<p>List of schools:</p>
<p>Duke!
UVA
Texas A&M
Rice
Virginia Tech
Notre Dame </p>
<p>(Duke is really my top choice, but I know it's an incredibly high reach. I honestly don't expect to get in. If you have any Duke-specific advice, I'd appreciate it a lot.)</p>
<p>Texas, female, white. Hooks: first generation college student, child of a single parent, planning on joining NROTC. (Not really sure if that last one counts as a hook.)</p>
<p>GPA: 3.4 UW/3.9 W. (This is where I feel like I'm really hurting. I've had horrible luck with teachers throughout my high school career, and I've gotten a lot of grades that are lower than I feel I really deserved. Due to some transcript errors, I expect my GPA to raise to about a 3.5 UW/ 4.0 W by the time of application.)</p>
<p>RANK/SCHOOL TYPE: 120ish/1000+. Not top ten percent, but close. Public school - one of the better ones in the area, but certainly not stellar.</p>
<p>COURSELOAD: I took every class at the highest level it was offered. At the time of graduation, I'll have taken 9 AP classes, possibly with one additional test as a self-study.</p>
<p>SAT: 2080 on the first time around. I'd really like to retake it and shoot for a 2150 if I can make it to another testing date. I have yet to take any subject tests.</p>
<p>**ECs:<a href="The%20lack%20of%20volunteering%20is%20due%20to%20other%20responsibilities.%20Because%20of%20my%20mom's%20job,%20I%20always%20had%20to%20watch%20my%20younger%20sister.%20I%20never%20had%20the%20time%20to%20volunteer,%20but%20I%20always%20really%20wanted%20to.">/b</a></p>
<p>-BAND:
*head section leader junior/senior years (directly responsible for 40 people on a daily basis, teaching marching, music, etc.)
*first chair overall
*State Solo and Ensemble freshman/senior years (speculation for senior year)
*Region honor band sophomore/junior/senior years, one of the most competitive regions in the state (speculation for senior year)
*State band senior year (speculation)
*Soloist in the UIL marching show</p>
<p>-ACADEMIC DECATHLON:
*team member junior/senior years (only nine are selected)
*highest scorer in the region junior year, gold medals in five subjects, bronze in one)
*highest scoring team member at state junior year, medaled in one subject (difficult at the state level)
*expecting to do much better as a senior</p>
<p>-FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION:
*I teach introductory level Russian. I also teach Spanish on occasion.</p>
<p>-YOUNG REPUBLICANS CLUB:
*Well, technically, I haven't started it yet. If I can find enough people, though, I'll be president.</p>
<p>ESSAYS: Definitely my strong point. They should be pretty good.</p>
<p>Although there's not much I can do about my GPA, which is what I feel is truly holding me back, I'd like any tips you have to offer. Also, if you could chance me, that'd be great.</p>
<p>Also, I have a couple questions. Does sending in an artistic supplement really help? Also, how much of an impact do essays have?</p>