Chances for top schools with bad ECs

<p>I’m a middle class white male who will need financial aid. Family income about 80k. I currently attend an extremely competitive public highschool in which many students get into ivy’s. After 10th grade I switched schools because the school I was at didn’t have any of the classes I wanted and just wasn’t challenging at all. </p>

<p>Class rank: not official, but 3 or 4 out of 800, so definitely top 1 percent
Projected GPA at the end of junior year:
Unweighted-3.97
Weighted: 6.10ish </p>

<p>By the end of highschool I will have taken 17 AP classes, so my schedule have been quite rigorous. </p>

<p>Before high school:
Algebra 1 honors:-A
Earth space science honors- B :(</p>

<p>Freshmen year:
Pre-IB English-A
Honors geometry-A
AP world history-A
Computer programming-A
Pre-IB biology-A
Spanish 1-A</p>

<p>Summer:
Algebra 2 honors- A
Chemistry honors-A</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
AP English Language and Composition-A
AP European history-A
AP human geography-A
IB Mathematics-A
Spanish 2-A
Physics honors-A</p>

<p>Summer:
Physical Education- A
Health- A</p>

<p>Junior year: Switched schools
Honors English (graduation requirement)-A
Spanish 3 honors- A
AP statistics-A
AP calculus BC-A
AP physics C mechanics and electricity and magnetism: A
AP US history-A
AP microeconomics- A
AP Art history-A
Personal fitness-A</p>

<p>Summer:
Possibly AP Computer Science</p>

<p>Senior year:
Multivariable calculus and differential equations
AP government
AP macroeconomics
AP English literature
AP psychology
AP environmental science
AP physics B</p>

<p>AP exam scores:
World history- 5, European history-5, geography-5, English language-5
Expected scores-us history-5, microeconomics-5, calculus bc-5, statistics-5, physics c mechanics-5, physics c electricity and magnetism-4/5</p>

<p>Sat score: first time
Math:700
Reading:690
Writing: 670
Expecting about 120 point improvement, possibly more. I should be able to get 800 math and at least break 700. </p>

<p>Sat 2s: taking in may
Us history- expecting 780+, almost definitely 800. I’ve taken multiple practice tests and have gotten 800s on all.
Math 2- 770+ On practice tests I’ve gotten 770-800 without reviewing precalculus, so I should be able to improve
Physics- 750+ on practice tests I’ve gotten 740+ without learning magnetism, optics, waves, modern etc. I have learned most of these topics and expect a large score increase. </p>

<p>Extra curriculars: This is a major problem for me…
Tennis-my entire life, played for highschool team all 4 years, team has very good chance of being state champion this year.
Over winter break, spring break, and summer I volunteer at a local tennis camp and coach the little kids. I have about 150-200 hours from that
Private tutoring in various math subjects
Interact member in 9th and 10th
FLBA in 9th and 10th
I wasn’t able to join any honor societies after switching schools because they said I had to be inducted at the end of the year.
I play a lot of poker online… most likely around 30+ hours a week. Over the summer ill play 40+ hours a week. I consider this my job, and my passion. Profits are generally invested in the stock market. </p>

<p>Awards:
Various tennis awards from tournaments
School’s computer award
Scholarly athlete
National ap scholar by end of junior year</p>

<p>Recs: this is another problem with my application. I have one recommendation which should be amazing. But besides that, I don’t have any other teachers that like me at all… I don’t do much work in class and don’t actively participate. I’m considering going back to my old school for one or asking a senior year teacher. Counselor rec should be outstanding. </p>

<p>I’m going to major in either economics or business
The schools I am looking at are:
Harvard
Upenn (Wharton)
Stanford
MIT
NYU
Columbia
Dartmouth
Uchicago
Emory
Duke
UF
UM</p>

<p>your chances are as good as anyone's.</p>

<p>i'd juice up that SAT I score. other than that grades are good, AP's are fantastic, i don't know if you want to tell colleges you play lots of online poker for real money tho. since it is kind of illegal.......</p>

<p>for those under 18*</p>

<p>when I apply ill have been 18 for a while, I'm not going to mention that i started a little early though lol</p>

<p>morning bumpp</p>

<p>to the top</p>

<p>ur goin to dade</p>

<p>PFR? Flop aggression rate? AF? c betting %? 3 barreling %'s? WTSD?</p>

<p>i can't evaluate you w/o this info LOL</p>

<p>u sound just like me. i'm a former top tennis player, an avid poker player (especially PLO), and a good student with bad EC's too who wants to major in econ. gl in everything</p>

<p>your SAT score does need improvement though</p>

<p>P.S. I find it very impressive that you can grind 30 hours a week during the school year AND get top grades.</p>