To bump your rank: Take lots of AP courses come Junior year, and try to get all A's. It might be a challenge, but whatever it takes to get into Princeton...

I know Princeton is your dream school and all, but try researching other schools that are more on the safety/match side just in case. It doesn't hurt to have your heart set in one place, but you must always have a plan B :)

Hmm, study tips? Well, for one, when you get notes in school that day, make sure that you review them at least for 10 mins. each night. Study tests well in advance when it is announced. Make note cards. Do any practice problems in the book (science/math). Ask for extra help. Don't just read your notes, write them down as many times as you need to just to remember. Form a study group with people you know, but not your best friends (unless they are as dedicated and aren't easily distracted). If you aren't clear about a topic ask for help, or do extra research about it at the library. Ummm, yeah that's all I can think about.
- InsertNameHere

Princeton is hard to get into to. However, I have spoken to two students who found it lacking in choices. They both ended up going into graduate programs so they could persue what they really wanted to study. So, be careful that it offers what you want to study.
- cameron

don't be crazy about getting into any ONE school. Identify that you want to go there and that's is a special place for you, but the more you get obsessed with a school, the harder it's going to be if you don't get in. about the grades. i'm a sophomore right now and first quarter i got 3 a's two c's. that just killed my rank. just really remember your values and that you need to get the straight a's. princeton's average is 3.84, so calculate what you'll have. i'll hav 3.78. it's lower than the average, but it's an average for a reason, so don't get discouraged. if your activities are doing well it's just a matter of changing how you work. you have to sacrifice things sometimes to get where you want to be. i only get 5-6 hrs of sleep every night, but i have straight a's in the hardest classes i can take, i'm extremely involved in my music education (i get lessons from two university profs of percussion, and they make me practice like 2-3 hrs a day), I'm in speech and debate, where i win frequently, I'm the head of an anti-malaria fundraiser for families in africa who are at risk from insects who transport the plague around (see nothingbutnets.net. my fundraising group campaigns for money and i send it to them), i work out for 2 hrs every day in lieu of a sport (the athletes at my school are all either horrible or are a-holes), and i'm starting to write a proposal for a bill of education for the state legislature (in conjunction with friends and a few teachers). I sacrificed some sleep, video games, sitting around all afternoon to:

achieve academic excellence, achieve awards and become very talented as a musician, become a talented speaker and thinker, save lives and benefit the world through medicine (one of my interests), become healthy (i've always been VERY fat, and know i'm pretty lean and toned), and get involved with something i have a deep interest in (education).

I went from being an average student, a mediocre musician, sargeant stutter, selfish and perspective-less, a pretty unhealthy guy, and ignorant of my surroundings to what i am now. just remember that it's all you. do it for you. do all the amazing things for you. THAT will impress them more than saying, mr. princeton, is this good enough. cameron sort of enlightened me to this.

Idk if this is kinda wierd, but hell, it worked for me. I envisioned myself as i thought i should be (realistically) and made that "person" my role model. If i REALLY didn't want to do something, i always said "what would THAT kind of alex do?" and did it. now i'm that guy and i'm pursuing my interests.
- hopeful2getin

oh, and after all this, just apply where you think you should. if all of it works, you shouldn't have a problem getting in to a good school. also, you shouldn't care to point, because you'll know what's important in life is personal success, not a piece of paper that says you went to this school and got this degree.
- hopeful2getin

i think if ur grades continue to drop u should find a fall back college, and if u r doing any type of sport u should consider dropping it for the time being to work on ur grades good luck
- RBNY123

Ivy leagues generally don't give out merit scholarships, especially full rides, so don't really expect one to Princeton if you do happen to get accepted.
- Zach W

Hopeful, it's nice to look at where you're at - doing well. I just remembered how self-focused I became when applying to colleges. Good things can come of it but damn it's sickening to worry about impressing an admissions committee all the time. I guess it works though. Is this your senior year?
- renix

btw Ivies do give out merit scholarships. Just not publicly.
- renix