Great question! The answer is this: grades come first. Extracurricular activities should enhance your education, growth, and maturity. They should feed into your passions and interests as you discover them and excel in school. Too many extracurricular activities can interfere with your studying, so don't overload. Instead, find a balance between strong grades and strong involvement in your community. Meaningful participation is more important than the quantity of clubs and activities, so choose one or two community groups or programs that truly ignite your interest. You can always add on another if your time loosens up, but overextending yourself can be detrimental to your wellness and your overall performance. Good luck!

Congrats to you and your brother on considering these projects. Rather than thinking about whether a school will respect the project, think about whether you will gain something valuable from the process. The prestige of the award itself is nothing compared to the skills you gain and the leadership practice you endure while working toward the final goal. If you really want to know how schools regard the two awards, you could call your schools of interest and the admissions counselors. However, I would encourage you to only pursue extracurricular activities that are meaningful to you rather than pursuing activities and awards that might "look good." The latter is a misstep, as a college education is about tackling the goals and achievements that are important to you. Good luck with your decision!

Phew! First off, congratulations for tackling so much already! You do have a lot of extracurricular activities, and it sounds like you are very focused academically. Tutoring shows that you are a leader willing to help others as well. Perfect grades are not as important as a well-rounded profile, and it sounds like you are building one. That said, we can't predict your chances of acceptance at any school, as each school is different, and each incoming class is composed of a different student body. This is where your research comes in! Check out the websites of the schools you like and read about their requirements. Most schools post a profile of the typical incoming student or statistics about its incoming students' mean GPA and test scores. With that information, you can determine whether or not you're a good candidate. In terms of advice, try not to overload yourself with too many extra curricular activities in the hopes that you'll stand out. If activities start to interfere with your academic performance, you know you need to dial back. Also, schools like to see committed, active involvement in clubs and organizations. If you feel like you are competitive for journalism awards or contests, do a little research and enter! Stay focused, and stay confident -- you're on the right track!

We typically advise students to take honors, AP, or special courses only if they can achieve a B or higher. If you feel you are up for the challenge, it sounds like an excellent opportunity. But overloading yourself can also be detrimental to your grades and your community involvement. My advice is to decide whether you think you can excel at this project, or whether it will be a time constraint that presents a huge struggle. If the latter is true, there are probably other opportunities you can pursue that suit your strengths. If you know you'll be more passionate and engaged with a biology class, I would take the AP biology class rather than going out on a limb for a class that might look better on your applications. It's always best to migrate toward your strengths and interests. Good luck!

This is a great question. It is always wise to ask teachers with whom you've built a strong relationship for recommendation letters. These teachers and advisers know more about you than just your grades and GPA. They'll know how well-rounded you are as a community member, and they should also have knowledge of your goals, strengths, and weaknesses. It might be a good idea to mention, now, to these teachers that you'll be moving schools but want to maintain contact. This way, when the time comes for recommendation letters, you will still have relationships with those teachers and they will expect to be called upon. Also, don't rule out teachers at the new school yet. You may find that you develop great working relationships with mentors at your new school as well.

This is a great question that many college students ask. The answer is this: You must always reapply to be admitted to a university from which you withdrew. Therefore, once you finish your associate degree, you will need to reapply to the university you want to attend. The admissions committee with consider both your grades from community college as well as your former university grades, as all transcripts must be submitted with your application. All committees understand that sometimes students are not ready for university classes and need to begin at the community college level. Therefore, don't be discouraged by your former grades. Instead, work toward your current degree, then apply again for admission. Good luck!

Typically, extracurricular activities involve collaborating with others. These types of activities build communication skills and promote your ability to work well with others. This means joining organizations, clubs, or team sports. You might be able to find something near your home, but typically things you do alone at home or on the internet aren't really considered extracurricular activities. Don't worry, you don't have to join five or six clubs if your schedule is tight. Joining one organization and offering quality commitment is far more effective for your own skill-building and for college admissions.

I'm sorry to hear of your dilemma. The answer is this: They'll look at both. However, if you show a great improvement from your last year in high school to community college, it is likely that a university will interpret that improvement as maturity and growth. Many students find a way to become more organized and ambitious later in high school, and college committees know that. The best route for you to take now is one of earnest improvement. Get a tutor if possible, and try to raise those grades. Also, as long as it doesn't interfere with your studies, think about joining a few clubs or organizations that interest you. You'll meet other students and you may find it easier to excel in class with a better sense of community. In sum, don't give up yet! You still have time to show that you're serious about your education and goals. All it takes is a little effort, focus, and belief in yourself!

It's great that you have a career goal in mind. One big mistake we see at My College Guide is the tendency for students to seek extracurricular activities that will look good on an application rather than activities that will further their own passions, interests, and knowledge. If you want to become a vet, perhaps choose clubs or activities that give you experience working with animals. Have you considered volunteering at an animal shelter or applying for an internship at a vet's office? Extracurricular activities should enhance your experience, knowledge, and communication skills in areas you'd like to continue working and participating as a young adult. A deep level of involvement, such as a leadership position or several years of meaningful involvement, looks best on an application.

A change of heart like this is not uncommon, especially for an incoming freshman who has not yet ventured far from home. While there is no way to parlay an acceptance from one school to another, some colleges and universities do have rolling admissions. This means that admissions remain open on a rolling basis rather than ending at a posted deadline. Check your area schools and community colleges to see if any offer rolling admissions or a late deadline. If this fails, your niece may want to take community college courses this fall to earn some core credits and then apply in the spring semester for entry into an area school.