Have I messed up?
Hey y'all, just came here looking for some advice. I've always had a deeply vested interest in STEM and I'm looking to major in Chemical Engineering in college. Just finished sophomore year today, all AP and Honors, and ended the year with all A's and one B+. In freshman year I got a final grade of 80 in Chem; I was woefully unprepared for the course load after essentially cruising through middle school. That was my lowest grade of freshman year, but I also had an 88 in English, Geometry, and AP World History, as well as an 87 in Introduction to Engineering Design. This year, following my previously lackluster performance, I focused a lot more on my grades. I got A's in all my classes except AP Physics, in which I earned an 85. That's where the question is. Have I ruined my entire academic future by failing to earn A's? I've had and still have big aspirations for college, aiming for engineering programs at schools such as the likes of UT, A&M, and Berkeley. I'm hoping course rigor makes up for this; now that I have a strong foundation on physics I'm taking Physics 2 next year, as well as Precal, Gov, Econ, and Lang. I'm continuing to compete as a debater for the next 2 years and am continuing to take French through till French IV. I have a large research project lined up this coming school year for both SEFH and NASA's Conrad Challenge with a professor at U of H — I'm from the Houston area. I competed in TSA and am planning on competing again this year as well as in NASA's HUNCH. I was on the school VEX team this year and am slated to continue for the next couple as well, and will be submitting my application for our district's FRC team — Robonauts 118 — this coming September. I do volunteer work at the local library and the food bank. Overall, I have a lot on my plate but it still doesn't feel like enough. It feels like I'm falling behind my peers with common interests and similar goals. Please let me know what it's looking like — give it to me straight, I'm looking for advice.