<p>I am not a genius who is posting this to brag about himself. I am really not sure what colleges I should be looking at. I am a junior. I have 2 APs, with a 5 and a 4, and am taking 5 more this year, and hope to get a at least 3 more 5s b/c i am studying much more this year than I did last year. I got a 32 on the ACTs w/o studying, and can certainly get to a 34/35 by next year (this is not just me gassing, I should be able to). I am taking a vigorous courseload, so my GPA is lowish, with a 3.8 W... which, assuming I dont suddenly tank, will become a 3.9+ after this semester. I realize my GPA is low, but I attend a competitive private school. I also have several Latin awards, and have been researching in several labs since 10th grade. I am volunteering at a nursing facility. I am also hoping to get published this summer at the lab I am going to work at.</p>
<p>Do I have any chance of going to an ivy league or that level school (MIT, Caltech...)?</p>
<p>I am in a book club, which has been going since 5th grade, I do a lot of tech stuff ( building computers for friends, programming, Overclocking...), I am going to be head of amnesty International club, debate, and am a member in Aeronautics. I also volunteer in india (not for resume building, i started in 4th grade with my Grandfather), and regularly at a nursing home.</p>
<p>I hate my HS, we had 2 Bio teachers, one of whom made all the tests. The other class averaged A-, while we were B avg. a kid transferred to the other class and went from a B to a 100+ avg for the second sem. Can I say this sort of thing to justify a B+? (its true)</p>
<p>Over 3.8 is what you'd expect from any ivy applicant, regardless of school. Unless your school is famous <em>and</em> known for grade deflation, it's not an excuse.</p>
<p>For tech backgrounds, MIT can even be harder to get into than an ivy, since MIT is where all the "geeks" want to go.</p>
<p>And yes, you really can improve your grade pretty dramatically, but it all depends upon where you're coming from.</p>
<p>You're certainly in the running: you have good EC's, a decent GPA, and an excellent ACT score (assuming 34/35).</p>
<p>At this point, I'd put the ivies as a mid-reach for you, with HYPS being a high reach. But certainly apply: you have the stats, now you just need the luck.</p>
<p>If it's a highly competitive private school (2050 average SAT, 20% or more to ivies), expected GPA would be less. But without a hook, you will need to be one of the strongest students at your school regardless for these colleges.</p>
<p>Well, I'd consider applying to only the lower Ivies (Cornell, Brown, Penn) unless you can get the UW GPA up past 3.8. Then Columbia and Dartmouth might be possibilities. </p>
<p>I don't see any chance at all at the top Ivies or the other "super" top schools (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Caltech). Duke and Northwestern might be a possibilities also--they are about equally difficult to get into as Columbia and Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Good luck. </p>
<p>P.S. Some of the schools on this list don't count freshman year--which might improve your chances if you have a rising grade trend. The two schools I know for a fact don't count freshman year are Stanford and Princeton. However, I would expect that you would still need much better ECs (extracurriculars) than what you listed here to have any chance at all.</p>
<p>The kind of ECs these schools are looking for is not just participation in something, but involvement in competitions--for example getting third prize statewide in a debate competition, or being a finalist in the Siemons science competion or participating in the greater LA metropolitan area math competition.)</p>
<p>3.6 is pretty low for the ivies, never mind HYPS.</p>
<p>And just so you know an increase of 3.6 to 3.8 would require a 4.8 UW GPA next semester. In other words it's impossible.</p>
<p>I definitely would encourage you to apply though, if you can get good essays, recs, and some luck you could get in. Based on stats alone though you're not one of the most competitive applicants.</p>