➠ 020 • Hello college~

Actually, not yet.  Buuuuuut I got my first acceptance to Northeastern!  I'm very excited.


But wow!  My best friend Matt got into HARVARD.  I'm really happy for him!  Not many people can accomplish THAT kind of feat.  I wonder how life-changing that is for him?

➠ 019 •

Northeastern decisions DO come out today.


I'm still waiting....

➠ 018 • RESULTS

....not for me though!
My FIRST EVER college results come out hopefully this Thursday!!!  I'm pretty excited.
Some of my classmates have gotten results too.  Some were good, others were a bit iffy.  One of my friends actually made it to Penn's Wharton School of Business.  Wharton's the best business school in the country, and I heard that it's sometimes considered harder than Harvard to get into!!!!  Well, my friend does so much extracurricular activities (that are pretty big too) that I'm happy for her.  She really deserved it. :)


Other than that though, I had my Cornell interview.  Okay, it wasn't actually an interview, it was more of an "informative session."  Anyway, I think it went well.  I was really interested in what Cornell had to offer...but we'll just have to see what happens on March 29!

➠ 017 • Slowly but surely

I find it a bit...interesting that I started my college application process in early July (by writing my Tufts essays) ... yet I'm not done.
I still have three colleges left to apply.  Those three colleges have essays.
Yay.
A good chunk of my friends are done with the college process. Well, some of them are only applying to three or four schools, so it would make sense that they are done.  One of my friends, however, has been done since September...and he applied to almost the same number of colleges as me!


Well, anyway.  I have a few quizzes and tests before December break, and I'll be honest....I haven't really studied for any of them.
Oops.
I've just been insanely lazy, and I don't feel like working hard.  I know that I have to, seeing that these grades will still be factored into my decision to my various colleges, but sometimes it's so hard!  Sometimes I feel as if I don't really..."care," in a way, about my grades.  Other times, I feel that the material being tested isn't too hard - and thus I don't need to study that much.  Oh the perks of being a high school senior.
I've realized that the name and fame of a college (especially undergraduate) doesn't exactly matter.  What matters more is that I'm in the top of my class, I'm happy, and that I go to graduate school and eventually get a job that I'll like.  Maybe that's why I feel a bit apathetic about my grades.
I know I shouldn't be, but sometimes I don't feel like exerting a lot of effort for something that really won't matter in the long run.

➠ 016 • Hello again!

Wow!  I didn't update this at all in November.  Shame on me.  I actually haven't been busy - I've just sort of "forgot" about this blog.  Sorry!


But I've been doing well in everything!  I only have three schools left to apply to, so that's nice.  9/12 done!  Or rather, if you like reduced fractions, then I am 3/4 done.


Other updates of interest:
- I got my ACT score back a while ago, and I'm happy to say that it went up one point!  For the ACTs, one point is a pretty big deal.  I was pretty pleased with myself.
- I'm about to find out my result for Northeastern.  I'm hoping I can get into the Honors Program!  If I do, it'll definitely be a school I'll have to choose from (which is a good thing).  Speaking of results, my friends will start to find out their results from early decision or early action!  I wish them the best of luck!
- I just scheduled an interview with a Cornell alumnus.  Okay, not really "interview," more like an informational meeting.  I'm a bit nervous, but I hope it goes well!  I came up with a few questions a few hours ago, and I hope they're enough to keep the conversation going for a good chunk of time.
- I will most likely be able to meet up with my friends Hannah, Caroline, and Adam (who I actually haven't met in person yet) at MIT sometime in January!  Hannah and Caroline are two of my best friends, and sadly, I haven't seen them since CTY in August 2009 (actually, I saw Caroline a few months ago when I visited Cornell!) I really hope that that plan goes into action because I really want to see them. :)

➠ 015 • DOOOONE

YES


DONE WITH THE COMMON APPLICATION


YESSSSSSSSSSSSS


:D :D :D :D :D


Now to work on other stuff.

➠ 014 • Almost done~

I got a boat load of college emails today.

Yep, and I'm almost done with my Common Application.  Hopefully I can send it out either tomorrow or Sunday.  LEZZGO!

(I'll have to schedule some interviews next week too....lskdjf I don't really like talking on the phone.  I always feel really nervous!)

➠ 013 • DONE

DONE WITH COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS! :D :D :D


I feel pretty confident about my ACT score.  I feel that I definitely did better in Reading and Science....but then, I shouldn't get TOO confident... ha ha.

➠ 012 • ACTS TODAY

AHHHHH TESTING TESTING


I have the ACTs today.  Sometimes, I'm not sure why I'm taking them again (since I already got a pretty decent score in June), but who knows!  It'd be really really awesome if I could raise it by one point.  On the ACTs, one point is a HUGE deal.
I'm going to put in 100% effort on this test, and hopefully come out feeling CONFIDENT.  (Last time, I knew I stumbled on the reading and science section, so naturally, those two were my lower scores)


After the ACTs though, my mom is going to take me to a food competition where I can sample some stuff.  Sounds fun!  Hopefully we can find parking.

➠ 011 •

Alright, so my Wesleyan college interview went pretty well!  The woman that interviewed me was really nice and very informative.  I think, because of her, I may consider Wesleyan a bit more. :]

I just realized that for one school, I'm supposed to have a slow piece and a fast piece for my musical recording.  How come I didn't know this before?!  I have my fast piece, but now I'm going to have to hold off on practicing my piece for my school's Concerto Competition to play a slow piece for colleges.  Oh, it's stressful, but hopefully I can conquer this!

On a more positive note, I think I'm almost done with my common application essay!  This is big news for me.  I'm just going to have my guidance counselor read it (and hopefully schedule a meeting with him so he can check over my common application) and hopefully he'll like it!  But then, this weekend I'm going to do a LOT of college stuff.  I really think the essay is the only thing that's NOT done, but I'll have to make sure.  Good thing the school I'm applying to EA doesn't have a supplemental essay. :D

Oh, and I decided to number my posts.  Lol.

So many essays, so little time

Why is it so hard to write an essay for the Common Application?
I've had a few people read my essay.  Some like it, others say it's terrible.  I only have two more weeks to work on this darn thing.  How come I can't get it to work??
TWO MORE WEEKS.  LEZZGO.

=[

So it turns out that I actually did horrendously awful on the chemistry test.  It was literally like a stake was being driven into my heart when I saw my grade.  I really really hope that my teacher curves it, because a large percentage of kids got in the 60s-70s.

Not gonna lie...

...I'm still freaking out about the chemistry test.
It turns out that my teacher wasn't here today, so she couldn't give out the tests and grades.  Man, I'm going to be freaking out about this for a while.  Ha, ha.  It's possible that I didn't even do that badly on it, but, seeing as I am a perfectionist, I probably won't be satisfied with my grade.  I want to safely say that I got above an 80% percent on the test, but I shouldn't be too sure.  I'll probably see her tomorrow, because I'll have to anyway for Key Club duties.
Have I mentioned that I am the Key Club Treasurer?  It's quite a lot of work, but I don't mind it.  It's really good training, since I have to deal with money and keeping track of money and counting money and everything that has to do with money.


Today, my school hosted a college fair.  I went to it and saw some of the colleges there that I'm applying to.  It was nice getting to know each college better and to talk to the representatives.
Oops.  That reminds me.  I have my second college interview tomorrow!!!  That's pretty scary.  I had my first one back over the summer, and it didn't go as well as I wanted, but it wasn't terrible.  Hopefully this one goes better though.  It's nice knowing that I'll have a few parties to go too (one involving lots of CALCULUS, one with a couple of friends that I haven't seen in a few months, and one with my tennis team).  It should help me relax, right?

GRADES

Gahhhh, remind me why I take the most rigorous course load in high school.
I think I did awful on my chemistry and calculus tests.  Okay, I'm not too worried about calculus, since there's extra credit and stuff, but I'm pretty scared to find out my chemistry test grade.  I already know that I got some multiple choice questions wrong...and each MC question was worth 2.5 points!  Some of my errors were completely stupid, and losing 2.5 points for each error is a lot.  I really hope that those few MC questions were the ONLY errors on the test, but I highly doubt it.  I already know I got part of a short answer wrong (which would have made all the related ones wrong as well).  I really really really hope that my teacher carries the error through, but for some reason, I really doubt she will.
I've been really worried lately.  About everything...college applications, school grades, and not going insane.  I'm such a stickler, such a perfectionist about grades that I would literally cry about my chemistry grade if it's bad.  Sometimes, I really want to drop out, but I know I shouldn't.  It'll look bad if I did.

Testing, testing, one two three...

Wow, a week since I last updated.
I have a BC Calculus and a Chemistry test tomorrow.  Two tests in one day...a bit scary.  However, I feel pretty confident about both.  I just hope that I don't walk into the room and suddenly forget everything, or look at the test and forget everything.  That would be a bit scary.
I'm not really in the mood to study though.  I've been studying for the past few days, and like I said, I feel pretty confident.  But I'll probably look over my calculus notes a few more times tonight.
Feel free to ask me a question!  I decided to reopen my formspring account to see what kinds of questions people would like to ask me.  I'm fairly honest on this, so feel free to ask me anything.
Peace out.


P.S.: I got my senior portrait orders a few days ago.  I guess they look nice.

I'm a pretty envious person.

So far, I have completed 4/11 of my college supplements.  Lezzgo Boston College, Northeastern University, Wesleyan University, and Washington University in St. Louis.
LOLOL.  These four are the the four that don't have supplemental essays.
Go figure!
.....but I'm really jealous of my friend.  He's practically DONE with everything that has to do with college applications (except for the ACTs...but still!).
Actually, I'm jealous of my friend for a few reasons.

1. He's salutatorian of my class.  His GPA is the 2nd best in the entire class of 2012.  That alone will give him brownie points when it comes to college applications.
2. He's really athletic, and I'm not.  He is a state-level skier.  I'm probably the laziest person you'll ever meet.  Remind me why I play Varsity tennis again?
3. He's practically done with college applications.

Okay, that's three reasons, but I am still quite jealous.  Sometimes I wish I was like him, but then again, I should be glad to be me!  I've been quite efficient with my application process: I drafted all of my essays, and now I have to revise them.  Some people haven't even touched their supplemental essays, and they want to apply early action!

I'm also one of 13 kids in my grade that's taking AP BC Calculus.  Well, technically, there are 14 kids, but one of them double-accelerated in math (which, in my school, isn't possible unless you ask the school AND take college classes outside of school), but I should feel special nonetheless.  :)

Driving is...

What's driving like for you?
For me...it is the most frightening experience of my life.
I was trying to do a sharp turn, but instead of performing a nice, clean turn, I swerved off onto the parking lot nearby.
Whoops.  I didn't slow down early enough.
It was still a pretty scary experience.  It'll haunt me for a while, even though I was able to do that same sharp turn fairly well the second time around...
Do you like driving?  I hate driving.  I hope I never have to drive for a long, long time.

CALCULUS

I was, yet again, working on calculus.  And apparently, I have a quiz on Thursday....I don't think I even understand the material yet!!!  Well, I'll probably study a bit tonight, even though it's 1AM...


Well, I am the type of person that has to understand something.  I can't get a good night's sleep until I understand what's going on.

Since when was math this hard?

Wow, I just got back my second calculus quiz today.  I thought I bombed the quiz, since I only could answer two out of three of the answers, but it turns out that I didn't bomb it!  I still didn't do as well as I wanted, but thankfully my calculus teacher is letting us retake the quiz.


The SATs are this Saturday.  I'm not taking them (since I already have taken them two times, and if you take it more than twice, it looks a bit...strange to colleges, especially if you don't improve), but I can feel the stress that the people that ARE taking must be feeling.  I'm taking the ACTs soon (October 22), so I'm pretty stressed about that too.  I haven't been studying though, since I have enough to worry about, with college essays and school work.


I like doing quick updates.  If I write any more, it's not going to be a "quick update" any longer.  I also have Spanish and economics homework to worry about, so I'm going to end now!  Sharon, out.

First Post :]

I technically started this blog around two/three months ago...but I never really got to update it until now.  Well, I suppose that now I'm making my official first post, I'll tell you what the blog is about.


Hey, my name is Sharon.  I'm currently a senior in high school.  Yep, college applications are looming over me.  So basically, this is a blog about a regular senior's journey through the college application process (as well as the last year of high school).  Hopefully someone will eventually find this helpful when they go through the process themselves.  I guess they can reference this blog when they are sitting at home, writing those supplemental essays.


Yeah, so enough of that.  I was just finishing up a calculus extra credit paper.  Every week, for extra credit, we write about one mathematician.  It's a pretty easy extra credit assignment, and it's also fun, since I enjoy learning about the mathematicians' lives.  This week I was writing about Maria Gaetana Agnesi.  Ever heard of her?  I haven't until now.  I learned that she wrote the first understandable calculus textbook.  "Understandable calculus" is like an oxymoron.  Since when was calculus "understandable"?


Before that, though, I was at a tennis match.  I'm on my school's Varsity tennis team, and I have to say, it's a pretty great experience.  I'm not in a ranked position, but that's okay, since I don't have a lot of pressure on me.  The school we were against is a little less than an hour away, so it was a pretty long bus ride.  Long, but a bit fun.  Us girls were discussing class ranks, grades, boys, and anything really.


Speaking of class rank, I don't really feel that I should reveal my class rank.  I will say that I'm pretty satisfied with my rank, except that there's some people that don't take the most rigorous courses that are ahead of me.  It bothers me, but honestly, it's something to be expected.  You can't have everything in life.


Well, I'm starting to get ahead of myself.  Maybe I'll start talking a bit more about the college application in my next post.  Maybe I'll make my blog a bit more interesting by adding pictures (maybe some of my drawings, since I love to draw).  Who knows where I'll take this?  I may even quit after this post (hopefully not).


I have to work on my economics homework.  I almost forgot about that, and it's due this Wednesday!  I thought I had a week for that, but I guess I don't.  Oh well.  Until then, bye bye!