<p>Given your GPA, you have too many reaches on your list. My advice is to concentrate on one reach, and my suggestion for that reach would be Columbia, and possibly a second reach - Brown. Given the competition from other Indians with higher GPa's who apply en masse to places like Stanford and Princeton, and tend to be rejected with a 92, I think this would be such add'l effort on your part for a long shot. However, you could make the C and B apps shine with specificity about your research/interest in medicine.</p>
<p>I would definitely take HeliMom's suggestions to heart. You seem to be looking at many OOS publics. I understand why, but these are very competitive for OOS'ers, and generally only "star" OOS'ers get into places like UVA & the others. </p>
<p>Two reaches, the safeties you and she mentioned -- CUNY Hunter being a great safety. Competition-wise, there don't seem to be many matches on your list. Have you considered any match privates, since for these state residency is not a big factor? I'm thinking of University of Rochester, which many from BS have been accepted to. Lots of scholarships there, too.</p>
<p>Bronx Science has great scattergrams with a lot of data. Study them, and think about your ECs, etc., compared to other kids.</p>
<p>I don't think you need a lot of additional safeties. You have at least four there -- Binghamton, Hunter, Vanderbilt, and Michigan (which seems to accept at least 80% of the applicants in your range). I suspect you will be fine for the honors programs at those schools. For the hyper-selective schools like Princeton, MIT, Brown, etc., your grades look low for the range of kids they actually take.</p>
<p>Then do Columbia and Princeton. :) I would just try to limit it to 2, unless you are so ahead in the app process & end up completing all the targets discussed, & still have time for an add'l reach. I only suggested Brown because of the med program, but one of our 92's did not get into B last yr. (Although she didn't have the e.c. med stuff you have; she was very late to 'discovering' her passion.) Vanderbilt's good, too, as JHS said. I'll PM you later.</p>
<p>college...great advice here. I'll add that you should apply to UMich in early Sept. You could have an admittance in hand by the end of October which would allow you extra time to focus on a few reach apps.</p>
<p>Your grades aren't too low for Brown, btw--they may be too low for Brown from Bronx Science--and many other elite secondary schools. That's the twist--it is harder to get into the top schools from an elite secondary school--partly because the top 10% in those schools exhale 99.9% performances quite easily. (You and your classmates know which kids are the super geniuses, right?). </p>
<p>Correpsondingly, the top colleges do not want to fan the hyper comptetive atmosphere in elite high schools so they keep their admissions criteria fairly steady. They want to maintain a steady relationship with your school. They don't want outraged boomer parents to tear into the GCs at your school--or their adcom. So--steady patterns of admission are established and kept. </p>
<p>Schools that never send kids to the Ivies don't have those patterns of admission. They probably don't keep scattergrams. </p>
<p>You've got a double whammy--you're from over-represented NYC AND an elite school! </p>
<p>You are obviously a wonderful wonderful student. Take heart in the amazing education that you received at BS. That's the real prize kiddo. A brilliant educaiton that is yours forever and ever.</p>
<p>You don't need to be at Princeton to have the time of your life at college--nor do you need Princeton to reach your goals in medicine.</p>
<p>If you don't need the money--choose your ED very very carefully.</p>
<p>If you do need fin aid--don't use ED. You might search the forum for EvilRobot's Story. He was accepted to yale and turned it down to go to Vanderbilt on a full ride--where he is deliriously happy.</p>
<p>I wouldn't take Brown or Stanford off the list if you can take the time to apply to those without it hurting your apps at Columbia or Princeton. Brown because it's interested in getting more male applicants and Stanford because it's very interested in increasing the number of low income, first generation, and non-California students.</p>
<p>ETA: make sure your essays show the obstacles you've overcome as well as your passion. Resilency is highly prized, and especially in first generation college students, since they often lack the supports that other students do to help them make it through the tough first year.</p>
<p>Just point of information, conyat. Princeton is interested in low-income, first-generation as well (as is C.) My point about Stanford is just that it is unbelievable the number of above 92 GPA's who are Indian and applying to Stanford. While many of those are Californians, many are not, and many are also low-income & first generation. It's also just been my experience studying Stanford results & their feeder schools over the years, that when push comes to shove, stats can be more imp. for Stanford than for Princeton, simply because of the in-state <em>and</em> OOS competitive pool. I agree, though, that 2 reaches should be picked first, a 3rd or 4th added later if/as time allows.</p>
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But it is possible for me to get into Princeton assuming amazing essays and great senior year grades.
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<p>Since you haven't said you are in the top 10% of your class at BS, then I'll assume you aren't. What does your GC say? Ask her/him directly and then listen and believe what he/she says. Don't ruin your chances at another place.</p>
<p>I think my shot at Princeton is better than Stanford. Someone got into Princeton this year with a 93. Only one person got into Stanford and his gpa was a 97.5.</p>
<p>Then ask. It has been my experience that students in elite schools know exactly who the 99.9% students are. Even in a student body where 50% are NMSs, the 99.9% get their peer's respect.</p>
<p>Ask you GC if you are in the expected Ivy admit pool.</p>
<p>My D school does not rank either but I looked at the principal honor's roll and figure out. There are only so many per year, plus some are in non-honors track and some are in honors track, my D know the ones that are in honors and that is how I'm able to figure out roughly.</p>
<p>Our school doesn't officially rank, but by looking at the school report, you can tell what % is >3.5 and >4.5 Weighted, and can kind of extrapolate top 10%, etc. from there. They will give decile ranking for schools that require it for merit money.</p>
<p>The median GPA is an 88. SO about 1.2 of our class is above that. However, there are numerous GPA's between an 88 and a 90. So I might be in the top 10% or I might not be. My counselor said I am a match for Dartmouth.</p>