<p>I'm currently a high school Junior, and here is a list of a few colleges I want to apply to:</p>
<p>Northwestern
University of Chicago
UC Berkeley
UC Los Angeles
UC Santa Cruz
University of Michigan
Johns Hopkins
University of Toronto
Then Princeton, Yale, Caltech, and MIT, but I know they are generally crap shoots.</p>
<p>GPA: 4.15 W, 3.93 UW
SAT: 2270: (780M 770W 720CR)
SAT II: 800 Math II, 730 Bio M</p>
<p>Editor in Chief of school newspaper
Biology lab assistant
Lab researcher at local lab
Physics club, Math club, Science club
Tutor at a local middle school</p>
<p>I'm in advanced standing for French and Math, and will have taken the following AP's: AB Calculus, Biology, French Lit, Physics B, Physics C, English, Euro History, US Gov, Comp Gov</p>
<p>Where do I currently stand? What can I do to improve my chances?</p>
<p>Do you know what you intend your major to be? If so, look for schools that have good programs in that area. The difference in admissions difficulty between the top of your list (save for Chicago, UCB, and UCLA) and the 4 at the bottom is large, and there's probably schools in between you might take an interest in. Of course, a year out, your list is likely to change a -lot-.</p>
<p>Your objective stats are all up there. Keep that up, continue with the lab work and other biology-related stuff if that's your passion (as your ECs seem to suggest), and build a life and enjoy that. A good platform for your applications will naturally flow from what you do out of interests.</p>
<p>Do not spend time on things you aren't interested in to make yourself think you'll look better to college admissions. They want you to be focused in what you care about, not spread around.</p>
<p>High School Performance/Courseload - Good
ECs - Good
Test Scores - Good
Write some good essays, get some good recs. Unless there's some horrid aspect of your life you're not mentioning, you're going to get into a bunch of these schools.</p>
<p>Pessimistic Expectations Ahead:</p>
<p>From your list...
Northwestern - Match
University of Chicago - Match / Low Reach
UC Berkeley - Match
UCLA - Match
UC Santa Cruz - In
University of Michigan - Match
JHU - Match
University of Toronto - Don't know enough about international applicants there.</p>
<p>Good luck, and enjoy the rest of high school.</p>