<p>You have survived some very difficult circumstances and managed to perserve. Good for you!
Georgetown, Vassar, Tufts, Duke, and Claremont McKenna are all super reaches- extremely unlikely.
Do you need financial aid? Then you may want to check out less competitive schools where your stats are in the top 75%. You might qualify for merit aid, especially if your SAT score goes up. </p>
<p>American University would be a reach. You might want to google the sites of different schools online and review the admission statistics. Below are the stats for American University. </p>
<p>American University Admitted Freshman Statistics</p>
<p>Fall 2006 Admitted Freshman Profile </p>
<p>Applications: 15,094
Admit rate: 53%
The averages are:
GPA 3.56/4.00 (recalculated based on academic courses)
SAT 1285 (of 1600)
ACT 28
The middle 50% test scores are:
26-30 on the ACT
1210-1360 on the SAT I (out of 1600)
250-273 on the TOEFL (computer-based)
603-647 on the TOEFL (paper-based)
High School Rank: Of admitted freshmen who reported rank, 55% were in the top 10%.</p>