Chances for Average Student

<p>I am a male, black rising senior in Florida</p>

<p>Im open to pretty much any suggestions, im not going to really look at the Ivies because I dont beieve they match me very well. I am looking to major in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering.</p>

<p>My (tentative) list of prospective colleges (in order of preference):
Washington University in St.Louis
University of Florida
Carnegie Mellon
Georgia Tech
Rose Hulman Institute of Technology
University of South Florida </p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.54
Weighted: 4.1
SAT: 1980 v:720 m:650 w:590
AP: Chemistry 5, US History 3
Rank: Top 10%
Next year: AP Literature, AP Calculus AB, AP Biology, AP Euro, Student Aid to chem teacher, electives</p>

<p>What really hurting me is my ec's. In short, I have no solid set like many people here. Ive tried to fix this lately, but it's a little too late not.</p>

<p>Beta Club 10-12
Brain Brawl 11
Tutoring students in chemistry (20 hrs)
Volunteering at a Cerebral Palsy center/daycare (20-30 hrs)
Volunteering at library (30 hrs)
Volunteering at an abstinence organization (35 hrs)</p>

<p>Also, is living in Japan for 7 years a kind of hook? I lived there from 1993-1996 and 1999-2003 as my dad was in the military.</p>

<p>Thankyou for reading and i look forward to your responses!</p>

<p>I like your choices. </p>

<p>I rate your chances at them (as an underrepresented minority candidate) as:
WUSL-slight reach to reach
Carnegie-Mellon--match
Georgia Tech--match
University of Florida (in-state)--match
Rose-Hulman--match
Univ of South Florida--safe match to match</p>

<p>For Chemical Engineering, I would also consider applying to one or more of the following schools as probable matches--although which ones you choose may depend on your finances:
Wisconsin
Michigan
Minnesota
North Carolina St.
Univ of California, Santa Barbara
Bucknell
Virginia Tech
Illinois
Lafayette
Texas A&M</p>

<p>and as other possible reach schools (choose just one or two):
Northwestern
Stanford
Caltech
MIT
Univ of Calif Berkeley
Princeton
Cooper Union</p>

<p>Thanks for your great recommendations and estimates Calcruzer, this definately gives me many more colleges to consider and has given me a better guide to where to aim my applications. I do, however need some safeties. Choosing these is pretty hard for me for some reason...</p>

<p>If you don't mind being in the middle of a rural area, Purdue is a good safety (I mistakenly left it off the list above)--and Illinois would probably be a safety for you (very rural also, though). On this list, I'd say Bucknell is also somewhat of a safety for you, along with South Florida, which you've already listed.</p>