Knowledge Is Power And Reading Is Knowledge.

So, I have decided to be good this summer and read. I picked up a few classic novels last night at the library including Animal Farm by George Orwell (I love him), Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. I have already started Animal Farm, only 97 pages, not too bad. The real challenge will come when I crack open War and Peace, about 1400 pages of literary delight. I believe it is on the equivalent of Atlas Shrugged (haven't read that one either). Even though it's long as anything I am really excited to read it just to say that I have. (: I am most excited for Animal Farm though just because I have really really wanted to read it for quite some time now. When I read 1984 this past year I really enjoyed it and there was a small ad for Animal Farm in that back. Now that I finally have it I will most certainly be finishing it today! 

I'm trying to read as many pieces of classic literature as I can this summer. In total so far, I have read 36 "classics", ranging from Alice and Wonderland by Lewis Carroll to In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. I actually really enjoyed both of those novels as well! Well, I am trying to get up to 50 novels by the end of the summer so now that I am actually thinking about it I am going to go read! The novels I would like to read this summer include:

Animal Farm

Sense and Sensibility

War and Peace

Paradise Lost

Brave New World

Gone With the Wind

A Midsummer’s Night Dream

Invisible Man

Sherlock Holmes

Emma

Anna Karenina

Wuthering Heights

The Prince

Les Miserables

East of Eden

The Great Gasby

The Three Musketeers 

The Time Machine

This is my list for now! If I get to 50 books by the end of the summer, that means reading 15, I will be so happy. I will cross off the books on this list as I go. Reading all of them would be amazing. Any other suggestions for good classics to read this summer?

The Woeful World Of Standardized Testing.

Today, as I reviewed my SAT scores from my June test I thought about how much I resentment I have built up towards the CollegeBoard. My scores, naturally bad, are the product of the CollegeBoard's awful and deceptive ways. They can not just as you to solve a math equation, but they must ask you in the most convoluted way possible. The fact of the matter is they want to trick you. When you take this test they are not testing your knowledge, but how well you can master what is the SAT. I know it is so frustrating for me and other college hopefuls throughout the country to have so much relying on these test scores and have this company deliberately deceive us. Especially, when a great percentage of our acceptance into college is based upon these scores.
So far, I have taken the SATs twice and the ACT once. I prefer the ACT by far. I found it much more straight forward and all around easier. I am going to take it again in September to improve what I already think is a pretty good score. However, another thing that bothers me about both the ACT and SAT is the sending of scores and all of the other fees you must pay if you want anything done whatsoever. For my first SAT, my writing score was not at all what I thought it would be, in fact in was 150 points lower than what I had received on several practice tests. I asked for score verification services. They were happy to do it, but it came at the hefty price of $50. Sending your scores to schools in another money maker. Although the CollegeBoard gives you four score reports free with your test, any more than that and you will be charged $9.50 each. As I have previously mentioned, I am applying to six schools. That's an extra $20 and probably more because most of my colleges would like to see all of the test scores across all dates, so in reality that's $40 more that I will have to spend just to send my SAT scores. The ACT isn't as nice and you must pay $9 for each score report send, an additional $54. Whether it be the money or the trickery standardized testing just annoys me. At some point I hope this will all change. Until then I will be submitting to the torture that is standardized testing.

The Colleges.

I just realized that I hadn't really discussed where I am planning on going to school once I graduate! I have briefly talked about college and plans for college, but nothing in depth. I am applying to the following schools (in order by choice):

Bucknell University

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Elon University

University of Maryland - College Park

University of Alabama

North Carolina State University

Applying to college is going to be the majority of the first few months of my senior year. Many of the schools on my list have extremely early deadlines (like November 1 and November 15!). I am trying to start my applications as soon as possible, so come mid July I will most likely be posting about the horrors of the application process! I have legitimately been planning for college since the seventh grade; it is actually kind of embarrassing. It's completely surreal that I will be starting my applications so soon. I am slightly addicted to researching colleges, so if anyone has any personal experience at any of these schools please be kind enough to give me some feedback!

I've also been trying to apply to as many scholarships as possible, but so far no luck. ): I have also been trying to volunteer and do as much as I can to build up a better resume'. It's all so stressful!

Set In Stone!

They are finally here! Well, all of my "senior things" are here. Today, I returned back from vacation (sorry for the delay in posting) and I returned to find my senior pictures, senior schedule and senior information packet all waiting for me in my mailbox! I ripped open the envelope that contained my senior pictures in full force. I had been really nervous to see them because I had thought that they weren't going to be very good because after they were taken I saw small previews of them on the digital camera and I was disappointed. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I browsed through the proofs and only found maybe four that I wasn't fond of. This is out of seventeen so I consider that pretty good! I am really excited to order them, even though they are quite expensive.

I was also completely excited to get my last high school schedule ever. Next year will be a bit challenging though since I have decided to take five AP classes. I also got my junior year report card with schedule and I was happy to see that I actually ended up doing pretty well in Precal! That class was so challenging. Especially since I am weaker in math than in writing and quite honestly don't enjoy it as much.

The most exciting item of them all though is the fact that I got my senior packet! It is filled with my graduation date (yay! June 3, 2010) and my student "brag" sheet, parent "brag" sheet, resume sheet and transcript release form. Oh and Common Application sample sheet, but I don't really know why we are given this because not all colleges use it. I believe only one college I am applying to uses the Common App. Oh well! I don't really care, I am just sosososo excited to be a senior and the fact that the date is coming closer and all of these things are starting to happen makes it so much more fun. I can't wait to attend an ivy-covered wall university! The picture was actually taken at Elon University on my tour back in January.

The Beginning of the End.

Okay, so even though my senior year hasn't exactly started yet I figure, hey. Why not start writing and maybe attract a few people who will actually read this thing. I mean, I only ended my junior year a few days ago, but I've never been much for waiting. So, let me introduce myself. My name is Allie and I am sixteen years of age and about to start my senior year of high school. I guess you could say that in many ways I am a stereotypical girl, but then again, you could definitely say that I am more than meets the eye. One thing for certain is that I am ready to make my mark on the world. 
Anyways, I would like to start off by letting everyone know my senior pictures are tomorrow! How exciting is that? So I guess I do have some what of a purpose for starting this blog early. Senior pictures. The ones that "count". These are the pictures that get sent out to your grandmother and third cousin two times removed right? I am quiteexcited for them, yet nervous.

As a girl of course I am taking this very VERY seriously. I am getting my hair done nice and everything tomorrow morning for my 1:15 PM appointment with the picture people. It's going to be quite legit, I am getting a picture package where I bring another outfit to pose in and what not. I get to stand with a big 2011 foam box thing and everything. Oh and of course I get to pose in the hideous cap and gown that everyone loves. In a way, it's kind of sad though. This will be the LAST school picture I take that gets sent home to Mom and Dad and the last picture I get to give out to all of my friends. It is also the first reminder that I will be out into the real world soon (well, really college), but away from everything I know. Tomorrow as I put the little drape thing over my shoulders and smile it will be the first symbol of growing up and becoming a senior. Of what I have looked forward to for the past eleven years. It will be the beginning of the end.