<p>I'm currently a high school junior. This year, I've started to get a better idea of where I might be interested in applying/what I'm looking for in a college. How would you gauge my chances at these schools?</p>
<p>Swarthmore
UChicago
Brown
Princeton (I know, pipe dream)
Yale (ha.)
Haverford
Middlebury
Carleton
Grinnell
Wesleyan
Reed</p>
<p>White, no hook (income 250K+)
School: private urban prep
Residence: Maryland</p>
<p>SATs: January 2011
CR 800, M 710, W 780 (2290 total)
Retaking in June, hoping to bring math up to ~750
SAT IIs: June 2010
Math IIC 760
Taking US history, biology, and literature in May; expecting about 750, 730, and 780 respectively based on practice tests
APs: 2010
Took European History though my school doesn't offer the AP option and got a 3 (I don't think I'll be sending that one!)
2011: taking US history, biology, and English literature; expecting 5, 4/5, and 5 respectively</p>
<p>GPA: my school doesn't calculate, but ~3.85 unweighted, 4.2 weighted
No class rank</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Newspaper: my main activity; will be on staff for 4 years, including being editor-in-chief this and part of next year. I spend a lot of time on this.
Mock trial/Harvard Model Congress: really got into it this year, helped found school's mock trial team after my first HMC
Genocide awareness group: 4 years of participation
Animal welfare group: 3 years of participation
Helping a teacher with research at a local university
Morris dancing (no, I'm not kidding)--two years for my school's holiday assemblies
Oxbridge program over the last summer: got an A+ for English course and the professor is very willing to write another recommendation if I want it.</p>
<p>Award: (ha, yes, singular)
My mock trial team for HMC won a conference-wide award. It was a six-person team, so I'd say this is a fair testament to all of our involvement.</p>
<p>Recommendations:
History teacher who has taught me for two years (including APUSH this year) who I am helping with research/doing a lot of outside reading for. She knows me very well and likes me very much.
Science teacher whose class I've struggled in (AP biology is a killer) but who can attest to how hard I've worked to overcome my detail phobia. I definitely try hard in his class.
Extracurricular recommendation from newspaper/mock trial/dancing faculty supervisor who also taught me in sophomore year. We know each other pretty well at this point, particularly through the paper.
College counselor who is fairly well known at a fair number of the schools I'm interested in. I've tried to get to know her in a non-pushy manner and we're very friendly with each other.</p>
<p>Essay: undecided, but I'm a very strong writer and I plan to spend a lot of time thinking and revising</p>
<p>Thank you so much!</p>