Can you suggest good colleges for this kindle of an application?

I have an ACT score of 34.

ACT math and science 36. ACT english and reading 32.

US citizen, Resident of California (if that increase any of my chances…)

SAT Subject Tests:

Math 2: 800

Physics: 800

Chemistry: 800

IB Scores:(predicted score 40/42)

Math HL: 7

Physics HL: 7

Chemistry HL: 7

Psychology SL: 7

Spanish AB SL: 7

English SL: 5

(Going to take IB Further Math HL)

Written 2 research papers in math and physics respectively.

Have taken tons of online college physics courses like astrophysics, plasma physics etc.

NMQST semi Finalist

Scored 96.2% in high school and stood first.

Came in merit list of national math olympiad and science olympiad.

most likely major: physics

Member of astronomy club, member of student council, play the flute, play basketball for school, won science fair, received national level science fair prize, came 1st in high school, taught at school for underprivileged children, won city level astrophysics competition etc

Mention the probable colleges in 3 categories, that is, high, medium and low possibility

Thank You

Can you narrow down what kind of colleges you want? Size, Region, and Population of school would be helpful.

California would be the most preferable region.

I would like to know especially about selective colleges.

Size is no issue for me as long as it is a highly selective college

What is your financial situation & gender?

Male and good financial situation

Why do you need to go to a highly selective college? There aren’t many in California besides USC, UCB, UCLA, Stanford, and some of the Claremont Colleges, which all have very different personalities. I recommend that you do further research into which colleges have good physics programs. Higher selectivity doesn’t always equate to a better education.

Anyways, here’s a list:

High reach:
Stanford
Pomona

Reach:
CMC
USC
Cal Poly SLO Engineering

High Match:
UCLA
UCB

Match:
UCSB
UCSD

Safety:
Some other UCs and CSUs

Also, what’s your essay score? Stanford uses the combined English and writing score for admissions.

@astrofan @ap012199 CIT and Mudd would also both be a “high reach” - just cause they are for everyone. But you’d have a shot at either college as well.

I would really encourage you to think a bit more about what you want in a school as there are many “top” colleges in CA:
CIT, Mudd, Stanford, Pomona, Berkeley
And many “very selective” colleges"
USC, CMC, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB etc.

but CIT or Mudd and Berkeley could not be more different in terms of lifestyle, courses of study, location, size etc.

A fancy name will only mean so much. I would really look at the programs your interested in. Do the courses look compelling. Does the campus feel like home. Do you want to be in a city or a quiet suburb or a rural community or the beach? Every school listed above will have smart teachers, smart students, loads of resources and pluses and minuses. But why spend 4 years working hard in an environment you don’t love if you can help it.

Seconding Caltech, Stanford, Pomona, Mudd, UCB, USC, UCLA, but I would add UCSB CCS, either in Math or in Physics - it’s basically graduate school for very talented and advanced undergrads, lots of research opportunities, and a unique group of peers.

Outside of California:
Northwestern (special math track), Williams, NYU Courant, MIT, Penn, CMU

An issue is that all of these are reaches for everyone - you need a few matches and 2 safeties you like enough and can afford.
In all likelihood, among those you’d have Cal Poly SLO, UCSD, UCD, and if you can afford it UWashington Seattle or U Wisconsin.
(safety: ASU Barrett).