CHANCE: Pretty please with a cherry on top read this thread.

<p>Hey to all my fellow CC'ers out there. It is my senior year and application deadlines are approaching and I was hoping for some feedback on the practicality of my college list (if I need more safeties/matches etc) Any responses would be greatly appreciated, thank you all!</p>

<p>White Female from California
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.6 weighted
Rank: Top 1% / Valedictorian out of 230
School: Uncompetitive public high school
SAT: 2200 720 cr, 710 writing, 770 math
SAT II: (Planning to retake in January because I know I can do much better) 680 US History, 680 Chemistry, 780 Math II
ACT: Will take in December, predicting 33 from practice tests
AP's: Disclaimer, my school has very low AP scores...</p>

<p>AP Chemistry (3) AP US History (4) AP English Lang (5) AP Calculus BC (1, with an A+ in the class both semesters... ya I don't wanna talk about it)</p>

<p>Senior Course Load:
-AP Literature, AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP Government, AP Macroeconomics, independently studying AP French w/ my French teacher, and Guitar
-Also taking a French at a Community college, and a theater arts class (all add weighted college credit to my transcript)</p>

<p>Summer Work
- After attending first nationally accredited summer camp in US for 7 years, I have participated in the Leadership Training Program for the past 3 summers
- Junior Statesmen of America summer school where I studied Honors Int'l Relations and Congressional debate @ Georgetown
- Junior Lifeguards (Captain)
- Regularly compete at Dance nationals in Vegas, and attend weeklong dance intensives in LA</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars
-President of Junior Statesmen of America (10, 11, 12)
-President of my school's dance team (10, 11, 12) (we perform at all school fundraisers, rallys, games, etc because we don't have cheerleaders haha)
- Junior and Senior Class President (11, 12)
- Helped found Model United Nations (11, 12)
- Competitive Dancer (since age 8, rehearse >25 hrs/week, pretty good... not gunna lie, will submit dance reel to colleges I apply to)
- Mock Trial - Prosecution attorney - I do the directs and the opening, and one cross
- Key Club (9, 10, 11, 12)
- National Honors Society (10, 11, 12)
- Photo editor of yearbook (11) - it's a class not a club, that's why there's only one year
- Link Crew leader (10, 11, 12)</p>

<p>Volunteer Work (approx 600 hrs)
- Asked by my school to tutor after school twice a week (11, 12)
- As a member of Key Club and NHS we do additional service hours for Second harvest, adopt a family, beach clean ups, etc (9, 10, 11, 12)
- Work twice a week at animal services clinic (i socialize the animals and introduce them to potential adoptees) (11, 12)
- Nothing incredible, I just genuinely like to stay involved in my community and give back and there are TONSSSSS of community service opportunities</p>

<p>Employment
- Counseling at summer camp (11, 12)
- Dance teacher (9, 10, 11, 12)
- Private tutor (outside of school) (12)</p>

<p>Awards
- Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen award (Nominee from my school, waiting to hear results of district competition)
- AP Scholar
- Principle's List (9, 10, 11, 12)
- English teacher gave me "flexibility award" for being a positive and adaptable student
- Above and Beyond Award (showing leadership in the classroom and in extra curriculars)
- Multiple dance awards and scholarships (Best group, best soloist, technique, entertainment, choreography awards, etc... will list on dance resume I attach to arts supplement)
- ELC eligible for UCs
- Homecoming Princess? hahaha</p>

<p>Rec's
1 from counselor who seems to really like me... so I hope it's good!!
1 from government teacher who I LOVE, hope they like me too.. gave me a previous rec for georgetown summer program.. so I hope it's good!
1 from chemistry teacher who is my favorite homie and knows my personality very well, so I hope it's good!
- considering supplemental letter of rec from either 1. the district attorney who works with my mock trial class and appt'd me to attorney or 2. the head of the leadership program at the international summer camp I've gone to since I was 7</p>

<p>Hooks:
- Yale legacy
- Accomplished with dance
- Actually, I'm a white girl from california... I don't have any hooks!!!</p>

<p>Major:
International Relations!!! or Communications
w/ a minor in possibly chemistry, or dance </p>

<p>I'm applying to:</p>

<p>Reach: Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Dartmouth, Georgetown (SFS), Princeton, U Chicago, Brown, Columbia</p>

<p>Match (I think): UC Berkeley, UCLA, Tufts <3 , Boston U (honors college), and NYU</p>

<p>Safety (I hope): UC Davis, Northeastern</p>

<p>Yeah I know it's a lot... but I am truly passionate about each one of these schools (except for Davis and Northeastern... but I needed to be practical)</p>

<p>So yeah... that's all I can think of for now... please tell me what you think!! Do I need more safeties? What are my chances? All that good stuff. </p>

<p>If you're reading this, THANK YOU (:</p>

<p>Not sure all the schools on your list will accept Jan 2012 SAT II retakes. Better check.</p>

<p>HYPS - Is there really a need for you to apply to all 4? Chances are very slim.</p>

<p>Perhaps you should pick Yale, and replace the other 3 with match/safeties.</p>

<p>Yeah I checked they all do but Stanford which is fine I’ll just send in my math and us history even if it’s not my best. and I’m applying to hyps because each of the schools are extremely different. Im not sure why everyone on CC always groups them, they only similarity is that they are highly selective. </p>

<p>PS thank you for the feedback</p>

<p>I don’t like cherries…</p>

<p>I think your list is fine. Your GPA and rank are solid. Your ECs, although good, lack the distinction that top-tier, most selective schools may be looking for. Your SAT scores are very good but won’t make you a superstar applicant at the Ivy/Ivy-equivalents. I’m not sure you get acceptances to any of your reach schools (except maybe GU) but you DO get accepted to the others (except maybe Tufts), including all of the UCs. Don’t mention that you were a homecoming princess. Schools don’t care, and it detracts from your “meatier” accomplishments.</p>

<p>Best of luck to you!</p>

<p>Thank you jshain, i appreciate the advice</p>