<p>Hello everyone I am new to this site but wanted to get some feedback about what you all think my chances are to getting into my top choice schools. I am a male I was born in Bolivia moved to the United States nine years ago to seek at better education. My father was a civil engineer in Bolivia and my mom was an accountant. Pretty much it was a struggle to learn English at first but quickly adjusted to the American lifestyle. </p>
<p>So here are my stats:</p>
<p>No rank: School doesn't rank</p>
<p>GPA: 3.4 Weighted GPA my school district is ranked at the very top maybe ten best schools in the United States. The grading scale was recently changed to the ten point grading school. The scale before was very hard 94-100 was an A, 90-93 was a B+, 84-89 was a B, C+ was 83-80, C 74-79, D+ 70-73, D 64-69, and F Below 64. Our school district also changed the weight to AP and Honors courses before it was .5 for AP and nothing for honors. But they changed it this year to 1 for Ap's and .5 to honors. In total I will have taken 12 AP's and Honors courses. I show an upward trend in my grades each year.
8th grade: I took Algebra 1 Honors: B+, took French 1(huge mistake had it removed from my transcript.)</p>
<p>Freshman main courses: World History Honors:A, Biology Honors: B+, Geometry:C+, Bio Honors: B+, English: C+, Spanish 1: A</p>
<p>Sophomore main courses: AP World History: A (got a 4 on the exam), English 10: B, Algebra 2: B+, Chemistry Honors: B, Spanish 2: B+ (I stink at grammar)</p>
<p>Junior Year Courses: English 11 B+, AP US History A (got a 3 on the exam), PreCalc with Trig: B, AP Computer Science: B got a 2 on the exam, Physics Honors: A, and Spanish 3: B+ (I suck at grammar)</p>
<p>Senior Year Courses First Quarter Grades: AP English Lit/Com: A, AP Gov: A-, AP Calculus AB: B, AP Physics C: A, Spanish 4: 4, Accounting: A. What is bringing down my gpa is all the electives that I have taken, Gym, and Drivers Ed. I made the mistake of taking all my electives in a non serious way and have received poor grades. I just hope that schools really dont care about electives, gym, and drivers ed. </p>
<p>*Although my 1st quarter senior year grades are decent my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in late September of this year. My grades having been dropping tremendously for the second quarter and its looking like my grades are going to be ruined for my first semester because I can't seem in concentrate in school. I have told my counselor, and she has been helpful and said she will be contacting the schools directly about this issue. </p>
<p>SAT Scores: 1600(550 on math, 550 on critical reading, and 500 in writing) I retook the SAT's in November but still have not received those scores yet because they were delayed. I filled the wrong section with the answers and so my scores have been delayed. I didn't know what to expect from the November scores so I retook the SAT's just this past Saturday and had to on site register. I am going to take subject SAT's(Math 2, and US History) in January for University of Virginia. </p>
<p>Extracurricular Activities: </p>
<ol>
<li>Chess Club for three years: President my senior year. We won fourth place in states last year as a team. I put in a lot of hours during the week because there are school tournaments on Sunday's and I go to the meetings most Wednesdays. </li>
<li>I am a member of the History Honor Society: I was elected Treasurer this year. The club has just started this year. I'm sure I will put in a decent amount of time</li>
<li>Science Honor Society: I put in 10 hours of service hours per semester. </li>
<li>Business Honor Society: I have been a member since my sophomore year. </li>
<li>FBLA: All four years I am a pretty active member. </li>
<li>Varsity Swimming 4 years: District Final Qualifier, our district is pretty competitive. I also did club swimming and most of my time before school at 4:30 a.m. about an average of four times per week. I've been to pretty competitive meets I swam in qualifying meets at University of Maryland and at George Mason. I was very dedicated to swimming but quit this year my senior year because I am taking four AP's. </li>
<li>Worked for my church over the summer as a lifeguard for a camp for children with disabilities. Completely changed my life around, it was a very rewarding experience. 35 hours per week.</li>
<li>Volunteered for my church on a regular basis during my sophomore year for Sunday school. Put in at least a good 100 hours on that up until my senior year. </li>
<li>My senior year I will be recieving the civil seal award on my diploma for completing 50 hours of service hours and getting a B average in US and Gov classes. </li>
</ol>
<p>Essays are VERY GOOD!!: I wrote about the struggle of coming to America with no possessions and trusting in God to provide for my family. Talked about how my dad went from being a civil engineer in Bolivia to working in construction here in America. Said i found motivation to succeed in school because of him.
GREAT Recs: Got my counselor to write my rec's along with my Physics teacher from last year and he is also the sponsor for the chess club so we know each other pretty well. I also got one from my English 11 teacher, I worked hard in her class and asked me if I wanted a recommendation. So should be very good. </p>
<p>Ok SOOOO HERE are the schools that I am applying to or already applied to:</p>
<ol>
<li>James Madison University: EA asked me to apply with a four year scholarship so I did. I was going to apply regular decision but the opportunity presented it's self. My sister is a student at JMU so that might help. I've already received three phone calls from JMU from the diversity enhancement recruitment team asking me to apply. I am not sure what that means. </li>
<li>Purdue University:Submitted app before the priority deadline. Would have applied earlier but my SAT scores are very low!! I have received a lot of college mail from Purdue asking me to apply already in August. My mentor's father went to Purdue got his doctorate degree in Chemical Engineer. He says he is going to put in a good word for me. I am not sure if that's going to help.</li>
<li>Penn Sate(Main Campus): I applied before the priority deadline as well. I got invited to go up to Penn State all expenses paid by the Student Minority Advisory Recruitment Team. I had the best time of my life there, they treated me so well.I got to stay overnight with a student host and got to go to their classes. It was an amazing time!! They payed for my meals and everything. I don't know it just felt very welcoming. The school spirit is amazing.</li>
<li>University of Maryland College Park: Not yet applied there going to submit application within a week. I get a lot of college mail from them too. I got invited too many events but just didn't have the time for reasons i can not remember. </li>
<li>University of Virginia: Seems like a huge reach!!, but i recently got mail from the dean of the engineering and applied science asking me to apply to the school of engineering and applied science. I have received a lot of college mail from them and I have been invited to go to diversity chats and stuff. </li>
<li>Virginia Tech: havent really received anything from them. I went to visit the campus and that's it. </li>
<li>Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: They have constantly asked me to apply to their school since last year. They asked me to apply with a special application and have invited me to come to visit all expenses paid as well. They seem pretty interested that I apply so I am. I don't want to apply early decision since it's binding. </li>
<li>Georgia Tech: I met with an admissions counselor from Georgia Tech at my school. She expressed that they pride themselves for being the number 1 recruiter for Hispanic and African American engineers. It's one of the top engineering schools in the country and I am trying to major in aerospace or aeronautical engineering. They haven't expressed interest in me so I might get rejected. But I will apply anyway.</li>
<li>Florida Tech: They have expressed a lot of interest in me asked me to come down to Florida Tech. Said if I get admitted that the amount that I spent on going to Florida they would take away from my tuition. Lots of college mail.
10: Drexel: asked me to apply with VIP application. Might be safety school.</li>
</ol>
<p>Those are all the schools that I am applying to please CHANCE ME and I WILL DEF CHANCE YOU BACK!! I believe that this year has been the hardest year of my life, but I find hope in God everyday. I know that God has a perfect plan for my life so I am walking by faith in Him. Whatever college I get admitted to I know that there is a purpose for me being there. Thank you for reading this and please chance me thank you. I WILL CHANCE BACK!!</p>