<p>UPDATE: After research+visits, plz scratch U of Chicago from list, and keep Northwestern as one of the priorities :)</p>
<p>NO WAY. In-state advantage is BAD extremely BAD for Rice. they hate Texans…</p>
<p>All of the schools on your list, except for UT, are reaches for everybody, and your credentials, while excellent, are not unusual at those schools. I think you have a very good chance at Rice and Northwestern, and a reasonable chance at Duke and the Ivies. But you need to have a couple of match schools, too, and you need to think if you are satisfied with UT as your only safety.
As for your ECs, they’re good, but they are mostly in the school.</p>
<p>UPDATE: Schools to add to my List:
Johns Hopkins
Upenn
Boston U
Michigan
MIT</p>
<p>Welll as much as all these people claim “Rice hates texans” and such, have they looked at a Rice class profile? 361 people out of the 800 or so in last year’s Rice class are from Texas. The reason for this is that Rice is incredibly well known within Texas, but not so much outside. It’s not that Rice adcoms love Texans, it’s that we become very prominent in the applicant pool. So don’t worry, you have an equally strong chance as anyone. Hell, I’m in Houston and I got in. But yeah, no way is it a safety school by any stretch of the imagination. </p>
<p>As for your SATs if you want to be competitive for MIT and Stanford (big time engineering schools) you positively must get those up to at least a 2250 overall, or at least an 790 or 800 in Math.</p>
<p>Essays are also a must. Get started now and finish early. My junior english teacher gave college essays as an assignment for class, so my main commonapp essay had been done even before senior year started. </p>
<p>Volunteering in a hospital, while it looks good on an app, is fairly common in the applicant pool and won’t really set you apart. However, research experience very often DOES set you apart (never did any myself, regret that). Try getting into some summer research program at one of the schools you want to go to. Or just do your own independent research and enter competitions. Colleges love awards on the national level, in my experience, local stuff is not as big of a deal.</p>
<p>lulz @ this thread… rice = high match at least… i know two super well qualified kids, national merit, 2280/2290 respectively, incredible EC’s, both near perfect gpas from my school… both waitlisted at rice lol. and i live in houston btw.</p>
<p>Lol, i didnt know i would set off a firestorm with this whole Rice deal. I take back what i said, IM SORRY. But most likely i wont even apply or attend Rice, I want to get out of Texas and explore so it doesnt matter what my chances are at Rice.
Since my SAT is obviously a little below par, im thinking of taking ACT, is this a good idea??
and keep posting opinions, be brutally honest 
thank you</p>
<p>I think you are in at NU. You have a good shot at Duke, and the Ivies, what can I say? I assume that if you are applying to the Ivies, then you know the randomness of their admissions. You might get into one or rejected from all. Rice is not a safety, don’t treat it like one. Apply to a REAL safety, not a school that is a tad under Ivy caliber. Out of your new schools, you should be good for Michigan and Boston U. The others and questionable. Good luck</p>
<p>UPDATE: ACADEMIC TEAM: I placed at state(top 6) in Ready Writing, but I AM THE STATE CHAMPION IN SOCIAL STUDIES!!! 1ST PLACE! yay!</p>
<p>NOICE!! congrats</p>
<p>K, got some BAD news people. I dropped in ranking to #6. Idk how it happened, but it did. As always i will keep trying and fighting but i have a feeling this will be a dog fight till the end.
Plus, i was waitlisted at my summer research internship program. so now i dont really have anything special in the summer…yall have any suggestions for summer?? I really want to do something with internship or research. Specific references to programs that are still accepting or might have a spot would be greatly appreciated. Thank You</p>
<p>Would you consider getting an ungodly amount of volunteer hours a good alternative?</p>
<p>Naw, I already have a good enough amount. and a research or internship would really set my app apart from the many many who volunteer a lot. PLEASE any openings or opportunities that you all know about??</p>