<p>Ethnicity: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Location: Bergen County, New Jersey</p>
<p>My big passions: Politics and Music.</p>
<p>Academics:
-I am a high school junior at a tough college preparatory high school outside of New York City.</p>
<p>-I will most likely graduate with an approximately 3.47 GPA unweighted. (School doesn't give out weighted average.)</p>
<p>-School does not do class rank, due to its competitive nature.</p>
<p>-I have taken honors or AP History, English, and Spanish for all of high school. Math and Science has been the regular track. I have never had a grade in any class below a B-.</p>
<p>-On my only AP test so far (Euro), I received a 4.</p>
<p>-Haven't taken the SAT yet, but I have taken the PSAT twice and received a 201, or a 2010 in SAT terms. I was in the 99th percentile (77) for CR and 97th (70) for Writing Skills. Math was pretty weak, but let's just say for the SAT's I'm hoping to up my score to a 600. For the sake of this chances sheet, let's say I compile a 770 on CR, a 700 on Writing, and a 600 on the math, or in other words, a 2070.</p>
<p>-I plan to do a year long independent study, at my school called a 'Focus' project, on an aspect of modern American politics I have yet to choose. This would involve field work and research in a field that I am especially passionate about.</p>
<h2>EC's</h2>
<p>-I am the Vice President of the Student Body at a school that takes its student government pretty seriously. I don't know if it matters, but I won by a 75 percent margin in a three way race. I will be running for President this spring, and I hope to win, but with politics, who knows.</p>
<p>-I am the National/International Affairs editor for the school newspaper and have written extensively on American politics.</p>
<p>-I have played the guitar for the last 7 years. I am in the school guitar ensemble, Jazz-Rock band, and play in the pit orchestras for school musicals. I have also performed at gigs at local restaurants and cafes.</p>
<p>-My crowning musical achievement was setting up an afternoon group where students can play totally improvisational music in a pressure-less setting. We discuss techniques behind learning to play and improvise with a group.</p>
<p>-Last summer/fall, I worked at my real passion, politics. I compiled over 120 hours of volunteer work as a registered Intern for the Barack Obama campaign in New Jersey. Quesiton: I was told by the Democratic Party in Passaic County that they would write me a letter of recommendation if I so wished, signed by the Congressman. Would this be beneficial or seen as sort of shallow, as I never worked directly for the Congressman?</p>
<p>-I plan to write my essay on the experience of meeting so many thousands of interesting people and walking through so many ways of life, and explaining how this experience, walking through the northern part of the state for 5 1/2 months changed my life.</p>
<p>-Tour guide for my school, all 4 years.
-Varsity Cross Country, all 4 years. Won the coaches award, sophomore year.
-For the first time this year, I directed a one act play by Woody Allen for the student directed one acts.</p>
<p>I don't know how to phrase it, but while I don't have the top grades, or the best scores, I am considered to be mature and focused beyond my years by teachers, students and administrators. I have been pegged as the natural 'leader' of my school, and I don't know how to express that without someone being a part of our community and meeting me. You guys probably get this a lot, though, that inability to put who you are on paper. Anyway...</p>
<p>So, schools I'm interested in
-Northwestern University
-Boston University
-George Washington University
-American University
-Northeastern
-DePaul University
-Fordham University
-New York University
-University of Virginia</p>
<p>What can I do to up my chances at these places?</p>
<p>Thank you!!</p>