Please answer this REALLY important question?

Question

Hi, i am a school student. I have straight A's in school, am part of some school organizations and got almost a 2000 when I first took the PSAT and above a 1900 when I took a practice SAT. After I come home from school I start studying at around 5 pm and go all the way to around 12 am or 1 am or 2 am. However, my parents are still not satisfied. EVerytime I do something for fun they say "You're not studying". My Dad says its not the total score for the SAT that counts and that although my essays are good so I get most points from them I need to work REAL hard on my critical reading and math section. But I tell him, I DO work alot, most of my friends got REALLY low when they first took the SAT and I've got to work little to bring it a little up. But still they say "You dont work hard enough." I love music and play guitar in local concerts on weekends. They hint for me to give it up. I dont understand. I tried to tell them but they dont either. What should I do?

Answer 1

Tell your parents that you don't get into college without extracurriculars. I'm dead serious. Colleges don't want to see someone that's just locked themselves in the library for four years. They want "rounded" students - students with good academic records, good extracurricular records, employment records, volunteer records. Unless you have at least a couple of these, it's not going to matter how well you do on the SATs or how good your grades are. I'm a college student now, and I know people who didn't do anything in high school who couldn't get accepted into a lot of colleges because they didn't have anything other than academics.

And for the record, a 1900 will get you into most schools, push it over 2000, and you can probably get into any school in the country, with the right academic/extracurricular/etc record.

Answer 2

Colleges do look for well-rounded students--they want people they can point to with pride after they graduate, and say, "That's what our school turns out." It's good to have a high SAT--shows you can do college work. But, it's also good to have outside interests/activities for balance. Just realize that your parents love you so much, and want what is best for you so much and they feel so helpless because there is nothing they can do but watch--and they are using the criteria of college entrance from their youth.