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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Take the ACT and SAT/PSAT as early and often as you can for practice.  The scores on those exams are very important.

Don't take SAT subject exams too early - 11th grade spring is fine.

Try to get a leadership position in some EC (I know it's hard but it helps).  If you don't try to be noticed as a leader in any event.

Around 11th grade pay a lot of attention in class and make notes about good things that have happened in class -- did you do really well on a particular tough exam; did you participate really well in some discussion; etc.  Because these teachers will likely be your college recommenders.  If you can can make a memorable impression - or refresh the teacher's recollection with specifics of how you contributed - that will make for better recommendations.

Think about attending a summer camp in something at a school you would like to attend.

Contribute somewhere - at school, church, the animal shelter - wherever so you have some public service. [/quote]

My daughter got shut down at most of the colleges she applied to. She had:

- straight A average, many Aps, scored 5s on most, 4s on the others
- lots of volunteer hours
- Years of music instruction - excellent piano player
- STEM award
- Wellesley book award
- Varsity sport
- Very high test scores
- Great letters of recommendation

What she didn't have:

- Not a minority
- Not poor
- No hook

Years ago, she would have had colleges chasing her. Nowadays, in this overly PC world, what she didn't have is much more important than what she did. I tried to explain this to my daughter prior but she (and my husband) thought I was over-exaggerating. She now doesn't and she watches what goes on at her college with a more critical eye.

Your kid will be better served by one of the colleges that don't put as much emphasis on their ratings and endowments, and puts much more effort into educating your child[/quote]

You again? Please get over yourself and stop blaming PC culture on the fact that your daughter didn't carefully choose a few safety schools but instead applied to colleges where admissions is a crap shoot and stats like hers were a dime a dozen.[/quote]

She did and got in. She's quite happy now. The PC culture IS to blame that some kids are blaming themselves for factors they can't control. My 16 year old son feels guilty that he was born white and wealthy. How ridiculous![/quote]

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