On College

[noahyay]

Well my moms always buggin me about college and stuff but im 15 and I dont belive that I should be expected to know what to do w/ my life...

So I was wondering what you guys thought about different colleges based more on who I am then on the best one that I can get into..

Me when i graduate:
3.0 gpa
2 years spanish
2 years auto
other misc. courses
eagle scout

Stuff i can do -have no idea if it matters?
born in AK school in CA
played flute 2 years guitar 2 years and piano 5 years
I can build a house entirely by myself to code and had in 7th grade
I know html, some java, some css, and flash
Can rebuild engines work on cars etc. (hooray for my dune buggy)
I can paintball w/ friends as good as Epic (local team in bay area)
I can whitewater raft and canoe
I can fish well
I can weld and braze
I can ski, and fall on my *** snowboarding after 3 days of lessons
I can foot bag well
I camp a lot

Im working at the YMCA right now 9.25 hrs a week as a swim instructor (im teaching 4-6 year olds how to swim)
CPR training (red cross)
first aid training (red cross)
Oxygen training (red cross)
EH&S training (red cross)
Basic swim instructor training
Lifeguard training

Im better at sciences but not at math (oh the irony)
Im not very good at speling and history isnt my thing

Im thinking I'll be a teacher right now but ill probably go to alaska first for a year and visit my friends and be firefighter where my dad has connections

What do you guys think?

[Target Practice]

Community Colleges are the way to go whatever your status. The first two years at any college are the exact same, so you might as well pay less.

[Remington]

If teaching is something you think you'd be interested in (judging from your experience as a swim instructor you would probably be a good candidate) I would say to aim for that. Personally, I have decided to become a teacher (instrumental music) and it is the best decision I have ever made! Whatever you do decide on, make sure it's something you absolutely love, because if you can't enjoy whatever profession you do choose, it's not worth doing.

[mcveighr]

Are you just bragging man?

Im better at sciences but not at math (oh the irony)

Science is just applied math?

[Glickman]

this is what guidence counselors and college advisors are for.


try to find a college advisor for a premeeting. guidence counselors might give good advice, but not as involved as college advisors, those seperate from school

[noahyay]

not bragging

i know thats why its ironic, im horrible at math but i seem to understand chemistry and biology perfectly even though math/science are almost the same thing

[Barjack420]

Grades dont matter ..... too much, and the SATS are the biggest bunch of crap ever. Just dont get a zero.


Get people youve worked with, bosses, take pictures of that house you built, the forms associated with that. All the stuff with your lifeguard and associated training, and get recommendations from your instructors.

Recommendations dont have to be long. They could be a sentence or two. Just make sure their positive.

Business & work experience is way more valuable than gold stars from some unkown teacher.


With All those extra curricular activities and decent grades, youve got a good chance

It just depends on how many scholarships you need.

[Glickman]

Business & work experience is way more valuable than gold stars from some unkown teacher.

second that alot

neighbor was offered full scholarship due to his sat scores and work records.

[SCpoloRicker]

Community Colleges are the way to go whatever your status. The first two years at any college are the exact same, so you might as well pay less.

Although I went to private university all four years, there is some solid wisdom here. Even if it takes you 2 1/2-3 years to get the equivalent of two at private/full school, the coursework will be easier, cheaper, and cheaper.

I would also second stressing that you work, then activities. Grades do count, but solid background can make up some ground.

[mcveighr]

i know thats why its ironic, im horrible at math but i seem to understand chemistry and biology perfectly even though math/science are almost the same thing

Biology is not a science.

[xmetal2001]

Biology is not a science.

What biology have you taken?

[tropical_fishy]

SATs DO count if you're after any high-end school.

no offense, but most of the things on your list are NOT what colleges are looking for. They want diversity of interests, but they also want:
-community service
-AP/IB/Honors classes (and 4+ on the AP tests, I dont know about IB, our school doesnt offer it)
-sports; a shown interest and devotion to sports. get yourself on a paintball team.
-it helps if you're a minority and a girl, but i don't think you're either.


Liberal arts schools give you a more rounded education. If you want to go into science, check out engineering schools/science-oriented ones (UC Berkeley, UCLA, MIT, CIT, CalTech, Harvey Mudd)
For liberal arts schools (high end, but not ivy) Boston University, Boston College, UConn, Tufts, Trinity (NOT TX), Claremont McKenna, Pomona, UCLA, etc.

Everyone's getting rejected this year, though... I don't want to panic you, but if I could go back in time I'd have gotten my erm... butt... into gear a lot sooner than I did.

[MrWallen]

Community Colleges are the way to go whatever your status. The first two years at any college are the exact same, so you might as well pay less.

Umm, no. College is just NOT about going to classes. It's about developing as a person, learning more responsibilities, and learning how to interact and meet new people and such.

Kinda hard to do any of this if you're going to the local junior college, staying at your parent's place, being in classes with all the same people from High School.

[TDonovan]

The only things I can see that would translate to helping your college admission are...

YMCA job

GPA (try and do better than 3.0... I got a 3.2 freshman year 1st semester... now I get much better grades and have cumulative of 3.7+)

2 Years Spanish

Eagle Scout

Aside from that, all of your "I can's" aren't going to equate to much other than the fact you like and have learned to do a variety of things.
----------------
I'd suggest starting/joining a club (which can actually be fun).

Getting into a real sport (sorry but college won't look at paintball the same way they would track or baseball)

IMO skipping a year between highschool and college will only make it HARDER for you to get back into the grind and finish your education.

[Target Practice]

Umm, no. College is NOT just about going to classes. It's about developing as a person, learning more responsibilities, and learning how to interact and meet new people and such.

Kinda hard to do any of this if you're going to the local junior college, staying at your parent's place, being in classes with all the same people from High School.

Fixed.

Actually, I moved away to go to a junior college before transfering to the state university here. I have my own apartment, and I have been living on my own for about 2 years now. I've met a whole new set of friends, and not being in the dorms has made me live in student housing, which has tought me more than dorm life would.

Just because someone goes to a CC doesn't mean they are sheltered. How many dorm dwellers have had to fight there way through a Mardi Gras riot in order to sleep at their own place at night?