<p>Thank you in advance to anyone who replies! I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Hello -- I'm a rising senior in a very competitive public high school, and I'd like to continue my education at a highly ranked college. Can you please tell me what you think my chances are of being accepted to any of the Ivies, Duke, MIT, Caltech, and the University of Chicago?</p>
<p>Here are some of my stats:</p>
<p>GPA (unweighted): 4.0
Class Rank: 4 of 345</p>
<p>Honors courses already taken:
Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus
Biology, Chemistry
English 9, English 10</p>
<p>AP courses already taken:
Calculus BC, Statistics
Physics B
Language and Composition
European History, US History, Psychology</p>
<p>Other courses I have taken:
Latin I-III
Latin IV & V through the University of Minnesota</p>
<p>AP/Advanced courses I'll be taking as a senior (since I've had only A's and A+'s for my entire education, I'm confident that I will continue to earn these grades next year as well):
Calculus III, Linear Algebra (at a local college)
Physics C, Biology
Literature and Composition
US Government and Politics, Micro Economics, Macro Economics</p>
<p>AP exam scores:
All 5's on European History, Statistics, BC Calculus, Physics B, Language and Composition, US History, and Psychology
(I believe that I will also receive all 5's on next year's exams as well.)</p>
<p>Standardized test scores:
ACT: Composite 36 (English 35, Math 36, Reading 36, Science 36)
SAT Reasoning: Composite 2350 (Critical Reading 790, Math 800, Writing 760)
SAT Subject: Math II 800, US History 760 (Will take Physics in the fall)</p>
<p>Major extracurriculars:
Key Club for 3 years (over 200 service hours so far)
School newspaper for 2 years (first as a reporter, now as a page editor)
JV Swimming for 2 years, member of competitive swim club for 3 years
Also involved with Latin Club, Book Club, Musical Stage Crew, National Honors Society
** This is what I am mainly concerned about. I realize that my extracurriculars are rather weak and that when I apply to top colleges I'll be competing with students with academics as strong as mine and extracurriculars stronger than mine. Please tell me how important you think extracurriculars are in the admissions processes of the schools I mentioned before.</p>
<p>Awards:
- I've won dozen of state and national awards in Latin.
- Freshman year I won a Wisconsin Scholastic Art and Writing Silver Key in Visual Arts and had my artwork displayed in the Milwaukee Art Museum.
- I was Key Club's Most Distinguished Volunteer this past year for having the most service hours of anyone in the club (over 100 members in school).
- Honor Roll every year of high school so far.</p>
<p>Common Application Essay Idea:
I lived in New Orleans for my whole life until I was 12, when Hurricane Katrina hit. My home was only about a mile from one of the levee breaks, and it flooded with 13 feet of water. My family and I evacuated to Houston, so we were safe, but my parents lost their jobs, and we were homeless for a couple of months.
Before this happened, I was a good student, but there was no one really like me at my school in New Orleans, no one who was really passionate about learning, especially the sciences. My peers often mocked me for being "too smart for my own good" and I never felt truly comfortable in my own skin. When my family and I permanently settled again in the Midwest in January of the next year, I was surprised to find that there were kids at my new school just as in love with reading and just as fascinated by the sciences as I was.
Following the devastation to my city and home, I felt hollow inside. I didn't truly recover until I found my true friends in my new home. Hurricane Katrina was a disaster at the time, but I actually think it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because of it, I've met the best friends of my entire life, and I've been able to grow as a person and a student with them.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for bearing with this loooong message! I really would value your input.</p>