-- Chance Me Please! I need some help so I can narrow down my choices --

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I just finished my Junior year and will be graduating at the end of 2009. I am using this post to try to see where I could get in so I have a basis to start my college search/narrowing down with.</p>

<p>Stats:
-White male
-Rural Iowan
-Parents income is <70k/year
-Small public school (28 in my class)
-3.93 unweighted GPA (We don't do weighted)
-Valedictorian (Presumptive)</p>

<p>Tests:
-30-31 on ACTs (retaking in fall)
-Taking SATs in June
-202 PSAT (National Merit, will find out more in Sept.)</p>

<p>School:
-I have taken the most rigorous schedule possible (many PSEOs & AP classes), have pushed for improvements in T&G education
-I'll have 45-50 college credits by HS graduation, not including AP (all taken at CC though)</p>

<p>ECs:
Activity / Years / Other
Cross Country / 4 / Varsity runner
Soccer / 4 / JV captain (11th gr.), Varsity captain (next year)
Speech / 4 / State (3 times), All-State (1 time)
Student Council / 3 / Member of 3 committees (possibly President next year)
-1 year of: Mock Trial, Choir, Physics Club
-Other: Editor-in-chief of HS newspaper, Web Administrator of school website</p>

<p>*AP: *
Macroeconomics (4) (9th gr.)
US Gov't (3) (10th gr.)
US History (?) (11th gr.)
English Language (?) (taking next year)
Spanish Language (?) (taking next year)</p>

<p>Volunteer:
-Co-organized a blood drive, volunteered at two (2 years)
-Reffed youth soccer games (2 years)
-Coached T-Ball (3 years)
-Will volunteer on a Republican party campaign this summer</p>

<p>Other:
-Republican Junior Delegate at County, District [and maybe National] conventions (Junior chairman at the district convention)
-National Merit ? (probably commended student)</p>

<p>Possible Colleges:
You don't have to chance me on all of these, do how ever many you please!
Harvard (haha)
Stanford
U of Pennsylvania
Georgetown University
UCLA
USC
Cornell University
U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
George Washington University
U of Iowa (safety, will have no problem getting in)</p>

<p>Thanks a ton!</p>

2

<p>Harvard-reach (you should apply anyway)
Stanford-low reach
UCLA-reach (out of state, Iowa?)
Cornell-low reach</p>

<p>You are an overall good applicant. I was like... WOW.
You ACTs are alright, you can still improve.
The above predictions are kind of iffy though.</p>

<p>I won't be surprised if you got into one of the colleges you wanted to get into =)</p>

3

<p>Thanks, you're a bit more optimistic than I. I'm worried about my lack of volunteering, and my other possible short fallings. </p>

<p>More opinions, please :)</p>

4

<p>Anyone else want to give it a try, please, I really need help :$</p>

5

<p>it would be nice if u can get your SATs and ACTs up. also, take SATIIs--u need 3 u know. being from Iowa and low-income helps. definitely apply to all of the schools u listed. good luck!</p>

6

<p>Actually, I didn't know about that :S</p>

<p>I guess I have <em>more</em> tests to take! :(</p>

7

<p>bump, thanks guys</p>

8

<p>im not exactly an expert or anything but what I've read, its best to aim for at least a 34 or a 2250 on your tests if your ambitious about ivies. Im not one to really talk though cause I dont have any thing close to those scores and Im still aiming high. </p>

<p>Ivies are pretty unpredictable... so to keep it in a positive mood... like they say... "you can if you believe" lol</p>

9

<p>:-S</p>

<p>I'm not going to get that high, to be honest. I would be ecstatic if I got a 32.</p>

10

<p>anymore opinions?</p>

11

<p>---OOPS! Mis-post!</p>

12

<p>Try the SAT then, a 32 for an unhooked candidate make H and S highly unlikely.</p>

13

<p>Since you already took the ACT, you don't have to take the SAT II's. Harvard, and many other schools, specify that you can take either the SAT I plus two-three (3 in Harvard's case) SAT II's OR you can take the ACT. Because you have already taken the ACT, you don't need to stress yourself out about cramming in more tests. But, to answer you question, I think that you have a fair shot at wherever you apply to. Just keep up the good work!</p>

14

<p>arent cross country and soccer the same season?</p>

15

<p>Not in Iowa :)</p>

<p>Soccer = Spring
XC = Fall</p>

16

<p>Your motivation to take community college courses is definietly to your advantage. And your involvement in County/Region/State is really cool.</p>

<p>So basically, it all ways on your SAT I and II's. Hope all goes well!</p>

<p>Chance me too! "A Stanford Chance"</p>

17

<p>your list is composed of mostly reaches and possible high matches. Unless you are thoroughly ok with attending Iowa if your other colleges don't work out, maybe you can add a few more definite safeties and matches in there. Some that might even give you generous merit aid, because your academic record and ec's are pretty good. I agree with KevinSF that you should apply to Harvard anyway. It's ok, it's a ha-ha for almost everyone anyway, so why not :) Good luck NealJ.</p>

18

<p>Just to correct a potential misunderstanding, Harvard does require SAT IIs from all applicants, even those who submit the ACT. </p>

<p>Here's the link:
Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: frequently asked questions</p>

<p>It is true that some schools don't require SAT IIs from students who submit the ACT, but you need to check carefully. (For example, the subject test requirements at Cornell vary by the division to which you apply -- ILR is the only division that allows ACT submitters to skip the SAT IIs.)</p>