Am I good enough to apply to top tier universities? Chances for mid-tier?

<p>Hi, I'm a junior right now and I want to know my chances of getting into University of Washington, as well as if I even should bother applying top tier universities like schools in ivy league or Stanford. I have a 4.0 unweighted gpa with 1 AP Class as a sophomore that I got a 5 on the AP exam and I am taking 4 AP classes now. From what I see I will probably will still have a 4.0 gpa by the end of the year. I'll probably take 3-5 AP classes as a senior so I'll have 8-10 AP classes total and my cumulative GPA will be somewhere along the lines of 3.8-4.0. I'll take my first SAT in June and I am studying for it seriously now so I think I'll get at least a 2000, hopefully 2200+. Now here is the problem, my ECs suck. I have 2 years of varsity wrestling and track, but I stopped playing sports after I switched schools. Now I'm involved in clubs like Key Club and Knowledge Bowl but I don't have any high position in them like president or vice president. I do volunteer at a nursing home every Saturday for 4-8 hours but I think I will start doing weekday tutoring on top of it. Also, I will be joining science Olympiad and possibly debate team. Is there anything I can still do to give myself a boost in the EC section? Anyways, what are my chances?</p>

<p>Yeah you can definitely get into at least the lower ivies: Cornell/Brown/Dartmouth/Penn (non Wharton).</p>

<p>Just keep your grades up and do well on standardized tests. And do 1 or 2 (2 max) ECs that you really care about.</p>

<p>Bumping to see different perspectives. Sorry if this is against the rules.</p>

<p>It’s hard to chance a junior with no test scores but I can say right now that you need to get your ECs up for top tier. If you can get awards for SciOly or Debate and leadership positions you’d have a good shot. Mid tier is looking good for you, especially if you get good test scores.</p>

<p>Thank you for your response. I understand that top tier is quite a reach for me but honestly that’s okay with me. I just wanted to know if I should even bother with applying if I literally had no chance. I really just wanted to know if I am adequately qualified for mid tier universities, as that would give me much relief.</p>

<p>First, no one is a definite for any of the ivies. Applicants with nearly perfect gpa’s and test scores are rejected in large numbers. So all are a reach. However, if you score 2200+ it is definitely worth a shot. Focus on your SATs and build your ECs. With a 2200+. your schedule and gpa, and some decent ECs, these lower ivies would likely find you “acceptable” but not necessarily accept you. But why not try?</p>

<p>Thank you for your input. What would you say is a “decent” EC? I looked into this and there are a lot of varied answers. I don’t think I am capable as of now of obtaining an amazing and unique accomplishment/EC but what are some ECs that I can easily get into? I was thinking of volunteering at a hospital instead of a nursing home since I’m interested in the medical field. Can you give me an example of a list of ECs that are qualified enough for mid or top tier universities?</p>

<p>Sure, here are some examples. For the Key Club, even if you are not an officer, see if you can lead a specific event or committee. Instead of just volunteering at the nursing home, maybe organize a group of students form your school to put on shows there or just conduct group visits with you as the leader. In other words, do more than just join a club or volunteer somewhere. Show that you are a go-getter who always wants to better yourself and help others. Use your skills (academic or other). Tutoring is good but don’t just tutor. Find one the poorest school in your area and see if you can be a volunteer tutor. Sounds like you are strong in science/math and these skills are needed. Document the improvement of your students over the next year. You have almost a year before applications will be due but you should start asap. Good luck.</p>