Chance me for engineering! (Rice, Olin, Northwestern, etc.)

First, some background: my high school situation is somewhat unique, as I was homeschooled through my sophomore year of high school while living on a small farm with my family, and I transferred into a public high school at the beginning of my junior year (I’m currently a senior). My GC is already going to provide explanations for a few issues we encountered with transferring academics-wise, but I do plan on explaining my situation fully in the additional information section on the Common App since it’s not entirely clear from the other information given.

GPA: 3.98 UW/4.25 W - one B freshman year, A’s in everything else, and I have an upward trend in weighted GPA.
Class Rank: 4/306 (weighted)

ACT: 36C (35E, 35M, 36R, 36S)
SAT: 2400 first try, only took it for NMF originally but will be submitting it to all schools
SAT II: 800 Math II, 800 Physics

APs: CompSci (5), Statistics (5), European History (5), Calc AB, English Language and Composition, U.S. Gov. I will also be graduating with 43 credits at a local CC through dual enrollment, and this year I’m taking six classes at said CC: Electronic Circuit Analysis + lab (two different classes), Networking Technologies, Microprocessors + lab, and Robotics.

ECs/volunteering/work:
-FIRST Robotics Competition: This is pretty much what takes up most of my time, I’ve been doing it for almost nine years. I’m currently co-captain of my team and I’ve led team programming in the past.
-FIRST Tech Challenge: A similar competition, I’m captain of this team as well
-Mentor for middle school robotics teams
-Taught robotics/engineering classes at middle school summer camps for a few years
-Organized a Relay for Life team
-4-H Club treasurer, also won a bunch of low-level awards for computer-related 4-H projects
-Piano lessons (nine years total)
-Library’s Teen Advisory Board
-Worked at grocery store since this past summer

Awards:
-AP Scholar
-National Merit Semifinalist
-FIRST Robotics Dean’s List Semifinalist (basically a leadership award, doesn’t really mean much)
-A bunch of minor school awards (academic award, etc.)

Essays:
-Common app: 9/10
-Supplements: 8.5/10

Recs:
-Guidance Counselor: 9.5/10, she absolutely loves me and knows me pretty well
-11th grade literature/English comp teacher: 9/10, he knows me fairly well since I wrote a lot about myself, and he also nominated me for a school award
-AP Stats teacher: 8/10, might be kinda generic, but he at least knows about my heavy involvement in robotics

Other info:
-White male
-Iowa resident
-Attend a fairly good suburban public high school
-Intended major: computer engineering
-Family income: around $120,000

Schools I’m applying to:
-Rice
-Northwestern
-Olin
-RPI
-Case Western
-WPI
-Purdue
-UMN-TC (safety, already accepted)
-In-state schools (safeties)

I know that my ECs are kinda weak and I don’t have a whole lot of AP classes, but I’m hoping that my demonstrated passion for robotics/engineering combined with my stellar test scores and somewhat unique background will help me. Thanks!

Your ECs are fine, as is that courseload - especially with something like a year’s worth of credits from DE courses.

I’d give you a good chance at all your schools: 20-30% for the reaches (Rice, Northwestern), better still for the rest.

You have a good shot at Olin, as you come from a state underrepresented there. If you have Twitter, look at the Olin Admissions office feed to see some of the tips to applicants from current Olin students. Test scores are but one indicator of your fit at Olin. They want to hear about your passion and what defines you as a person.

Thanks for the advice @NoVADad99!