Got a College Admissions Question?

Hello, and thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you've been working hard at a variety of things already, so kudos to you. I'm going to offer some possibilities of additional things you could do, but the idea isn't to try to cram all of them in. At this point in your educational career, it's best to take a more focused approach.

It sounds like you've already been doing research on your colleges, which is great. Now is a great time to be planning college visits as well.

Listen to what the college says they're about. What does their mission statement or college vision emphasize? What characteristics of their students do they mention over and over on their website or tour? If the things they are mentioning sound wildly different from who you are, of course it's probably good to reconsider applying to that college. Otherwise, think about how your resume could best show that you fit what they are looking for in a student.

Also, hopefully at this point you have already narrowed down your choice of major to just a couple of top choices. It's good to get involved in at least one activity that is in some way related to your major. For example, if you want to follow a pre-vet pathway and are a therefore planning to major in Wildlife Biology, you could volunteer at an animal rescue or zoo.

Here are some broad categories of things for you to consider:

More rigorous academics - Being a homeschooler isn't necessarily a disadvantage in terms of college admissions. Colleges with holistic admission reviews are looking to build a diverse class of students, so having a somewhat different background from others can help you stand out. However, it can limit your ability to participate in higher-level classes like AP, Cambridge AICE, or IB. Excelling in these types of courses is a way to demonstrate to colleges that you are ready to excel in college-level work. Of course, if you've already done some of those, great! If not, and they will not be available through your home school curriculum, you could also consider dual enrollment. Many colleges and universities open their dual enrollment programs to all students in their local area, not just public school students. Check into the rules for getting into dual enrollment at a local college or university to add some more rigorous courses to your high school transcript.

Research - This one is especially relevant if you plan to major in a research-heavy field, such as a science or social science. Look for summer programs at local colleges, opportunities at local medical institutions, research trips abroad, etc. There's all kinds of stuff out there aimed at high school students.

Travel - Some colleges say they are looking for students with a global outlook, who can think beyond country borders and connect with those of other cultures. Even ones who don't say they're looking for that are often interested in students who have these abilities. Have you ever traveled to another country, or perhaps to a location inside the country with a very different culture from your own? There are study abroad opportunities that are open even to high school students, if you're looking for something more intensive, but even just a week-long mission trip with your church could really broaden your horizons.

Volunteer work - You mentioned you've already been working in your church, which might fall under this category. Consider adding a volunteer opportunity targeted toward your major/career, as mentioned above. This is also a way to demonstrate your passion for a specific cause, so you could volunteer in a river clean-up project, at a local soup kitchen, or for a political organization you support.

Part-time work - It's very common for high school students to take on part-time jobs, and they can be a great addition to your college application. The ability to hold a job for an extended period of time (1+ years) while still maintaining your grades shows maturity, responsibility, and strong time management skills, which are all skills that colleges know will help you excel in higher education.

As I said, these are options to choose from, and I am not suggesting that you attempt to do all of these things. Think about the specific colleges, your choice of major/career, and yourself. Then pick an option (or two) that will fit your goals and needs.

Best wishes!

I wondered, however, if I were to minor in say history or psychology (or anything really) would I be able to teach both English and the subject I minored in, given that I had a bachelor’s/master’s and teaching certifications? If I do become a teacher, I’d like to teach more than one subject, but wouldn’t want to major in education, or double major both in literature and something else.

So, that’s why I ask if completing a minor in a subject would be qualification enough to teach a second subject alongside English?

I hope this makes sense and that you can provide some insight. Thank you!

Hello, there! I am happy to provide any insight I can. In your case, I believe the answer is, unfortunately, that it depends.

In the U.S., each state gets to set its own policy about teaching credentials. The number of credit hours necessary to be eligible to teach a subject is something that might be determined by the state board of education or, depending on the state, by a lower-level entity, sometimes even the individual schools. Especially in cases of subjects where they are short on teachers, the requirements could even be different for different subjects. If you are looking to potentially teach in private schools, the schools themselves often set criteria for hiring teachers.

My recommendation would be to first research the teacher credentialing system in the state in which you plan to teach. You should be able to find that information on the state board of education's website or the website of any programs of study you are looking into. For example, if you are thinking of getting your bachelor's of English and teacher certification at a particular university, they should have a section on their teacher certification program and how it leads to getting certified.

It would also be a good idea to talk to teachers working in the types of schools you hope to teach in. They can give you more insight from a real-world standpoint. Similarly, you can check job boards for teaching position postings in your area to see what kinds of credentials and level of education they are looking for.

In general, I think you're on the right track. Majoring in your main subject area and minoring in other areas you would like to teach in is a good way to expand your skill-set! You'll just need to confirm the specifics of what is required in your area.

Hello! Good job for you getting such an early start on your essays. You have plenty of time to perfect your essays, and I would recommend you take advantage of it by writing a few different essays and then choosing the one you like best to edit and make the best it can be.

Start by sitting down and making a list. What activities have you been involved in over the course of your life (clubs, sports, volunteer work, jobs, hobbies, etc.)? What big life experiences have you had (a trip, an illness, a tragedy, a major accomplishment)? What people have influenced your life the most (family, friends, teachers, coaches, bosses, religious leaders)? What things are unusual or unique about you or your life? 

By now you should have a pretty good list of topics to choose from. There may be one that’s just jumping out at you as something you HAVE to talk to about. If so, make sure to write at least one of your essays about that. If not, don’t worry. You can still write a great essay.

Now look at the Common App essay prompts. Read through them and think about which of the things on your list might fit into one of the prompts. Maybe you have ideas for essays for several prompts, or maybe you have several ideas of things you can write about for one of the prompts. That’s fine! Take each of those ideas and write a rough draft essay for it. Three to five essays should be a good number to choose from. These can be VERY rough. They’re just to get your creative juices flowing and test out what you have to say.

Hello! I wish I could give you an easy answer to this question, but it’s going to depend on a variety of factors.

First of all, are you meeting all of your requirements to graduate? If so, are you meeting the high school course requirements/recommendations of all of your colleges? If one of your top choice colleges requires or recommends extra math courses over and above what you would typically take, then taking the math class might be a good idea.

Second, what are you planning to major in? If you’re going into a math and science-heavy career field, then extra math is very likely to be not only a good idea but even a requirement for admission to your major. On the other hand, if you’re going into a field where you’ll need to have polished writing skills, then the writing class could be the better choice.

Third, how do your transcripts look compared to what the colleges are looking for? Excelling in rigorous courses like Honors or AP is a plus in the admissions process for any college. It’s a requirement for more selective colleges. If you haven’t challenged yourself much with rigorous courses so far, keeping the Honors elective might benefit you more.

Hello! I’m guessing by “working with” you mean doing an internship under them or even a paid position? Those sorts of things can definitely go on your college application. Applications will typically have a section where you can list any extracurricular activities you’ve been involved in, including internships and any type of employment. Sometimes they even allow you to submit a full resume. Colleges are definitely looking for students who have been involved in things outside of academics, especially if the activities relate to your career field.

As far as whether the person being nationally known would be helpful… Well, maybe. It’s going to largely depend on the specific college and program you are applying to and what parts of the application they place the most emphasis on. Your list of activities is likely to only be a part of the whole decision. That being said, having an impressive resume is never a bad thing in the admissions process.

Hello! Having a 3.3 definitely does not mean that you don’t have a chance of getting accepted at University of Chicago. While 84% of students accepted have a 3.75 or higher, about 4% of students accepted have between a 3.0 and a 3.49. Their acceptance rate is just under 9%, so even if you had a 4.0 GPA, your chances of getting in would be slim.

With your GPA being lower than their average, to be accepted you would have to be outstanding in some other areas of your application, such as test scores (middle 50% of accepted students had a 32-35 on the ACT), teacher recommendations (they require two), essays, interview, special talent, character, etc. They allow some optional parts of their application, such as the interview, additional recommendation letters (from more teachers, counselors, employers, volunteer coordinators, religious leaders, coaches, etc.), a creative writing sample, or a scientific research abstract. Take advantage of that! Supplement your application with some things that you know will highlight your strengths.

What you write in your application is important, too. First of all, University of Chicago prides itself on offering unique essay prompts that draw out applicants’ creativity and originality. Devote some serious time to writing a stellar essay. Start now! Then get an English teacher or someone else good at editing to look it over and help you make it even better. The essay is a really important place to shine if you have a lower GPA! 

Secondly, the application itself should have a section where you can give additional information you want the college to know about you. This is where you can explain that your illness affected your grades. You don’t have to go into extensive detail. Just give the facts. If any of your recommenders know about the situation, it would be a good idea for them to mention it in their recommendations as well. Colleges are willing to take those kinds of circumstances into account when making their decision.

Most importantly, apply to other colleges as well. Choose some colleges where you know you are likely to be accepted based on their requirements and your qualifications. That way you know you have other options if UChicago doesn’t accept you. And remember: with a 9% acceptance rate, UChicago is difficult for ANYONE to get into, not just you. GPA is certainly one of the things they emphasize, but they truly do consider your application on a holistic basis, so a high GPA alone wouldn’t get you in either.

Hello! As long as you can afford the application fee, there’s no harm in at least applying. Just make sure you also apply to some colleges that are more within your reach as well as at least one safety school where you know you’re sure to get in. Also, how sure are you that it’s way out of your reach? Are we talking trying to get into Harvard (<6% acceptance rate) with a 2.0 unweighted GPA here, or are we talking about trying to get into UCLA (~20% acceptance rate) with a 3.3 unweighted? While both are below average for the college, the second person’s chances of being accepted are significantly higher!

With holistic admissions, they do take into account all parts of your application rather than having a specific GPA/test score/other requirement that you have to meet. That means that if you show a high level of ability or achievement in several other areas of your application (Essay, Extracurriculars, Special Talent, Character, Recommendations, etc.), those things can outweigh having a low GPA or a low test score. 

However, you do still need to show you have the academic chops to survive in an academically strenuous environment, which is typically one of the main things that highly-selective schools are looking for. For example, maybe you have a low GPA because you didn’t do so hot during freshman and sophomore year, but your junior and senior years, you excelled in demanding AP/Honors classes. Or maybe your GPA isn’t so great, but you have very impressive test scores and recommendations from your teachers that explain what circumstances kept you from excelling in your classes. Those are both cases in which a highly-selective school would likely still be willing to consider you despite a low GPA.

As far as applying Early Decision vs. Regular Decision, I would recommend applying when your application is the best it can possibly be. While Early Decision is a good way to demonstrate to a college that you’re serious about them, if they look at your application and don’t see what they’re looking for, the fact that you applied ED is not going to make up for that.