<p>Chance for chance, I suppose.
I'm a junior, graduating next year (11-12).
PSAT: 215, National Merit Commended OR Semi-Finalist, not sure yet.
SAT I Composite (so upset, will retake in Sep.): 2020 (760 CR, 640 Writing, 620 Math)
GPA: 3.55 (UW) - my school does not weight grades, but we're a silver medal school (top 3%)
AP's: Will graduate with 5: Lit, Comp, Gov, Psych, and Environmental Science.
A-B+'s in all AP's. AP scores projected to be 4's and 5's.
EC's: Debate: I have been debating for 2 years, am very successful, have placed at State 2x and am going to NFL Nationals (in LD, also qual'd in USX) this year. I will be a captain next year on the team. We're reigning State champs.
Fencing: I no longer fence but qualified to the 2009 Junior Olympics in women's sabre. I fenced for 4 years.
This summer I am going to rebuild trails for 5 weeks with the Northwest Youth Corps.
I will graduate with over 300 hours of community service.
I also do slam poetry and am very successful there, as well.
I've also completed NaNoWriMo with 50,000+ words.
Schools I'm serious about: (top 3) George Washington U (DC), American U (DC), Rice U (TX, I have legacy here, my dad went to undergrad)
Possibilities (I'd like to add to this category): Northeastern, Boston U, Lewis And Clark, Stanford (just for kicks)
Additionally I only have $5,000-7,000/yr for college and need scholarships. Ethnically I'm a quarter Pakistani, a quarter Austrian, and half generic "white". I also have awesome letters of recommendations from my AP Lit teacher (PhD, former college professor), my AP Gov teacher (former lawyer), and my debate coach. I want to major in International Relations with a Pre-Law minor if possible. I also plan on going to graduate school for a JD.
I'm incredibly anxious!
(P.S. Yes this is a duplicate thread. I can't edit the other one. D: Don't hate!)</p>
<p>No hate necessary 
Your extracurriculars are good, and SAT isnt bad at all (still top 10% of the country, even if you don’t like it!). I would say…</p>
<p>If you’re in the top 20% of your class, you should definitely get into GWU, American, Northeastern, BU, and Lewis & Clark. If you’re not top 10%, Stanford and Rice are very unlikely – if you are top 10% and manage to raise the SAT above 2100 (preferably 2150 or 2200) I would say Rice is a definite possibility with Stanford being unlikely but possible. It’s impossible to give a % chance or anything but an “unlikely” with Stanford, and Rice…is very selective. Make sure to interview with them and express interest and you should have a good chance.</p>
<p>Class rank is a really big issue at my school. There aren’t weighted GPA’s – if there were I would be in the top 10-20%. As it is I’m in the top 50 because a bunch of slackers take History of Rock and Roll and get A’s. Does that actually screw me over? I know American doesn’t consider class rank.</p>
<p>Top 50…%? That can really hurt your chances, but there is an area on the common app to explain any…“issues” you’ve had, and you could definitely explain that there. However, remember basically every school you listed looks at rigor, though, so it’s quite possible. I would stand by what I said, with Stanford and Rice becoming slightly more unlikely but still not a complete shot in the dark :)</p>
<p>Yeah. My course load is pret-ty hefty. I didn’t know the Common App had a place like that. Our counselors mention it in our letters of rec, though. It really sucks. We have 14 valedictorians this year, and 10 of them shouldn’t be there. :/</p>
<p>I’d say GW, American, Northeastern, BU, and Lewis & Clark are all virtually locks. Rice is likely and Stanford is possible. Good luck!!</p>
<p>Apply to Rice ED, make full use of that legacy status(:</p>
<p>If you really love Rice, I would second Eli’s opinion. It would help.</p>
<p>I think GWU and American would give me more aid. ED’s still up in the air, but I gave my Nat. Merit notifications to GWU and Rice.</p>
<p>Bump! :)</p>
<p>Rice is big on legacies</p>