or ACT, doesn't matter which one

Junior spring semester, January or February: take the SAT or ACT, whichever you didn't take in Nov/Dec

Junior spring semester, March, April, May, or June: retake the SAT or ACT if you didn't like your scores the first time around. Take whichever you liked better or whichever you think you have the best chance of raising your score on.

The goal is to have a score you're happy with by the end of your junior year.

Of course, the question then arises: what is a good score? What I did was look at the SAT ranges for the colleges I was looking at. This is usually on the college's website, under "prospective students" or "prospective undergraduates" or some such thing.

SAT II's should be taken after you've had the class in them (ideally). If, for example, you wanted to take the SAT II in US History, you'd take it right after you got out of US History in high school. (That usually, but not always, means June of junior year. At least, that's how our high school did it.)

Integral

EDIT: I re-read this, and I still don't think I'm being clear.

Again, ALL IMO YMMV blahblahblah disclaimer

Take each test (ACT and SAT) once, preferably between November and February of Junior year.
If you don't like your score, take one of the tests a second time to improve, preferably around May or June of Junior year.

You'll end up taking one test once, and the other test twice.

Try to be done with SAT/ACT by the end of junior year, so that in the fall of senior year you can worry about applications and not be tied up in testing.

Integral said:

Ok, I missed this the first time around. I'm doing a bad job explaining the testing stuff. It works in my head, I promise! This is what I get for posting at night...

Let me try again.

Junior fall semester, in November or December: take either the SAT or ACT, doesn't matter which one

Junior spring semester, January or February: take the SAT or ACT, whichever you didn't take in Nov/Dec

Junior spring semester, March, April, May, or June: retake the SAT or ACT if you didn't like your scores the first time around. Take whichever you liked better or whichever you think you have the best chance of raising your score on.

The goal is to have a score you're happy with by the end of your junior year.

Of course, the question then arises: what is a good score? What I did was look at the SAT ranges for the colleges I was looking at. This is usually on the college's website, under "prospective students" or "prospective undergraduates" or some such thing.

SAT II's should be taken after you've had the class in them (ideally). If, for example, you wanted to take the SAT II in US History, you'd take it right after you got out of US History in high school. (That usually, but not always, means June of junior year. At least, that's how our high school did it.)

Integral

Click to expand...

I'm glad that I'm done with SATs and all, I even procured one letter of rec. The big bad application process is coming up though

Today, I have... well, helped myself on the resume by beginning the final thing I have to do in the lab for my Intel paper. If it doesn't fall on its face, I'll have a pretty figure by tomorrow. If it does fall on its face, I can still have a figure by tomorrow.

I'm so not looking forward to the whole college application process. I'm a senior this year, and I'm pretty confident about my recommendations, but the whole process just looks like too much work. I still want to take the SAT again and I'll probably need to take one of the Math SATIIs, even though I've taken four SATIIs already...

My main worry is finding the colleges that I want to apply to, though. I have a general idea, but I only have one 'safety' school, which I'm not so sure I'd really stay sane in, and yeah.

My neighborhood is way too preppy, makes me feel inadequate.

Tomoyo said:

Today, I have... well, helped myself on the resume by beginning the final thing I have to do in the lab for my Intel paper. If it doesn't fall on its face, I'll have a pretty figure by tomorrow. If it does fall on its face, I can still have a figure by tomorrow.

I'm so not looking forward to the whole college application process. I'm a senior this year, and I'm pretty confident about my recommendations, but the whole process just looks like too much work. I still want to take the SAT again and I'll probably need to take one of the Math SATIIs, even though I've taken four SATIIs already...

My main worry is finding the colleges that I want to apply to, though. I have a general idea, but I only have one 'safety' school, which I'm not so sure I'd really stay sane in, and yeah.

My neighborhood is way too preppy, makes me feel inadequate.

Click to expand...

FOUR? that's plenty enough. and seriously, don't bother taking the SAT again unless it isn't within your desired range. Like my desired range was above 2100, which I got, so I'm not bothering to take it and boost my score even further.

If you don't mind my asking, Tomoyo, which four SAT II's have you taken? It seems incredible that you have that strong of a record without taking a math one!

Oh, and the curve on Math IIC is really good. I think it's something like up to 7 missed questions and still an 800.

Integral

sat here and wrote some articles.. played a little civ4, tried to find a guilds beeline for justinian..

thought about all the weed i could smoke if i got a job.. then got depressed i ran out of money and will have to get another job..

..took some medication to make me happy again..

ansar said:

Not his first high school day EVER, sillly Romanian.

Simply, his first day of the new school year.

Click to expand...

What does junior mean? I don't know, but "the first day of high school as a veritable junior" sounded to me like yes, it is the first high school day ever. If I'm wrong, sorry.

Today I am happy.

And for me that's enough achievement for today.

I got a job at last!

Mirc said:

What does junior mean? I don't know, but "the first day of high school as a veritable junior" sounded to me like yes, it is the first high school day ever. If I'm wrong, sorry.

Click to expand...

Junior = 11th grade, the third year of high school, the penultimate year, generally age 16-17.

Japanrocks12 said:

FOUR? that's plenty enough. and seriously, don't bother taking the SAT again unless it isn't within your desired range. Like my desired range was above 2100, which I got, so I'm not bothering to take it and boost my score even further.

Click to expand...

It wasn't within my desired range. (And I felt like I wasn't really prepared to take it, so I ran out of time on the essay, finished too earely on some other sections, etc.)

Integral said:

If you don't mind my asking, Tomoyo, which four SAT II's have you taken? It seems incredible that you have that strong of a record without taking a math one!

Oh, and the curve on Math IIC is really good. I think it's something like up to 7 missed questions and still an 800.

Integral

Click to expand...

Chemistry (800), Biology M (770), World History (770), Physics (800).

EDIT: And today, I've accomplished a bunch of miscellaneous tasks related to Intel. God, I hate this thing.