Libby Cummings, 17, a senior at Cape Elizabeth High School, was one of two high school students in the state recently awarded a $2,000 scholarship toward college by the Siemens Foundation for her performance on Advanced Placement exams in science, math and technology. South Portland High School was also acknowledged for its students overall performances and will receive a $1,000 grant for math and science programs. Cummings is the daughter of Geoffrey Cummings and Deborah Mann of Cape Elizabeth. Last week, Cummings sat down with The Current to talk about Advanced Placement exams, her extracurricular activities and her expectations for college.

Q: How did you win the scholarship?

A: It was based on math and science Advanced Placement exams. I took AP biology and AP statistics. I’m taking more this year, but it was based on those two.

Q: Which tests are you taking this year?

A: I’m taking AP calculus and AP physics, and other ones in English, French, government and macroeconomics. So, I’m taking six.

Q: How many AP exams do most of your classmates take?

A: There are six or seven other people in my grade that take that many. Usually, people take one to three. If you get good scores on them, you get college credit. Advanced Placement classes are smaller. It’s more for the class than the exam. Last year, I also took U.S. history and another English exam.

Q: How did you score on them?

A: I’ve gotten 5, which is the highest score, on all four I’ve taken so far.

Q: Which are you favorite subjects?

A: Definitely math and science. I’m definitely going to major in something like that in college.

Q: Do you know what you want to do after college?

A: I wish. I’m going to take my freshman and sophomore year and figure out what I want to do.

Q: Do you know where you’re going to college yet?

A: Not yet. I applied to 11 schools. It’s a six-way tie. I’m trying to see where I get in and chose from those. I applied to a wide range. I’m probably going to end up at a medium-sized school. I want a university that’s focused on the undergraduate program. I applied all over the country, from New Hampshire to California, mostly focused on the coasts.

Q: What activities do you participate in at school?

A: I’m on the math team and science team. We do a bunch of different academic competitions. I do mock trial. I was the captain of that. I was the captain of the Alpine ski team this winter. We’re not very good, but we have a lot of fun. I play tennis in the spring. I’m in an all-girls choir outside of school. It’s with girls from all over the Portland area. It’s a really cool way to meet people outside of my school.

Q: Which activities do you think you’ll continue in college?

A: Model UN, that’s another thing I do. I really like current events and international politics. I definitely want to continue doing some kind of debate in college. I’ll keep singing, too, probably.

Q: Do you think students are under pressure to do too much in high school?

A: I think it depends on who you ask. I’ve never felt pressure to do things. Earlier in high school, I did more, but dropped things I wasn’t as interested in. I’ve never done anything to say that I did it or put it on my resume. There are definitely some people, especially in Cape Elizabeth, who do things because of that or because of their parents, which is unfortunate.

Q: What are you most excited for about college?

A: Everything. I love high school, but college is something I know I will absolutely love. I’m looking forward to people loving where they are. It’s an environment where everyone’s passionate. I’d love being around people who are feeling that way.

Q: What will you miss most about high school?

A: The random times being with my friends. We go swimming in the ocean during the winter. We bake cakes that look like dragons and give them to our other friends. We go jumping in puddles when it rains. It’s just the relationships I’ve formed here.

Q: If there was a movie made about your life, what would it be called and who would play you?

A: There are so many cool people. Oh, that girl from “Joan of Arcadia” – Amber Tamblyn. She would definitely play me. She’s awesome. What would it be called? Something cool and symbolic. For some reason, the only thing I can think of is “Watch Out for the Geeks, They’ll be Your Boss Someday.” That’s probably what it would be called.

QA Cummings2 – Libby Cummings, a senior at Cape Elizabeth High School, was awarded a $2,000 scholarship toward college for her performance on Advanced Placement exams in math, science and technology. Cummings applied to 11 colleges and is waiting to find out where she was accepted.