How to Spend the Last Year of 11th Grade

For 11th-grade students, the remaining year marks the countdown to college applications. As you ponder on where to focus during this crucial time, A-One Institute has compiled some guidance for you based on GPA categories:

I will explain it by dividing it into 3 groups based on GPA.

• A. Top Tier - A group of students ranked in the top 5% of their grade based on GPA

• B. Upper middle class - A group of students ranked in the top 20% of their grade based on GPA

• C. Middle class - a group of students who do not fall into groups A and B 

A. Students in the 'Top Tier' For students in the top 5% based on GPA, the months of December and January are crucial. Given their likely aspirations for top-tier universities, these students may have excelled in extracurricular activities such as music or sports by November of the 11th grade.

Various Competitions & Olympiads

In addition to music and sports, academic competitions in December and January are essential. For top-tier students who have been participating in competitions since earlier grades, these months are when their efforts bear fruit. Examples include the Physics Team F=ma Contest (Physics Olympiad) in February and the USA Bio Olympiad in February. With various competitions leading up to finals, maintaining focus during the year-end holidays is crucial. May brings AP exams, making it necessary to concentrate on competition preparation in December and January. For those interested in Economics or Finance, the Harvard International Economic Essay Contest (HIEEC) deadline is in early January.

Selective Summer Camps

Top-tier students often apply to selective summer camps. Note that the deadlines for many of these camps are at the end of January to early February. Therefore, preparing for both summer camps and various Olympiad competitions requires thorough preparation at the year-end/early-year period.

B. Students in the 'Upper Tier' For students in the top 20% based on GPA, the focus should be on AP Tests and Standardized Tests in the remaining year. While these students may find it challenging to compete in Olympiads or selective summer camps like their top-tier counterparts, excelling in AP tests and standardized tests is crucial.

AP Tests

May hosts numerous AP tests, and excelling in these is important for upper-tier students. While their GPA is good, proving academic excellence through high AP scores can positively impact college admissions. Good AP scores in May can also enhance competitiveness in competitions or summer camps.

Standardized Test

In addition to GPA, upper-middle-class students should pay attention to the standardized test. Despite the perception that many people pass without submitting SAT/ACT scores due to the test being optional, I would like to emphasize, backed by data, that this assumption may be a mistake. While this year's results are pending, I will provide insights based on last year's outcomes.

For Yale:

Standardized Test: "Will I take the official certification test if I submit the score?" Yes.

Will it be considered in the admissions process? Yes.

Among admitted students:

SAT submission rate is 59%.

29% of students submitted ACT.

After excluding overlapping cases, it seems that 22% were admitted without test scores.

U Penn, similar to Yale:

Standardized Test: "Will I take the official certification test if I submit the score?" Yes.

Will it be considered in the admissions process? Yes.

Among admitted students:

SAT submission rate is 48%.

23% of students submitted ACT.

After excluding cases where both SAT/ACT were submitted, approximately 37% of people did not submit test scores.

For Cornell:

Standardized Test: "Will I take the official certification test if I submit the score?" Yes.

Will it be considered in the admissions process? Yes. However, it is slightly different in that it is checked as if it is not considered when submitting only ACT.

Among admitted students:

SAT submission rate is 43%.

17% of students submitted ACT.

It is believed that 60% of accepted students submitted test scores, and around 40% of students were admitted without scores.

Important considerations from the above analysis:

There are quite a few students accepted without test scores, so one should never assume that preparing for standardized tests like SAT/ACT is unnecessary.

This is not official data for each school but rather my opinion as the director of A-One Institute. Students who do not need to submit scores are, in fact, the very top students. While top students have various ways to prove themselves beyond test scores, upper-middle-class students have a higher chance of acceptance if they highlight their academic strengths with high SAT/ACT scores. Therefore, I advise upper-middle-class students to take the SAT/ACT and submit their scores.

C. Students in the 'Middle Tier' For students in the lower 80% based on GPA, emphasis should be on GPA and highlighting team participation. While reducing extracurricular activities is not advised, focusing on improving GPA is crucial to remain competitive. Even with other activities, consistent team roles can positively impact college evaluations.

In summary, each tier has its unique focus areas, and strategic planning during the remaining year is essential for successful college applications.