<p>Basics:
Gender--Male
From--Suburban Chicago public school
Financial aid--Yes
Ethnicity--Hispanic
LD/ADHD--Yes, not diagnosed/treated until end of junior year</p>
<p>Academics:
GPA--3.02 unweighted, 3.88 weighted <==
Class rigor--All honors/AP
AP schedule--English Lang., US His. (jun.); Calc. AB, Biology, US Gov't, English Lit., Economics (sen.)
Class Rank: Surprisingly enough, top 15% (class of ~650)</p>
<p>Scores:
SAT--2340 Blue Book (taking Oct. administration) <==
ACT--35 composite (36 R, E; 35 M; 33 S) <== only took the test once!
AP--English Lang. (5), US History (5)</p>
<p>Leadership/extracurricular activities:
Varsity scholastic bowl--Co-captain (9-12); MVP (9-11); top scorer (9-10, but only because my coach liked pulling me out of tournaments for falling asleep)
Jeopardy!--Finalist, invited to and completed audition in Kansas City. I'll hopefully be on the show in December
School newspaper--Copy editor (established position, 12); production editor (11); staff writer (10)
Blogger--I spend, and this is a pure guesstimation, about 15 hours per week researching, interviewing, and writing for two incredibly popular hip-hop/music/fashion blogs
Chicago Tribune--Staff writer for teen newspaper (11-12)
Varsity baseball--Hurt junior year, but came back during summer (LHP, 10-12)
Travel baseball--Co-captain/member (LHP/OF, 10-12)
Freshmen swim team--Member (9)
Wind symphony--1st chair, alto sax (9-10)
Jazz band--Alto sax (9-10)
Marching band--Alto sax (9-10)
Saxophone lessons--Alto/tenor sax (9-10)
Parish volunteer--Eucharistic minister/misc. volunteer (9-12)
Assistant teacher--Surprisingly selective program for a summer job (only 40 applicants were picked out of a pool of around 150, 11-12)
French Club--Member (9-10)
Italian Club--Council member (12); member (11)</p>
<p>Awards:
National Merit Semi-Finalist (223 PSAT)
National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar
Tri-M Music Honors Society
Northwestern Midwest Academic Talent Search Award Winner (36 ACT R/E, presented freshman year)
Honor roll member every semester</p>
<p>Given that each high school has different teachers, atmospheres, and grading scales, they don’t really weigh your GPA as much as they do class rank. Since you have a solid ranking, test scores, and everything else, you’ve got a good shot.</p>
<p>I’ve heard of people getting into Harvard with a 2.9.</p>
<p>buy Harry Bauld’s little college essay book and do the opening exercises before you write you essays.<br>
Tell your story well. Each essay shows a new facet of you. Don’t make them guess what you would be doing on campus. Tell them. Make some of your predictions very accurate based on each specific college. Show you understand College X and its ethos.</p>
<p>Demonstrate your emotional mental health and your powers of observation. Your ADHD can be compensated for…emotional openness and cheer and the ability to contribute on campus from day one is a sought after as a class of rugged individuals is put together.</p>
<p>Impress your references by putting together a list with good reach colleges, good match colleges on it. Think big but don’t count on anything. You won’t win admission anywhere selective without putting across that you know you can do the work and you are qualified however. So don’t be shy. State what you will gain from College X and why you want to be there for four years. They can see your test scores. They know you have talent. So answer their questions for them re your GPA. Keep it simple and always convey veracity. Don’t ever let an admissions officer make up the answers because you didn’t provide them.</p>
<p>Reference letters can be tipping points.</p>
<p>You won’t have any prob getting into your state honors programs hopefully although that GPA would be an issue at UVA or UGA honors due to high numbers of fully qualified students. </p>
<p>Apply for merit scholarships even if you aren’t selected. Why? Extra essays to get to know you better. Plus your side job as a seasoned writer makes you interesting! </p>
<p>Apply to colleges with good financial aide. Know your real FAFSA bottom line with your parents and apply with your eyes open. My son was admitted to his top choice college and we had to admit to him too late in the game that we were not going to be able to swing his estimated cost of attendance.</p>
<p>I’d say you have a great chance - even to be admitted early under the Mosaic program. Vandy loves National Merit Semi-finalists, especially Hispanic ones. My part-Hispanic son got in with lower test scores (but Natl Merit) and many fewer AP classes. It could come down to you essays and recommendations. Good luck!</p>