Many much wiser people have given their advice in this thread, but my two cents is this, Plucky:

You've shown yourself to have an amazing work ethic and a level of focus on your goals that many people twice your age don't come near.

If you want to kick your butt your senior year and take a heavy course load...do it for yourself and not for anyone else (including college admissions).

We can all (your sister included) give you advice based on our values and goals, but at the end of the day the ONLY person you need to remain true to is yourself.

Regardless of what you decide, know that there are many of us that are tremendously proud of you.

 

As for Carnegie...I might just have to find myself in NYC for that gig!

 

I think some old geezer who used to write a lot said it quite well ....

Unto thine own self be true

 

Looks like we could have a CarnegieCon in the making here

 

My work ethic has only recently been improving. You should have seen me when I wasn't on the boards yet. Trying to get every girl I could, asking girls to dances, (trying to) impressing girls, man, I was an idiot in 7th grade! Ironic how still my only 4.0 was in 7th grade.

Lately I've had a lot of goals for myself and have been working harder because I know what I want now and everything is finally settling into place.

Last year was a disaster, but I call it the best mistake I've ever made. I was pretty depressed (some of you know the story ) and my grades were too.

So this year is different, starting fresh with a new Powerbook new teachers, and a new outlook on life in general. I look at how I was just 2-3 years ago and say "My, I have changed." People say I look different but I don't see that I think my personality is still fun, but more serious now too. Fun is fun to have.

It shouldn't be that bad my senior year. I'm just trying to be level for all 4 years, take 6 classes during the regular school year, don't kill myself but don't slack off either. Definitely doing it for myself. The colleges don't really look at the senior year anyhow.

Yeah, I know that everyone is different, but it's nice to recieve advice from quite successful people that are older and undoubtly have more experience than I do. I'm getting to the point where I am now making my own decisions. The Powerbook+iPod was completely my decision, although it took me a while to figure out which PB to get! And most possibly the best decision I've ever made so far is the switch to cello. Wow, where would I be without it. Some people try to persuade me this way, some poeple try to persuade me another way, but usually no matter how convincing they are, I make the decision that I think is best for myself.

Thanks Brant. You and the rest of the Corner have definitely contributed to my growing up mentally and emotionally (thankfully not physically ). Some things cannot be repaid in life, I think that this is one of them.

 

I didn't take a single AP course in HS and got into a top rated out of state school for my major. In fact, for the last two years of HS I went to a school for troubled folks.

Grades fade away, experiences are forever.