<p>You HAVE made a realistic list of reaches/ matches/ safeties… except for Tufts. With a 17% admit rate and your ACT on the low end of their average, I’d have to call it a reach (and it is more selective than Barnard). But your passion for IR, if it is indeed a passion, could be your winning pitch at Tufts or Barnard. ED improves your chances everywhere, but you don’t seem to be leaning this way.</p>
<p>The reason people are noting your ECs, perhaps, is because the preference in admissions these days is for one or two areas of depth of passion/ interest rather than well-roundedness—and your cv is well-rounded. BUT your well-roundedness has depth. In other words, it sounds like you’ve give your all to each of your passions. You simply will have to stress one or two of them (theater/ medicine/ languages) in your app.</p>
<p>As Tufts is a reach, that puts 4 reaches on your list, 2 matches, and 2 safeties. I’d find another match—perhaps GWU or American? U Michgan? Bates? CHC?</p>
<p>Trust that with holistic admissions these days, you can package your strengths to each school based on how they prioritize scores versus essays versus GPA versus course rigor, etc. This info is out there—arm yourself with it! (And both Barnard and Tufts give a lot of weight to their essays, btw.) </p>
<p>Don’t be discouraged! You are a competitive applicant!</p>