Chances for Amherst, Dickinson, Bowdoin etc

<p>I am not entirely sure exactly what schools I am interested in applying to, those in the title are definite possibilities for me at the moment. </p>

<p>I have done my high school work through an internet based program (but it was fully accredited internationally as a private school). I have maintained a 4.0GPA (unweighted, I'm not sure what it would be weighted, I took a lot of honors classes but they don't weight GPAs there). I am graduating a year and a half early (I should wrap things up around December of this year). The school doesn't officially rank, but when the last unofficial numbers came out I was at the top of my class. I am planning on taking next year off and applying to colleges next fall, fall of 2007. The reason I have been doing my work online is I compete show jumping horses at the top levels. This causes me to be on the road many months out of the year travelling and showing in the US, Canada, and Europe. Four solid months in the winter out of state, three solid months out of the country in the summer and a scattering of 2-3 weeks a month out of state through the spring and fall. I have around 1000 hours of community service at the moment, but I am planning on going on some sort of hummanities/conservation/animal protection project during my gap year as well. I have currently taking 3 courses at our local community college with good grades there. </p>

<p>Will the fact that my work was online hurt me? I also don't really have many other ECs other than my riding and a few workshops (Shakespear Literature and Theater, a bit of dance, etc). The level I ride at requires huge levels of dedication and I often ride an average of 7 hours a day, 6 days a week all year round. Horse shows mean days starting as early as 4 am and not ending until well after 10:30 or 11 o'clock at night three to five days a week, That really has not left me any time to do much of anything else. Will this hurt me as well? Or will the fact that I have been so dedicated to it compensate for the lack of multiple extra curriculars?</p>

<p>SATs are reasonable, 670 on the Math, 750 on the verbal and 800 on the written. </p>

<p>I know I posted this in the Bowdoin College board as well, but I couldn't figure out how to delete my post there and I wanted some more general advice. Thanks.</p>

<p>Edit: Also, I am a member of the NSHSS (National Society for High School Scholars) if that makes any difference.</p>

<p>Woops, big slip up, I meant 100 hours community service not 100*0*. I will hopefully get some more this winter.</p>