Chance Me? A bit low by CC standards, considering U Maryland, Rutgers, Binghamton...

<p>GPA: 3.67
SAT: 590 Math, 740 Writing, 800 Critical Reading
SAT II: 730 Literature, 800 U.S. History
AP: 5 U.S. History
I'm currently taking AP U.S. Government and AP English Language. Throughout my high school career, I've taken honors classes in history and english. I should also point out I go to a fairly small (though public) high school with limited options. The only non math or science APs that I could have taken but didn't are AP Psychology and AP English Literature.
My school does not do class rank.</p>

<p>ECs:
This is my biggest problem. While I have been involved in some activities, it's probably less then most applicants and worse, I lack leadership basically entirely. This is mostly because I started high school as a very quite, shy, and generally not confident person and didn't really try to get involved until Junior year. So I've not got the seniority or experience for leadership. I'm kind of hoping that colleges will look at the test scores more then the ECs. That said:
I've volunteered at a soup kitchen through school since freshman year, but someone sporadically.
I became involved in another service type club last year.
I am in my temple choir and youth group.
I have been involved in the Model UN/Congress club since last year. Attended one conference, am planning to attend another one in November.
Junior & Senior year homeroom representative for student council</p>

<p>Summers:
This summer I spent a month and a half doing community service
Last summer I traveled abroad</p>

<p>Honors/Awards:
Honor roll several times. Not much else.</p>

<p>Schools I'm interested in:
Rutgers University (IS)
Binghamton University (OOS)
University of Maryland, College Park (OSS)
Smith College
Ramapo College (IS)</p>

<p>Besides those, I want to apply to at least one private school other then Smith and possibly another reach school. Suggestions welcome.</p>

<p>You know, I think you have a good shot at these schools. You're a lot like my sister, EC and SAT wise (570 M, 760 CR, 790 W, 780 Lit) and she got into some very comparable schools. These all seem to be solid matches, although that might change based on what those acronyms next to the college mean :). If you're really into Smith than schools such as Grinnell, Beloit, and Oberlin can offer you the same liberal, free thinking atmosphere, though with slight more y-chromosomes.</p>

<p>Thanks! The acronyms are for in state and out of state. Oberlin is an interesting possibility, though I probably wouldn't be able to vist. Grinnell or Beloit are both father from home then I would like to be, which is something I really ought to have mentioned in the original post. Since I'm apparently too late to edit it, I'll say now that I live in New Jersey and would like to be able to get home at least once every two months without having to take a plane. Sorry for not mentioning that in the OP.</p>

<p>I'm from NJ; applying to Rutgers as well. Why aren't you applying to TCNJ? </p>

<p>I know what you mean about staying close but not too close. The only other NJ school I plan on applying to is Drew.</p>

<p>I haven't toured TCNJ yet, but I'm hopefully planning on it and if I like it I might apply. It's not very popular in my High School for some reason so I don't know anyone who goes there. I don't really want to apply to that many Jersey schools, though.</p>

<p>I'm wondering if anyone knows a good way to present the extracurriculars on a college application in order to make them look substantial. Rutgers in particular gives you very little space to explain extracurriculars and doesn't even seem to have the option of putting down summer community service. I'm not very good at the whole embellishing and "selling myself" thing.</p>

<p>I would really shoot a bit higher if I were you. Are you interested in LAC's because I know a girl with very similar stats accepted at William and Mary.</p>

<p>Really? I view Maryland and to a degree Smith as reach schools, but I'm not sure if I'm right about that. I'm just not sure how much the good (if lopsided) SATs and SAT IIs make up for the decent but not incredible GPA and the mediocre ECs :-/. Still, another reach school or two might not be a bad idea.</p>

<p>I think I am submitting a resume to Rutgers. It includes all my community service, clubs, and honors.</p>

<p>The whole application is kind of weird. I don't even know when or where to send my transcript, if they even want it? Did you do the self-report thing?? I'm kind of lost. Am i the only one?</p>

<p>I think you have a good shot at almost all of your schools. My brother goes to Ramapo currently, and you should definitely be in there. I also live in NJ and I am applying to Rutgers, so here is what I understand about them. They want us to self-report now, and send our transcript after acceptances/matrics to make sure they are accurate. Yes, you should do the self-report thing, that is the only way they will get your grades.</p>

<p>Also, TCNJ is a beautiful campus, and students love it there, so I would probably suggest applying there as well.</p>

<p>i know people like to write essays about their EC's, so maybe that way. but i think you'll get into these schools.</p>

<p>chance back?
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/603590-i-just-found-out-i-f-d-up-last-thread-damn.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/603590-i-just-found-out-i-f-d-up-last-thread-damn.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thanks for chancing me at TCNJ! Based on your SATs and your GPA I say that you have a pretty good shot at these schools; they are bigger than most so their admissions is a little less personal, they are mostly concerned w/ your scores than your ec's. Still I don't think your ec's are as bad as you think, esp. for these schools. I say in at most if not all. Who knows, you might even qualify for merit aid! :)</p>