<p>Hello, I am a rising senior planning on applying to Dukes college of Arts and Sciences (among others). Duke and Notre Dame have been my dream schools for as long as I can remember, but after being on CC for about a week, Im beginning to feel rather intimidated and nervous. Please let me know what you think my chances are and feel free to be brutally honest. I can promise you that I will return the favor by chancing you back.
NOTE: my schedule will probably not seem impressive, but it was either the toughest or nearly the toughest available . </p>
<p>PROFILE
Caucasian Male
Region: NE Wisconsin
GPA: 4.0 UW (our school does not weight GPA)
Class Rank: 1/312 (tied with ~15 others for first)</p>
<p>ACT Composite: 33 (MAYBE retaking in September)
English: 36
Math: 33
Reading: 34
Science: 29 (ugh)
Combined E/W: 31 (8 writing)
PSAT: 205 </p>
<p>FRESHMAN
Spanish I
Honors Language Arts 9/10
Geometry
Physical Science (intro chem/physics)
Biology (not usually offered to freshmen)
Intro to Social Sciences
PE 9 (required)</p>
<p>SOPHOMORE
Spanish II
Honors American Lit/Comp
Adv. Algebra/Functions, Statistics, Trig (Block class)
Honors Chem
Human Anatomy & Physiology
World History (could/should have taken AP Euro)
PE (required)</p>
<p>JUNIOR
Spanish III
Advanced Composition/Public Speaking (each 1 semester)
CC Precalc (could not take precalc/calc I block due to scheduling conflict)
AP Biology
Physics
APUSH
PE (required)</p>
<p>SENIOR (REGISTERED)
No Language (could this hurt?)
CC Expository Writing
Honors Economics
CC Philosophy (taken on private college campus)
CC Latin I and II (taken on private college campus)
CC Calc I and II (taken on private college campus)
Planning to independent study CC Chem </p>
<p>*Originally planned to take AP Physics senior year but it was eliminated
*Only other challenging science course not covered will be CC Human A & P
*School does offer AP Calc II but no Calc I/Calc II block</p>
<p>AWARDS
Cross Country Most Improved Award (9)
Cross Country Varsity Letter (9, 10, 11, 12?)
Track and Field Varsity Letter (9, 10, 11, 12?)
Certification in CPR? (May 2010)
High Honor Roll (9, 10, 11, 12?) Got some medallion thing
NOTE: School does not hand out other awards
AP Biology: 5
APUSH: 5</p>
<p>EXTRACURRICULAR (weakest part of application)
Varsity Cross Country (9, 10, 11, 12)
Varsity Track and Field (9, 10, 11, 12)
Metro Math League (11, 12)
NHS (12)
Science Bowl Team (11, 12)
[Nominated for] American Math Competition (AMC 12) (11, 12?)</p>
<p>LEADERHIP
Cross Country captain (12)
Invited to attend National Student Leadership Conference (100 percent meaningless?)</p>
<p>VOLUNTEER WORK
Summers 2009/2010
National Railroad Museum (80+ hours)
-Conductor
-Inventory Assistant
-Perform odd jobs around museum grounds</p>
<p>2008 present
Student Assistant at high school (15+ hours)
-Student Resource Center assistant
-Math Resource Center assistant </p>
<p>April 2009
Referee/Timer at local middle school track meet (5 hours)</p>
<p>May 2010
Helped out at GB Cellcom Marathon WPS Kids Run (3 hours)
Helped raise money for Malawi Well Project (3+ hours)</p>
<p>Essays: good (possible to override weak ECs?)
Recommendations: good--->excellent (from AP Bio/APUSH/English/Precalc teachers). Maybe from professor at private college. </p>
<p>OTHER
Intended Major: biomedical engineering or biochemistry (depending on the school)
Planning on pre-med.
Planning on applying for an Air Force ROTC scholarship. </p>
<p>OTHER COLLEGES
(EA) Notre Dame (legacy father and sister)
(RD) Vanderbilt (legacy sister?)
(EA) Marquette
MAYBE Northwestern (RD)
Other college suggestions are welcome (chances at any lower Ivies?)</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for any input/advice. One more thing: will colleges take into account the fact that there are VERY few (if any) research facilities and other opportunities for impressive ECs where I live?</p>
<p>I promise to chance back!!</p>