Chances for an Extremely Nervous/Stressed URM

<p>I am ending my junior year of high school, and I feel like I can finally do a decent chance thread. My best one will most likely be in the fall once I am done with testing, but here it goes.</p>

<p>Race: Black/African American (from the Caribbean, first one in my immediate family born in the states)</p>

<p>Gender: Female</p>

<p>Rank: School doesn't rank</p>

<p>GPA: 94.1% this year, 93.2% all three years (as far as I know)
Transcript: I won't do every class, but my grades are in the 90s for all subjects, except the occasional 86-89 in math, science, or history </p>

<p>ECs: Model UN, Arts in Action (a club where we do performances for charity through senior citizen homes; leadership role: head of singers--I organize vocal acts and rehearsal times for our charity concerts), ARISTA (just a member, but I intend to do a ton of work through the summer and next year to make sure it's not just a title), acting classes since January 2013, freelance writer for this teen art critic program since May 2014, piano lessons for 10+ years, I volunteer for around 100-150 hours at school these past three years, I applied for yearbook next year</p>

<p>Test Scores: Waiting on APUSH, AP English Lang, and AP Music Theory, 3 on AP World History
SAT 1- 2020 (630 M, 700 R, 690 W) I am retaking in the Fall, and I'm confident I can get 2200+
SAT 2- Not going to submit, but 580 on World History; I'm taking Math 2 and Lit in the Fall
Not taking the ACT
PSAT (don't think it matters): 202, 51 M, 73 CR, 78 W)
9 on my SAT essay</p>

<p>Income: Between $150,000 and $200,000, my dad has a normal job (like $40-50,000 per year) but my mom is a registered nurse and makes much more. Plus we have assets. We cannot afford full price. We are not expecting a lot in aid, so I am looking into jobs, work study, and scholarships now. I may go to graduate school, which complicates things. My mom is having </p>

<p>Summers: Between freshman and sophomore year nothing, between sophomore and junior year I had scoliosis surgery that prevented me from regular movement until September, and this summer I am hopefully involved in a solid filmmaking program, definitely involved in a great poetry program, and looking for a summer job and volunteer hours</p>

<p>Goals: To get a 96+ average in the fall, start up a blog/vlog on social issues like racism/sexism/LGBTQ rights, start up a student run website for my school because we experienced a lot of confusion and strife due to a lack of information and communication, freelance write for the school newspaper, further my creative growth as an actor and musician</p>

<p>Possible Majors: Acting, Music Composition, and Journalism (thinking about economics but I'm not as enthusiastic about it)</p>

<p>Recs: my English teacher who I adore and knows me, my physics teacher who knows me really well (and I was failing the class at the beginning of the year, which has never happened to me, but now I'm in the 90s), and my voice/chorus teacher who I'm going to have had for all four years</p>

<p>Other points: I go to a specialized performing arts high school in NYC (there are only 9 specialized schools, and only 1 arts school is among them) where I have studied vocal music at a near conservatory level. I commute there each day, an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening</p>

<p>Senior Schedule: AP English Lit, AP Psych, AP Comparative Gov, AP French, Opera Workshop (as an assistant), Senior Chorus (most advanced chorus in school, has gone to ACDA a few times, did Mozart's Requiem last fall, had Eric Whitacre as a guest composer--sorry, I'm gushing, I just can't wait to join in the fall), Music History, Audition Prep, Calculus, Gym, and Health (I have 4 APs, 4 music classes, and no free periods)</p>

<p>My biggest concern are my handful of 85-89s, the fact that I've dropped like 5 points in APUSH, a lack of leadership ( I planned to start my own club but I couldn't get solid members), and a fear that my goals seem to lofty to actually be realized bu this fall despite my determination to make them happen. Oh and my gym/ NYC regents grades are mediocre, but I don't know who looks at them. </p>

<p>This year I dealt with a lot of insecurity and anxiety (I had about four emotional breakdowns and several continuous weeks of stress and complete lack of motivation or hope for my academic future, buckets of tears) and I completely burnt out. I am trying to play catch up but I fear the damage is done. I won't go down too much, as I have only let one class really slip through the cracks (from 92 to 87), but still. It was really very devastating, and it got to the point where my family, friends, and guidance counselor told me I was being way too hard on myself. I couldn't help it (and I still can't). I feel so worried and scared and forgettable. Please forgive my grammar, I am under duress. The only reason my schedule is so packed next year is that I am finally working myself through my issues.</p>

<p>My Incomplete list of Colleges:</p>

<p>Northwestern University
University of Pennsylvania
Brown University
Columbia University
University of Chicago
NYU
University of Southern California
University of Maryland, College Park
SUNY Purchase
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY Oswego
SUNY Binghamton
CUNY Brooklyn College
American University
Howard University</p>

<p>I will probably apply to around 10-15 schools, but I am minding the application fees. I think that's all I can say. Please feel free to suggest any schools or tips.</p>

<p>Thank you for reading such an extremely long and error-filled post!!! :D I really appreciate any and all comments.</p>

<p>You have a decent chance for most of these schools. Study hard for the SAT, and if you can raise it to 2200+, you’re in the running for all of them. If I were you, though, I wouldn’t apply to as many top schools since they’re extremely difficult to get into for most people. Choose three, maybe four that you like (I’d keep Northwestern for Medill, acting, and music programs for sure) and write amazing essays for those. Also, pick a couple SUNYs that you like best instead of applying to four. </p>

<p>Have you looked into liberal arts colleges? You may be able to pursue several of your interests as opposed to having to pick just one. </p>