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Hello! I am a Freshman and my dream is to get into an Ivy league but I also would love to go to a top university that may not be an ivy league but is still high up.
Freshman, White, Jewish (I would love a school that has Hillel or some sort of jewish community), and I live in Florida.
I am highly involved in theater (I have gotten a scholarship to go to New York for a summer intensive and I have competed at the District and State festival for theater.) I am currently a JV cheerleader and hope to make varsity next year. I have done volunteer work that includes helping teach 1st graders at the sunday school at my Synagogue and running the Jr Thespians Florida State Festival.
Current GPA: 4.0
I plan to take around 6 AP's, 6-8 Dual Enrollment classes (Pretty sure it would 2 per semester and this is for junior/senior year), and probably around 9-12 Honors classes by my Senior year. I will also have 4 years of French.
I do not know my major yet and I'm having trouble figuring out choices. I love geometry and algebra, I will have a business certification on my transcript, I love theater and speaking in front of people, I am interested in government, and I am excited to take AP Psychology next year. (Can you see how I'm struggling?)
I haven't taken the SAT or ACT but I plan to take both. (I am not a good test taker, any tips?).
Do you guys have any tips on what I should do differently or what I can do to improve my chances of getting into college, and do you guys have any colleges and majors you think would be a good fit for me? Also do you guys have any tips on studying for the SAT or ACT? Thank you!
Focus on maintaining your excellent academic record while actively participating in extracurricular activities like theater and volunteer work. Research universities with strong programs in your areas of interest and a supportive Jewish community. Begin preparing early for standardized tests and seek guidance from counselors or mentors. Craft personalized applications that highlight your achievements and aspirations.
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2 answers
Hi @emma2109! I believe you commented on my answer for this post but including it in case you do not remember the schools: collegevine.com/c/school-list-suggestions/50743/what-schools-should-i-look-into
The University of Pennsylvania is definitely very prestigious (I am pretty sure it is considered and Ivy) and seems to have a Jewish community of some sort. I am not sure what kind of programs they have but UPenn is a difficult school to get into!
If you are aiming for any kind of top school, ECs, volunteering, letters of rec, test scores, essays, and grades are all important- not just the grades and test scores. Be involved in ECs you are passionate about and that will shine through your application. Start building great relationships with teachers, coaches, etc. so you have someone to write a letter of rec for you. Write lots of essays throughout high school (entering scholarships is good practice) so you are a stellar essay writer by application time!
It's ok to not know what you want to major in yet. I was considering multiple things my freshman year as well, but as I explored each area more in depth during 10th grade it became VERY clear. When you know, you really know! I made a post on how to choose a major you may find very helpful: collegevine.com/questions/50362/choosing-the-perfect-major-please-comment
I also wrote a post on the DSAT with my favorite resources and study tips: collegevine.com/c/junior/50784/first-usa-dsat-upcoming-plus-incredible-free-study-resources-i-love
If you are not good at tests, the DSAT gives more time per question.Because you are a freshman, I want to warn you not to spend too much time rn studying for the test b/c you need to keep that GPA up and the reality is that you will be more familiar with math and english concepts the older you are.
Hope this helps and lmk if you have any questions!
Hey Emma! My name is Morgan, I live in Virginia and am a junior in high school. Your post caught my eye as I am also Jewish and halve taught Sunday school. For looking at potential majors maybe give education a thought, or if you want to go into a job with pubic speaking I would recommend taking AP seminar and AP research if your school offers it.
There are a ton of schools with amazing Hillels, my cousin is at University of Michigan and there is a great one and also a Chabad. On the Hillel website they have rankings of schools with the biggest jewish populations.
When studying for the SAT i would recommend taking lots of practice test, there are a ton on the bluebook app. If your score is really important to you tutoring can also be a big help.
Hope this was somewhat helpful, Morgan :)
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@emma2109, I remembered that my mom's Jewish friend attended Temple University (PA). They have a few campuses, but I looked it up on their website and there is definitely a Jewish community somewhere there. Temple Universiy is not an Ivy but if I remember correctly, they may have some substantial merit scholarships. Hope this helps :)