Another Confused High Schooler Searching For Colleges

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Well, let's start with the stats</p>

<p>GPA
10-12: 4.46W
10-12: 3.77UW</p>

<p>Total Academic: 4.31W
Total Academic: 3.81UW</p>

<p>SAT
Verbal: 670
Math: 690
Writing: 670
Total: 2030</p>

<p>Subject Tests:
math 2c: 710 (I will be retaking it)
bio: 730
us history: 800</p>

<p>ACT: 31</p>

<p>Completed APs
Euro - 5
Spanish Lang - 3
Calc AB - 5
Bio - 5
English Lang - 5
USH - 5</p>

<p>APs for Senior Year
Physics
Stats
US Gov't/Comparative Gov't
Macro/Microecon
English Lit</p>

<p>ECs:
Speech and Debate: I've competed the past 3 years. Been to debate camp twice. Regionally Competitive (i.e. advanced to elimination rounds at regional draw tournaments). I will be captain this year.
Mock Trial: Started last year but I will be captain this year
Political Discussion Club: Will be President this year</p>

<p>And to much lesser extent
NHS
CSF (California Scholarship Federation)
Model UN: I will be president, but I might dissolve it due to lack of participation and the other clubs I am more interested in</p>

<p>I also took a class at Northwestern for 6 weeks this summer, but I don't know how that integrates in to admission.</p>

<p>My community service is pretty lackluster though.</p>

<p>I am unsure what I want to do in college; so I'd prefer one with broad interests. However, I am very likely going to major in a social science but I wouldn't exclude the natural sciences. Economics, Middle Eastern Studies, History, Poli-Sci, and International Relations seem pretty interesting. On the natural sciences side I am partial towards evolutionary biology and sort of intrigued by quantum mechanics.
I am pretty sure I won't major in any of the humanities though.</p>

<p>Some other requirements:
Good College Town with more to do there than on campus
Decent Weather (i.e no Cornell or U Minn-Twin Cities)
A good amount of International Students (I love learning about their cultures)
Ethnic Diversity
A smaller frat scene
No excess alcohol</p>

<p>I live in California; but I'd prefer to be in a different environment (particularly different from Southern California).</p>

<p>I am indifferent on class size.
I'd like some socioeconomic diversity but it's not that significant.</p>

<p>Here are some schools I've looked in to, but I am probably overconfident in choosing:
UCLA
UC Berkeley
Northwestern
UVA
Georgetown
U Penn
Brown</p>

<p>As for a safety school, what ought be the admission rate? I'm thinking UC Santa Cruz.</p>

2

<p>UNC-chapel hill seems to fit your criteria, and I'd definitely recommend George Washington University as well. (not a big frat scene, very diverse, and of course DC has lots of stuff to do)</p>

3

<p>The problem with Chapel Hill is there is a definite lack of international students but also there is only 17% out-of-state. I am interested in their journalism school though. Mainly though, isn't it much more difficult for an out-of-state student to even get accepted?</p>

<p>On a sidenote (unrelated to Chapel Hill)
no rural
Aesthetically pleasing campus</p>

4

<p>If you're female I'd suggest one of the seven sisters like Smith, Wellesley or Bryn Mawr. U Michigan-Ann Arbor might be a good fit as well. All the campuses are gorgeous.</p>

5

<p>Alas, I am not a member of the fairer sex.</p>

6

<p>Any one else have suggestions?</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
I also took a class at Northwestern for 6 weeks this summer, but I don't know how that integrates in to admission.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If it was a competitive, scholarship program, it might help admissions, but if it was a typical paid summer program for HS students, it won't have any impact on admissions.</p>

<p>Rice comes to mind, as does Tufts.</p>

8

<p>Even though it was an actual undergraduate class, it will have a minute impact on admissions?
Does that mean a community college course also holds even less weight?</p>

9

<p>Your best chance is at UCLA and UCB since you are in state.</p>

<p>You probably won't like Penn b/c they have a huge frat scene. Penn, Brown, UVA and Northwestern are pretty big reaches unless you can bring up your SAT. What is your class rank?</p>

10

<p>We got rid of class rank so I'm not sure.
Also, can i raise my ACT score instead?
The national rank for a composite of 31 was 98. Must it be higher for me to be competitive?</p>

11

<p>I didn't see your ACT. Your ACT seems about as competitive as your SAT, according to this score conversion table:</p>

<p>SAT-ACT</a> Conversion chart</p>

<p>I would advise you to raise either your SAT or ACT to have a better shot at the schools you listed. If you do this, you have a decent shot at these schools(try to raise your SAT to 2200 or ACT to a 33 or 34).</p>

12

<p>Assuming the worst and I don't manage to increase my score, what privates would be be a 'fit' for me?
Like those in the range of Tufts or Boston College?</p>