<p>Attend a good NE prep school.
Academics-
Math/Science - I've already taken a vast majority of the advanced courses offered (math through multivar, bio research, orgo, ap phys) and I usually get the highest grade possible.
Humanities - I pull my own weight and do decently.
Overall course load - Well, I'll put it this way: my guidance counselor was trying to talk me out of some of my courses because he thought it was too hard.
My grades put me in the top quarter-ish of the class. My school doesn't rank though and this is based on unweighted GPA. </p>
<p>EC's/Awards-
Math Club- AMC 12 126.5/6 AIME, MAML top 20 finalist, HMMT top ten scorer in Calc, ARML team won the Eastern Site Division B Award, School Prize for top student in analytical geometry and calc
Science Club - Team finished 2nd at state science bowl, top 12 in state ocean bowl, Prize for best student in physics
CompSci - ACSL team place second in senoir division
Mock Trial - co-founder and co-president
Cross Country, Track (lettered I think)</p>
<p>Numbers-
2270 SAT I (pretty even breakdown), 800 IIC and Chem, 5's on BC and Chem AP's</p>
<p>I think I can get great rec's, and I'll spend all summer on essays.</p>
<p>Sorry in advance, but chances for:
MIT
Caltech
Harvard
Princeton
UCB
CMU
UChicago
Stanford
RPI
Olin
Harvey Mudd</p>
<p>Any other schools I should apply to? Any I should leave out?</p>
<p>MIT - Mid-Low Reach
Caltech - Low Reach
Harvard - Reach (Everyone)
Princeton - Reach (Everyone)
UCB - I dunno
CMU - Match
UChicago - Match (Write good essays)
Stanford - Reach (Everyone)
RPI - Safety (Word from the wise, I wouldn't go to RPI if my life depended on it. I lived in the area for a few years and Troy, NY is one of the grossest places I've ever been. Unfortunately, the campus is right in the middle of it too.)
Olin - Reach (One of the hardest Science-geared schools to get into)
Harvey Mudd - Safety</p>
<p>My school's GPA system is wierd. On a 4.0 scale, a 3.3 is considered honors. I have around a 3.5 UW. Few kids have anything above 3.7 (those who do have a really easy courseload).</p>
<p>Oh, and I have some volunteering too if that helps at all.</p>
<p>Many people love RPI - and the classrooms are very nice - and you can get a great education. However, when we visited, my son and I drove faster leaving than arriving. It made Case (one of his likelies) look really good. </p>
<p>I don't think I would consider HMC a safety for the OP due to his grades. CMU SCS is also pretty difficult - but the other colleges in it would be closer to matches. </p>
<p>If you are OOS for UCB, that would be pretty difficult. Harvard, Princeton, Caltech and MIT are long shots. Think about the fit of the school before you take the time to apply. </p>
<p>In addition to Case - which is a likely for you - you might also look at Rice, which would probably be a match.</p>
<p>Your CG should have scattergrams of where students from your school were accepted and with what GPA. If you see acceptances at your top schools for students with your GPA - you're in decent shape. At most HS's, a 3.5 would be the kiss of death. At yours, it may well not be.</p>
<p>The education one gets at RPI really isn't that bad....it is the location and campus that is bad. I lived for about 2 years in the Tri-Albany area (Albany, Schenectady, and Troy), and I always hated going to Troy. I would go to RPI maybe once every couple of months for various competitions/tests/or whatever. My mom detested taking me everytime. (And she let me know it too! To be honest though, I don't blame her :P.) Troy, NY is old and cold. It is another of one of the many burntout towns in the rust belt. I'm sure it was nice in its day 100 years ago, but now, it is in ruins. While RPI isn't in a terrible area (it is kind of up on top of a hill, sort of secluded from the city), it isn't in the nicest area either. I wouldn't want to spend four years of my life there. It is a tough decision: you go for the great education (the academics are actually quite good), but then you have a terrible quality of life. (And aside from the poor location, Troy isn't exactly party city. I don't think that you'll have much of a social life.) If you need another safety, I think you should consider Georgia Tech in Atlanta. They rock, and you would have a great shot there! Good luck in whatever you decide!</p>
<p>actually, i think caltech and mit are real possibilities for you. i am goin to caltech this fall, and I have similar stuff. But I got a 2360, top ARML scorer for Connecticut, and came second in Intel. Those are some things you might want to work on.</p>
<p>Well, I don't have any more time for ARML, and I can't do Intel until my Senior year. I really don't want to retake the SAT, but what do you think?</p>