Chance a rising junior for a diverse list (off vague predictions)? Will chance back!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>-I wish to major in Political Science and go on to law school.
-I'm from Georgia.
-I'm white.
-I'm a male.
-Father's Jewish, mother was Catholic (she's dead), step-mother (blech) is Baptist.
-GPA's currently about 3.79 UW, should be 3.89 by the end of junior year, and 3.94 by graduation (crummy second semester sophomore year, AKA this year, I can chalk that up to insomnia and severe diarrhea on one instance, freshman year and first semester GPA was 4.0, I'm capable).
-I've yet to take the SAT (well, recently, I forget my 7th grade scores haha), but I scored in the mid 180s on the PSAT (I know, terrible, but I didn't study and had no clue what to expect, by the way, pretty high CR, pretty low M, W average), as far as the SATs, with alot of work, I could see myself scoring as high as a 2100, but for these purposes, let's stick with a 2000 flat.
-I go to a public school, about 1200 students, doesn't send many applicants to good schools, most students stay instate for college.
-My family makes about $35,000 per year, supports many, MANY children, he has a Bachelors in Civil Engineering from a polytechnic school, though he works in construction (Grandpa went to Emory law, so legacy at Emory maybe?).
-I'm in fairly rigorous classes, I guess. 2 APs this year (Gov & Euro) & 1 honor class (American Lit), 2 junior (US & Lang), 3-5 (Bio, Lit, Psych, Macro?, Spanish?) senior year, depending on what mood I'm in on advisement day... Our school only offers one honors class, which I've taken, and a few APs, of which I'm taking the non-math ones.
-Currently I can chalk my ECs up to: *NHS (no leadership, beat by 3 preppy blondes)
*Eagle Scout
*Some golf lessons with a LPGA pro (Note: was in training to play tournaments, broke my wrist, pretty much gave up. Still told I have the most beautiful swing, but cannot produce consistent results.)
*Attending a Dave Ramsey seminar
*Attending 3-week Summer@Brown course on Law
*Being a Duke TIP scholar
*Being invited to both NYLF and NYLC
*Possibly volunteering for a presidential candidate.
*I REALLY want to do the Congressional PAGE Program next summer. This is very hard to get into, but isn't really stat-based, so I've got a shot. The Congressional PAGE Program is supposed to be a huge game changer.
-Don't think I'm an incapable idiot haha, I COULD do so much! I can shoot low enough to make the golf team (I was accepted), I can run fast enough for cross country (I was begged to join), and I could be on the academic bowl team too (I know dumber people on it, and my mind is very very very fast at recalling knowledge, which is a must for this, though my math skills blow). So I COULD do a lot, skill-wise, BUT our sports practice EVERY SINGLE DAY after school, and academic bowl would push my time at which I wake up back an hour. My school's EC scheduling is ruining my chances... (plus we hardly have any clubs), but what I COULD do won't help me, so whatever.
-I am a VERY good writer, no to brag. My writing is such that I got a compliment from my Honors American Lit teacher "Eli, you're writing's so beautiful, it's perfect, I mean I wish I could just clone your writing and everyone would write just like you". I can be a bit verbose at times though...
-The teacher who said that would probably give me a good recommendation, as well as my freshman World History teacher who was my favorite teacher of all time, he and I think just alike, to the point that when he's in a debate with another student I can predict his thoughts perfectly. He's by no means a generous man with compliments, however he told me that if I ran for political office he'd vote for me. My AP Gov teacher who's encouraged me to go to law school would also give a good recommendation (I was at the top of his class, easily).
-Counselor recommendation will be awful. My counselor is a cranky old lady who can't do her job. She refuses to sign my diploma unless I take certain non-required courses and gives inconsistent advice. I swear, her office has over 300 elephant baubles in it...</p>

<p>-I think that's all... Now, for the schools; I realize that there are a lot of really drastic reaches and a good bit of really reliable safeties, my difficulty is in determining what would be a good match or target school for me. Please chance me for the following list of schools (in alphabetical order, sorry):
American University
Boston University
Brandeis University
Brown University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Elon University
Emory University
Georgia State University
Hofstra University
LaGrange Collehe
New York University
Northeastern University
Oglethorpe University
St Louis University
Sarah Lawrence Collehe
Shimer College
Swarthmore College
Tulane University
University of California: Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Florida
University of Pennsylvania
Webster University</p>

<p>Please Chance me! Will chance back, promise!(:</p>

2

<p>Bump bump bump… (I’ll take school suggestions too).</p>

3

<p>It’s kind of ridiculous trying to chance someone who hasn’t taken the SAT/ACT.</p>

<p>That said, with only a 2000, Ivies and U of Chicago are off the list. Then Brandeis, Northeastern, NYU, Emory, and Swarthmore would probably be reaches, though not out of your range. Rest look like matches/small reaches, though I’m admittedly not familiar with every one.</p>

<p>I would suggest cutting your list down. Applying to several schools is a good idea, but that’s too many.</p>

4

<p>Aim for schools that meet 100% of demonstrated need, schools with big merit scholarships, and UGA. Save your money for law school.</p>

5

<p>Dave Ramsey seminar is out, a tree came through my step-sister’s house right before we were supposed to leave, so that didn’t work out. By the way, I should tell you all, while my family is very poor, my grandfather will be funding my college education and he’s a very wealthy lawyer and landlord, so money’s not really a big deal. Our low household income should help me with financial aid though, no matter how much my grandpa will pay, as the money’s not set aside, right? (Hijacking my own thread haha, but first and foremost, please chance me)</p>

6

<p>your ECs aren’t very strong, and there isn’t much to evaluate absent scores. But if you think you’re gonna hit the 2000-2100 range, I would rule out all of the ivies. ucla, uchic are then kind of your highest reaches that are actually within reach. you should be good for a decent number of the rest of the schools.
you should really write passionately about your living circumstances and family life. also, try to get some good leadership in this summer…be creative- start your own summer camp totally volunteer-based for kids at a homeless shelter, or contact state reps and try to intern with one. they’re pretty open to this- they just like to see driven kids who initiate conversation with them.</p>

7

<p>If you can’t tell, yes, I’m REALLY into politics, but in Georgia there’s no formal internship with senators or congressman, I mean for high school students. So should I contact them about an informal internship? Hmm, this would also help me get into the Congressional PAGE Program too…(:</p>

8

<p>Colleges aren’t going to care about why you COULDN’T do EC’s, so all of those excuses weren’t necessary. I’d rule out the Ivies, even if you do pull off a 2100, and you probably don’t have a rigorous enough schedule. Eagle Scout will look good, but otherwise EC’s are pretty mediocre. Swarthmore and AU are pretty big reaches, but the Emory legacy could definitely help. Boston, Hofstra, Webster and LaGrange seem like pretty reasonable targets.</p>

9

<p>I know, I was just venting about my school’s team policies, which are terrible in my opinion, sorry haha. And thanks. I was thinking of Hofstra and LaGrange as safeties though, assuming I had decent SAT scores. But you have a point, my ECs are terrible, maybe I should start looking at schools of Hofstra’s level as a match, not a safety. I do know however, that LaGrange College is definitely a safety (It’s in my hometown, so I’ve seen who goes there, which is pretty much anyone with a 3.0, a 1500 SAT, and 25k a year to spend.)</p>

10

<p>I was under the impression it was pretty standard for teams to practice every day. </p>

<p>Your schedule will be fine if you actually do take all those APs. You need more commitment in your ECs. I’m seeing too many excuses here besides Eagle Scout. Dave Ramsey seminar and golf lessons are blah (I know you didn’t go to the DR thing but still). NHS leadership really doesn’t mean anything anyways so the dig at your classmates is unwarranted. Eagle Scout will be good but there’s a reason they are called EXTRA curriculars. Plenty of people make time for their ECs, so why can’t you? If you need to work, that’s fine, it’s considered an EC.</p>

<p>Right now here’s what your profile tells me:</p>

<ul>
<li>no hooks</li>
<li>not very good scores</li>
<li>decent GPA halfway through school</li>
<li>Eagle Scout</li>
<li>interested in politics but no political ECs</li>
</ul>

<p>That’s not getting you anywhere besides the bottom 25% of that list you have up above.</p>

<p>Sorry to be harsh, but you need more commitment and dedication in your life. IF you can get to 2000, you have more of a chance but definitely no Ivies, Swarthmore, UCLA, UF, or Chicago. Emory, Tulane, and NYU are maybes.</p>

11

<p>I don’t mind the harshness, as long as it’s accurate. I’m trying to figure out how to get politically-based ECs. My uncle’s one if Herman Cain’s campaigners in Atlanta (they’re pretty close, Cain’s called “potato” and my uncle’s called “tater tot”), so I think I could definitely get in on that, even though I’m a liberal person, I wouldn’t mind, plus Cain’s no BS foreign policy and wizardry of with economics and business make him a good choice, so aside from the pro-life stance and the Muslim bigotry, he’s not bad…(: But I can’t find any high school internships in politics, which is why I’m really hoping for the PAGE Program to work out, as slim as my chances are. If you can recommend any politically-based ECs or internships than please plase do, god knows I need them haha. By the way, volunteering at the Carter Center’s already out, my brother’s play travel soccer, so most weekends I can’t get to Atlanta. I wanted to do something there everyday for a month, but unfortunately volunteers there are expected to work one day per week per year, so that didn’t work out. If you can recommend any politics-based ECs though, I would greatly welcome it.</p>

12

<p>My school doesn’t offer Model UN, Model Congress, Debate team, Young Democrats or Young Rebuplicans, Mock Trial, or anything of the sort. I can only think of two people who’d be interested in joining any of these clubs, but I’ll look into each one, see if it’s interesting, and then see about founding it. I could probably convince my World History teacher or my AP Gov/AP USH teacher to sponsor it… I think I might actually look into this…(:</p>

13

<p>I would like to start out with the whole excuse thing, I understand trying to comfort yourself, but your best bet is to join something, Academic Bowl Team would look great. Now you were saying about those “Political EC’s” if I was you I’d perhaps start a club, even if only 4 people show, it shows dedication to start a club and an extra oomph…especially if ya’ll can accomplish even one moderate accomplishment by end of semester. Now a 2000 SAT is not necessarily a gimme, but still with your stuff I see the best fits may be Tulane, NYU, Emory, if your recs, essays and SAT is up there Boston. A lot will come down to SAT and essays, so do stellar, study, and door will open</p>

14

<p>

Doesn’t matter for college admissions, except maybe at some denominational schools.</p>

<p>With your projected SAT, Dartmouth and Brown may be out of reach, but if you really want to go there you might as well apply. I recommend working on your SAT, try getting it up to a 2200, and write good essays of course.</p>

15

<p>“If you can’t tell, yes, I’m REALLY into politics, but in Georgia there’s no formal internship with senators or congressman, I mean for high school students. So should I contact them about an informal internship?”</p>

<p>I’m a GA resident (not Atlanta) and am interning for my US Congressman starting in June. The deadline for the summer was March though, so you might not find something this summer</p>

<p>P.S.- Herman Cain knows NOTHING about foreign policy. Ever wonder why his stance is so simplistic? That’s what people do when when they are ignorant of the details and bereft of actual firsthand experience. They say simple things like “We must cut wasteful spending” and “The Taliban must be defeated” without any elaboration. I call it “Schwarzenegger Politics”, giving overly simplistic solutions to complicated problems. You’re into politics, so you already know California is in shambles because of him.</p>

16

<p>It’s a position though haha… That’s mainly why I’d do it, after all, I’m a die-hard liberal. I hate the Pro-life stance, that’s a conduit for unnecessary oppression. But Fairtax actually sounds good, not that it’ll ever get passed… But can you give me the details on your internship, and how you got it?</p>

17

<p>Don’t bet on things like SAT scores so early on. Fix those EC’s while you have time. Re-post in a year, aha (:</p>

18

<p>I will, I will(: I think I could get a mock trial team going at my school, with luck. I could get one of two teachers to sponsor us, and I’m sure my grandpa (very successful though semi-retired lawyer) would be willing to help us out, and I could ask him to see if he knows anyone else willing to help. I could also definitely join Student Alliance, since it doesn’t require a school chapter. I’m still holding out for the PAGE program next summer, but in the event it doesn’t happen, I’ll try to line up an internship, though I’m not sure how… I’ll get it figured out, it’s a year away. There aren’t many other things I could do here (in my town), other than possibly volunteering/interning for/with a local politician or political party.</p>

19

<p>You have some good stats but like some other members said, its hard to chance someone that has not taken the SAT, but if you do get that 2100, youll be fine for over half of the schools you listed and the other are probable. on the other hand, getting an even higher SAT will put you into and even better position for the higher level schools such as UCLA and NYU.</p>

20

<p>based on this, it’s hard to believe you have an IQ close to 160… where did you take your iq test? (I was creeping from the dating thread lol)</p>