<p>I made a thread before, but with no replies...</p>
<p>Yeah, so I'm a West African male who goes to a public school in the South Bronx. AP, College and Honors classes are weighted, so there's just one GPA.</p>
<p>GPA: 85.40
Rank: Top 20% percentile. My actual rank is like 22/115
SAT I scores: M: 570 W: 700 E 11 CR: 700 (1970 SAT). SAT scores aren't really competitive around here. Although my score is meh by by CC standards, I have the second highest sat score in my graduating class (highest is 2300 by guy also in top 20% percentile)
SAT II scores: Eng Lit - 750, US History - 730
AP: My school offers one AP to juniors, which is Eng Lit. There is also AP Spanish, but that is more geared towards Hispanic students. Anyways, I got a 3 on the Eng Lit exam. This year, they've added AP Biology and Calculus AB. Regarding the latter, I just opted to take a calc course at the community college. basically, i've taken the most rigorous classes my school offers.</p>
<p>Up until my Junior year, I had a strabismus condition which would cause me to get lingering headaches in and out of class, and directly affect my concentration drastically. So much so that I was often unable to perform at an optimal level in and out of school. I would also frequently get pain in my eye. At the very end of junior year, I got corrective surgery, hence the surge in my grades. My frosh/ sophomore year grades were so crappy due to this, but will this be a reasonable excuse. I plan to provide necessary documentation from my doctor. It added to an on and off depression - one that I've been able to handle, though (didn't go to doctor for this). Also, based on the situation as of late, I'm not firm as to how my mom can pay for my college education. My mom is from a country in West Africa.</p>
<p>Freshman Year:</p>
<p>World History I & II (accelerated): 71 / 71
World History III & IV (accelerated): 91 / 91
Eng I & 2: 78 / 77
Biology: 55 / 86
Math A1 & A2: 67 / 75</p>
<p>Sophomore Year:</p>
<p>Chem 1/ Chem 2: 86 / 74
Eng 3 / Eng 4: 88 / 80
Math A3 / Math B1: 74 / 82
US Hist Hon: 80 / 81
Art Studio: 91 / 91</p>
<p>Junior Year:</p>
<p>AP Eng Lit: 81 / 90
Math B3 / Pre-cal (college credit): 85 / B-
Econ: 97 / 97
Philosophy (college credit): A-
Psychology (college credit): A+
Music Theory: 95</p>
<p>Senior Year:</p>
<p>AP Biology
Calculus I (college credit)
Expository Writing (college credit)
Chinese 101 (college credit)
Japanese I</p>
<p>EC's:</p>
<p>Business Director for nationally-accredited school magazine (12)
Contributer to above magazine (10, 11, 12)
Was selected along with another student on an expenses paid trip to San Francisco for public policy research w/ organization w/ ties to uc berkeley (11)
Took a Robotics, Statistics, and Technical Writing class in a NASA funded summer program (10)
Member of Venture Scholar Program (10, 11, 12)
121 hours of volunteer service at well-known science museum (11)
Member of college/high school/middle school program (11, 12)
First Tutors in Peer Tutoring program (11, 12) [45+ HRS]
Won several speaking awards and awards on debate team (10)
I watch my brother for 20 - 25 hrs per week (9, 10, 11, 12)
Actor in drama club (11). Hosted first shows. I also was one of the students who painted our enormous room.
3rd place in school monologue competition (11th)
taught myself spanish and some french. i've taken initiative by taking a college level chinese 101 class (11 - present)</p>
<p>Schools:</p>
<p>NYU
USC
Bard College
Seton Hall
SUNY - Buffalo State, Binghamton, Stony Book, Albany
Occidental College
American University
Cal, UCLA, Riverside, Santa Cruz, Irvine. I know I have almost NO chance at the first two, but is there still a slight possibility considering the circumstances? What about Riverside, Santa Cruz, and Irvine?
Union College</p>
<p>I have strong recs and essays, but are some of my schools a bit unrealistic? I have a few other schools, but right now, it feels as if I have virtually no chance at some of the schools I've listed. I might take the SAT in December, since I KNOW I can break 2000.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot.</p>