How to Get Accepted to Your Dream College

This topic isn't so black and white, but since I am fortunate enough to be attending the Unviersity of Southern California as an Actress and Pre-law student, I would share some of what I learned.

Before I share my stats, I would like to say that 1) everyone's experience in high school will be different and that does NOT determine your eligibility for a school, and 2) My grades and extracurriculars are NOT a guide for you to compare yourself and see if you can get into your dream college based on MY scores. Every student is an individual and EVERYTHING about your life factors into admission decisions.

Throughout high school, I was involved in many clubs. Not all at the same time, but I believe there were around 13 total. I also held many leadership positions. At the time of my graduation, I received (i believe) 6 honor cords, a medal for the Seal of Biliteracy, and multiple pins for my editor positions for the Commack Courant, where you can read articles online at commackcourant.com.

Now the dreaded topic- Grades and SAT scores. My school didn't grade using the 4.0 scale, so I will try my best to help you understand what my grades looked like. My senior year I was enrolled in 8 courses, all of which were above standard level. I was enrolled in 5 International Baccalaureate (IB) courses all in Higher Level (HL) options, 2 College level courses, and one Advanced Placement (AP) course. (For a complete list of classes, see end of article)* In all of these classes, I maintained above a 90 average at least for the whole year on the 100 point scale, which I believe does count as a 4.0. However, these classes are all advanced levels, so they receive some sort of "weighting" where my grade is raised due to difficulty and factored in afterwards on my final transcript, which means I had about a 4.2 average.

As far as SAT scores go, I took both the ACT and SAT, but ended up submitting my ACT scores as they were considered higher. I took both tests twice, and i didn't do so great on either my first time, so don't kick yourself. Personally, I don't test well, and my final score to be submitted ended up as a 32, which was good enough for me.

These things do NOT make or break your admission.

Here is my advice to you:

Join clubs that you care about, but don't join so many that you can't keep track. Dedicate your time to at least one club, and earn a leadership position. Talk to your advisers, because there are plenty of opportunities for leadership positions as long as you take initiative to get to them.

Spend time studying for subjects that you know you struggle with- and don't stress over the subjects you know you can handle. Always complete your harder work first, and don't be afraid to ask for help completing assignments.

Leave time for things that make you happy. The end goal is not the only goal.

I spent most of my time in high school preparing to get where I am now, and honestly, I never thought I would make it this far. So rarely do people get into their number one choice of school, so I had plenty of backups in mind that I would have been just as happy attending.

Overall, your college choice does not define you. However, it's always good to follow my tips for maximal options at scholarships and such wherever you end up.

Whichever education option you choose, make sure its right for you. The Ivy leagues sound fancy but even some people that get accepted can't handle them. Think about what you want out of your life, and how you can set yourself up to best achieve that. Good luck!

*Classes: IB French 2 HL, IB Literature 2 HL, IB History 2 HL, IB Dance 2 HL, IB Theatre 2 HL, College Marine Biology, College Calculus (1 and 2), and finally, Ap Art (2d option).