<p>i'm a junior in high school and i wanted to know if any of these schools were realistic reaches for me:
Carnegie-Mellon
University of Chicago
Cornell
Amherst</p>
<p>GPA: unweighted - low 90s, weighted 95+ (idk exactly)
SAT I: 2300, 800 CR, 700 Math, 800 W
SAT IIs: 800 Literature, 750 Math II, 720 Physics </p>
<p>AP Courses:
(Sophmore)
Statistics - 4
World History - 5</p>
<p>(Junior)
BC Calc
Physics B<br>
English Language and Comp.
US History </p>
<p>(Senior)
Multivariable Calc (technically not in the AP curriculum but my school offers it through the local uni and it's weighted as an AP class)
Chemistry
Literature
Government & Politics
Environmental Science
Psychology</p>
<p>ECs:
Clarinet for ~ 8 years
Marching Band
Wind Ensemble
Staff writer in school paper as a freshman, editor as junior + senior</p>
<p>Other:
~150 hours of volunteering at the radiology department in the local hospital
i've won awards from a few regional essay competitions
and i think i'm going to qualify as a National Merit Scholar Semi-finalist/finalist
+ i'm planning on doing a research project on computer imaging processess in a lab this summer</p>
<p>any input would be greatly appreciated! thanks :)</p>
<p>If i were an admissions officer i would not admit you anywhere besides Amherst. All others you almost will certainly not get in. </p>
<p>you know why i say this?</p>
<p>because after i read your resume. nothing stood out to me. i wasnt inspired, or even indicated what your passions were. you say youve done clarinet for 8 years, so. what have you done with that thats made you better. if youve sat last third for 8 years, its not impressive right? Also everything about you is just so normal. so so normal. I can tell you im more impressive, and i know people more impressive than me, so thats the truth.</p>
<p>yeah, i definitely see where you’re coming from; my credentials are pretty mediocre and generic for those schools.
i neglected to mention that i’ve done state level auditions for clarinet and scored consistent 100s and i play first and sit first chair + wind ensemble is an audition only course in my school.</p>
<p>do you have any recommendations on how i could try and distinguish myself?
- i appreciate you taking the time to respond :D</p>
<p>Problem is what you just said is eactly what ive done. and ive done more. Ive played clarinet in Times squared with the MACYS’s band, and toured europe with national honor band. and much more.</p>
<p>my advice is to do something beneficial with your passions. I raised money and donated to places through clainet and medical research… but unless you do something amazing with clarinet like really amazing something not a lot of ppll have done before, you honestly will probably not make it to those really top notch ivys/pseudo ivys.</p>
<p>keep pushing bud. you are obviously smart. dont let colleges confirm or deny that.</p>
<p>as thanks 
i’ll certainly try</p>
<p>Nasaman seems to not understand that Amherst is probably the hardest school to get into on your list. I see them all as realistic reaches.</p>
<p>really? i have to meet with my guidance councilor to talk about colleges i’m interested in - and these aren’t the only ones, obviously - but i didn’t want to bring up schools that were far out of my reach cus that would be embarrassing haha</p>
<p>thanks for the input :)</p>
<p>You think Amherst is the hardest to get into on that list. You are a fool.</p>
<p>lol a simple google search can verify that statement if you don’t believe them.
no need to be condescending…especially considering that you’re wrong :/</p>
<p>I think those are all great, realistic reaches. It could go either way with any of them. If you are certain about one as a first choice and aren’t worried about financial aid, pick your favorite and apply ED for the added boost.</p>
<p>@NASAman reread your statements. You come off as sooo arrogant.</p>
<p>I think that considering your scores and course rigor you are definitely in the running. I agree that you need to stand out, but I think you can easily make that happen with a well written essay. Passion might just be as important as achievement. Some colleges might be looking at people with potential to accomplish something as equally as they look at people who have already accomplished something. The reasoning behind it is that some people who have not achieved anything outstanding might not have made the accomplishments because there were not available opportunities, or none that they knew about. If you’ve taken advantage of every opportunity you’ve had, don’t worry about not being the national xxx fancy title here. If you’re planning on doing a research project, I think that’s a great way to show you have initiative. So yeah, I think your choices are realistic reaches.</p>
<p>thanks everyone!
yeah hopefully i will stand out a bit if i get good teacher recs and write a good essay. </p>
<p>one last question…this is like an embarrassing pipe dream of mine haha, but would i have a shot at columbia if i tried applying early decision there?
i don’t wanna waste my ED on it if it’s an impossibility lol</p>