125: take every moment and live it out loud
I'm slowly starting to realize that I need help with this whole 'college & career' thing.
Let's clarify something here first. I'm a high school sophomore. I've yet to even think about college apps until perhaps a month or two ago, and I'm still not sure how this whole scholarship thing works either. But I figure it's kind of important, isn't it?
It's kind of the rest of my life after the next two (and a half) years.
My 1st Semester Finals ended just today and I'm not sure how to feel. I know all the material so I can only hope my grades reflect it. The only test that I feel even the slightest bit uneasy about would be WHAP, but that's... World History AP. Isn't it normal to be worried about it? It was 100 questions, after all. But then I got to thinking "how's the college gonna look at this?" I know it's only first semester, but that's... kind of important, I think? I'm assuming so. Normally I'm nonchalant about anything because I thought that as long as I can prove myself on tests, nothing else should really matter. I know I'm capable in my academics. It's the one thing that I know without a doubt.
But... I always thought that the only reason my grades are any lower than any other person in my class is because I'm busy cultivating my personality too. Going out and meeting people, socializing, going on LJ and AIM to talk to you older peeps and figuring out exactly what kind of temperament gets you succesful in life. I thought worldly knowledge counted for a lot too, because it doesn't change that when it comes to discussion time in class, it's the confidence I've forged that lets me dish out everything that's on my mind. Maybe I'm not getting an A in English Honors since I neglected some homework, but when we're in group projects and need to designate a speaker, I'm always nominated. If we're debating something, it's me they pick. It sounds so arrogant, but I always took pride in this! It means... not only that I can think, but also that I garner attention and am at least slightly persuasive enough.
That thought has always made me so happy. So what if my letter grade doesn't say I have the highest percentage in the class? My citizenship and participation grades say that I know what I'm talking about when I do talk about it. So I always thought that I was secure, y'know? Maybe I don't apply myself to written work, but I've got the confidence and initiative and willingness to put myself out there.
... but what if colleges don't care about that? Then I'm screwed. I plan on applying myself even more next semester. More work, more study time, more dedication. I've learned a lot from gallavanting on the internets, including how to be a people person and how to endear yourself to others, but I think it's about time I stopped carressing my own ego and learned a thing or two about getting proof that I know what I'm talking about. So academics-wise, I want to think that I'm set. I just need to continue to tell myself that I'm not doing enough and that I could always do more. So I guess there's that...
There's just so much more left to think about, though. I need to start attending meetings to learn about classes we're taking next year as soon as I go back to school. The advanced classes, I mean. I'm taking Chemistry AP without a doubt. Tempted to go for Psychology AP too. English 3 Honors without a doubt. US History AP too. I'm not sure what to do with my math since I DO have all the credits I need to pass (and then some, actually), and there's no more regular classes available. They're all AP and I cannot handle an AP math class for certain. D: Dad's still pushing me to go forward with it though, but it's just... Why would you make me take another AP when I know for sure that I can't do it and I've got a stack of other APs as is? I've got two guaranteed next year. You cannot make me take Marine Science (the only final available science class) or regular US History. I refuse. I just don't know how to explain this to him. He wants me to become more secure with Math and Science because he's convinced that's what colleges look at.
And I don't even know if he's right.
Maybe they are what colleges look at, but... is it worth going into Calculus AB AP which includes loads of homework + summer homework + AP test on top of everything else? I'm rather sure I'd fail it, actually. I can't apply myself to regular Pre-Calculus enough as is, but it's still easy and slow enough that I'm getting an A without even trying. Maybe this has something to do with not applying myself enough but... I just hate Math, so I don't know what to do. There's Southern California Regional Occupation Center (which is a pain to type, so I'm going with the common SCROC acronym from here on out) that I also wanted to look into. They give you credit for classes you take there and they're actually introduction classes to certain career paths. If he wants me to go into Engineering (which I'm against, but I need to find a way to reason with him) I thought I could take a class there to make up for not taking a math course next year (and... probably the year after).
Which, I guess, brings me again to my issue with colleges and career stuff. I like to think I'm a fairly good student, competent in most things. I'm taking a class intended for Juniors in Math, after all. (Most sophomores are in Algebra 2 right now but I've been on the fast track since middle school.) I'm not on the fast track in Science since I decided to take 8th grade science despite being qualified for Biology Honors, but now I'm taking all Honors and intending to head on the AP course with my Science classes. But... is competent enough? I mean, the only Bs I get are in my Honors and AP classes, As in regular ones. I thought that was okay but now I'm not so sure. I also don't know what to focus on.
As far as careers go, I keep being drawn towards the Entertainment industry is some way, shape, or form. Public Relations Specialist. Program Directors. News Analysts/Reporters/Correspondents. Those are my top choices, if I'm to be honest. Getting paid to pay attention to what's on TV and what people are into? I get to know what the trends are, how to organize people, and twists my words around so they sound pretty and that's my job? To be honest, that's what I really want to do. Those are probably my dream jobs and they're all approximately in the same field, though Program Director sounds like the most fun. Though I do hear that it's rather hard to get into that field and difficult to land one of those jobs... doesn't change that I want to. And if I want to, wouldn't that be enough to push me towards it? I'll have to get more involved with things and prove myself increasingly capable, but it's nice to have a goal now. Back-up jobs involve being a part of movie production or things like that. Editing videos and what-not. Clearly I am just in love with the media and pop culture, but... that's me, I guess?
At least I can limit what I want to those things and that area, difficult as it may be to get involved. Good thing is that my uncle knows someone who works at Sony and I've been there a couple times, so I would cross my fingers and hope I can learn some of the ropes there. I just... I don't really know where to go, though. I plan on talking to a counselor as soon as I get back to school, though.
I’m wondering how you know which colleges specialize or are the best for whatever you’re planning to major in? I mean, I’m not planning on going to a community college and I may very well going to a college in the Philippines if the financial situation requires it. But I don’t really even know where to start, even though I’ve got a goal now at least. So umm… I guess this is where my f-list would come in, aha… ha….
Everything else be damned, this is just a general question and please tl;dr at me.
COLLEGE STUDENTS & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLANNING TO GO TO COLLEGE ON MY F-LIST: How did you pick the college you went to? What did you major in? How did you decide what to major in? What was the process like? Just, ohgosh, please give me your life story from Junior year onward. D: I’m at a loss and would love any and all help.
as;dfkljadf forlan, I hate to call you out, but. USC has always been the default school that I had planned on going to. H-HELP? ;;
Let's clarify something here first. I'm a high school sophomore. I've yet to even think about college apps until perhaps a month or two ago, and I'm still not sure how this whole scholarship thing works either. But I figure it's kind of important, isn't it?
It's kind of the rest of my life after the next two (and a half) years.
My 1st Semester Finals ended just today and I'm not sure how to feel. I know all the material so I can only hope my grades reflect it. The only test that I feel even the slightest bit uneasy about would be WHAP, but that's... World History AP. Isn't it normal to be worried about it? It was 100 questions, after all. But then I got to thinking "how's the college gonna look at this?" I know it's only first semester, but that's... kind of important, I think? I'm assuming so. Normally I'm nonchalant about anything because I thought that as long as I can prove myself on tests, nothing else should really matter. I know I'm capable in my academics. It's the one thing that I know without a doubt.
But... I always thought that the only reason my grades are any lower than any other person in my class is because I'm busy cultivating my personality too. Going out and meeting people, socializing, going on LJ and AIM to talk to you older peeps and figuring out exactly what kind of temperament gets you succesful in life. I thought worldly knowledge counted for a lot too, because it doesn't change that when it comes to discussion time in class, it's the confidence I've forged that lets me dish out everything that's on my mind. Maybe I'm not getting an A in English Honors since I neglected some homework, but when we're in group projects and need to designate a speaker, I'm always nominated. If we're debating something, it's me they pick. It sounds so arrogant, but I always took pride in this! It means... not only that I can think, but also that I garner attention and am at least slightly persuasive enough.
That thought has always made me so happy. So what if my letter grade doesn't say I have the highest percentage in the class? My citizenship and participation grades say that I know what I'm talking about when I do talk about it. So I always thought that I was secure, y'know? Maybe I don't apply myself to written work, but I've got the confidence and initiative and willingness to put myself out there.
... but what if colleges don't care about that? Then I'm screwed. I plan on applying myself even more next semester. More work, more study time, more dedication. I've learned a lot from gallavanting on the internets, including how to be a people person and how to endear yourself to others, but I think it's about time I stopped carressing my own ego and learned a thing or two about getting proof that I know what I'm talking about. So academics-wise, I want to think that I'm set. I just need to continue to tell myself that I'm not doing enough and that I could always do more. So I guess there's that...
There's just so much more left to think about, though. I need to start attending meetings to learn about classes we're taking next year as soon as I go back to school. The advanced classes, I mean. I'm taking Chemistry AP without a doubt. Tempted to go for Psychology AP too. English 3 Honors without a doubt. US History AP too. I'm not sure what to do with my math since I DO have all the credits I need to pass (and then some, actually), and there's no more regular classes available. They're all AP and I cannot handle an AP math class for certain. D: Dad's still pushing me to go forward with it though, but it's just... Why would you make me take another AP when I know for sure that I can't do it and I've got a stack of other APs as is? I've got two guaranteed next year. You cannot make me take Marine Science (the only final available science class) or regular US History. I refuse. I just don't know how to explain this to him. He wants me to become more secure with Math and Science because he's convinced that's what colleges look at.
And I don't even know if he's right.
Maybe they are what colleges look at, but... is it worth going into Calculus AB AP which includes loads of homework + summer homework + AP test on top of everything else? I'm rather sure I'd fail it, actually. I can't apply myself to regular Pre-Calculus enough as is, but it's still easy and slow enough that I'm getting an A without even trying. Maybe this has something to do with not applying myself enough but... I just hate Math, so I don't know what to do. There's Southern California Regional Occupation Center (which is a pain to type, so I'm going with the common SCROC acronym from here on out) that I also wanted to look into. They give you credit for classes you take there and they're actually introduction classes to certain career paths. If he wants me to go into Engineering (which I'm against, but I need to find a way to reason with him) I thought I could take a class there to make up for not taking a math course next year (and... probably the year after).
Which, I guess, brings me again to my issue with colleges and career stuff. I like to think I'm a fairly good student, competent in most things. I'm taking a class intended for Juniors in Math, after all. (Most sophomores are in Algebra 2 right now but I've been on the fast track since middle school.) I'm not on the fast track in Science since I decided to take 8th grade science despite being qualified for Biology Honors, but now I'm taking all Honors and intending to head on the AP course with my Science classes. But... is competent enough? I mean, the only Bs I get are in my Honors and AP classes, As in regular ones. I thought that was okay but now I'm not so sure. I also don't know what to focus on.
As far as careers go, I keep being drawn towards the Entertainment industry is some way, shape, or form. Public Relations Specialist. Program Directors. News Analysts/Reporters/Correspondents. Those are my top choices, if I'm to be honest. Getting paid to pay attention to what's on TV and what people are into? I get to know what the trends are, how to organize people, and twists my words around so they sound pretty and that's my job? To be honest, that's what I really want to do. Those are probably my dream jobs and they're all approximately in the same field, though Program Director sounds like the most fun. Though I do hear that it's rather hard to get into that field and difficult to land one of those jobs... doesn't change that I want to. And if I want to, wouldn't that be enough to push me towards it? I'll have to get more involved with things and prove myself increasingly capable, but it's nice to have a goal now. Back-up jobs involve being a part of movie production or things like that. Editing videos and what-not. Clearly I am just in love with the media and pop culture, but... that's me, I guess?
At least I can limit what I want to those things and that area, difficult as it may be to get involved. Good thing is that my uncle knows someone who works at Sony and I've been there a couple times, so I would cross my fingers and hope I can learn some of the ropes there. I just... I don't really know where to go, though. I plan on talking to a counselor as soon as I get back to school, though.
I’m wondering how you know which colleges specialize or are the best for whatever you’re planning to major in? I mean, I’m not planning on going to a community college and I may very well going to a college in the Philippines if the financial situation requires it. But I don’t really even know where to start, even though I’ve got a goal now at least. So umm… I guess this is where my f-list would come in, aha… ha….
Everything else be damned, this is just a general question and please tl;dr at me.
COLLEGE STUDENTS & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLANNING TO GO TO COLLEGE ON MY F-LIST: How did you pick the college you went to? What did you major in? How did you decide what to major in? What was the process like? Just, ohgosh, please give me your life story from Junior year onward. D: I’m at a loss and would love any and all help.
as;dfkljadf forlan, I hate to call you out, but. USC has always been the default school that I had planned on going to. H-HELP? ;;