I’m a rising senior, and I’m trying to decide where to apply this fall. I’m a public school student from a small town, and my grades and scores, while excellent for my community, are middling at best in the large pool. I know I have little chance of being competitive at an Ivy League level, but I’m trying to get into the best school I can/the best fit for me.
I will most likely be applying to schools as an intended English major, based on my scores. However, I would like to double major, optimally in English and neuroscience. As this is an uncommon major, it’s as likely to be psychology with a neuroscience concentration.
Could someone please take the time to chance me? Any other suggestions for schools would be greatly appreciated; I’ve done all the research I can online but my school doesn’t provide great college prep resources and I can’t afford long-distance college tours.
Me: I’m a lower-to-middle class white student from a small community. I don’t have any Ivy connections besides a second cousin who went to Princeton on a golf scholarship.
Financial aid is a must.
Grades:
Honor student, A’s in all classes throughout school career besides Precalc and AP Calculus AB (B+ in both)
Top ten in class
GPA:
Weighted, 4.73
Unweighted, 3.9
Senior courseload:
PSYCH 105 (taken online over the summer)
AP Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Computer Science
AP United States History
Honors Human Anatomy & Physiology
Honors Newspaper Editing
(By the end of this year, I will have taken 9 AP’s, which is every AP class my school offers save AP Physics and AP Studio Art)
SAT Scores:
Old SAT: 2260 (800 Reading, 800 Writing, 660 Math)
New SAT: 1460 (770 Reading/Writing, 690 Math)
ACT Score: 33 (36 Reading, 36 Writing, 31 Math, 27 Science)
Extracurriculars:
Job at local independent bookstore (have worked afterschool and weekends during school year as well as full time summers since freshman year)
Model United Nations Vice President
Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (student representatives from each school, I was selected by my middle school principal and will be in my 7th year)
Technical Theater Stage Management
1 year travel soccer (team was disbanded)
Newspaper Editing (class and club, heavily award-winning paper)
Teen Court (if unfamiliar, community program that allows teens who have committed misdemeanors to be judged by lawyers/jury of their peers, given a rehabilitative sentence and no criminal record)
Volunteer work for summer story times for children
Marathon and race volunteering
Will begin an internship with a local research facility this fall, 300 hours
I am a competent writer, and am confident in a decent application essay. I’m planning on three recommendation letters, one from my English teacher, one from my science teacher of 3 years, and one from my boss. I have close personal relationships with all of them (small town perks!).
As of this moment, my short list of schools includes UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Georgetown, Duke, Amherst, Villanova, NYU, and Northwestern. I will probably also be applying to a few of the following as safety schools: Appalachian State, Wake Forest, Smith, Elon.
I know this list sounds all over the place, but I’ve done my research and there are benefits to each of them (proximity to opportunity, specific programs or majors, etc. that interest me)
I’m going to apply to two Ivies as well-- not because I expect anything from it, but who knows? I might get lucky. That will most likely be Cornell and Dartmouth.
Any input? Am I completely out of my depth? Suggestions, advice, or chance appraisals would be hugely appreciated; I’m kind of doing this on my own.