Chances on My Reaches? BC, Tufts, JHU, UChicago, Georgetown SFS?

<p>I'm already in to a number of safeties, and was deferred from Chicago in the fall.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Location: Bergen County, New Jersey</p>

<p>My big passion: politics.</p>

<p>Academics:
-I am a high school senior at a tough college preparatory high school outside of New York City. The School does not rank.</p>

<p>-I have a 3.504 GPA.</p>

<p>Senior Year Semester 1 Grades:
English Lit AP: A
Twentieth Century World History H: A-
Spanish Lit Ap: A
Diff Calc: A-
Senior Thesis Honors: A-
Stage Band: A</p>

<p>-I have taken honors or AP History, English, and Spanish for all of high school. Math and Science has been the regular 'college prep' track. I have nothing lower than a B- on my transcript.</p>

<p>TESTS:
-ACT: 29
-US History AP: 5
-European History AP: 4</p>

<p>SAT II's:
US History: 780
Lit: 660
Spanish: Pending</p>

<p>-I am in the midst of a year long independent project on the tone of the United States called media called a 'Focus' project. I have done extensive research and got an A+ on a 20 page paper, and will go into field work on the topic in the second semester. </p>

<h2>Extracurriculars</h2>

<p>-I am the President of the Student Body at a school that takes its student government pretty seriously. I was the VP junior year and the president of my grade Freshman and Sophomore year.</p>

<p>-I was the National/International Affairs editor for the school newspaper and previously contributed on American politics. I now contribute a presidential column, featured in every issue.</p>

<p>-I have played the guitar for the last 7 years. I am in the school guitar ensemble, Jazz ensemble, Jazz-Rock band, and play in the pit orchestras for school musicals. I have also performed at gigs at local restaurants and cafes, as well as school functions. I teach one elementary school student.</p>

<p>-I set up an afternoon group where students can play totally improvisational music in a pressure-less setting. We discuss techniques behind learning to play and improvise with a group, and it allows students to stretch out and learn to interact with other musicians.</p>

<p>-Tour guide for my school, all 4 years.</p>

<p>-Varsity Cross Country, all 4 years. Won the coaches award, sophomore year.</p>

<p>-I directed a one act play by Woody Allen for the student directed one acts, wrote a play and directed it for the student written one acts.</p>

<h2>POLITICS</h2>

<p>-Last summer/fall, I worked at my real passion, politics. I compiled over 120 hours of volunteer work as a registered Intern and assistant to the field organizer for the Barack Obama campaign in New Jersey.</p>

<p>-This summer I worked on a victorious City Council campaign in New York City, District 1, for Margaret Chin, who will be sworn in at the end of December. She also contributed a letter of recommendation on my behalf.</p>

<p>-I am currently working as an intern for State Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle D-NJ as a part of my thesis project.</p>

<p>I don't know how to phrase it, but while I don't have the top grades, or the best scores, I am considered to be mature and focused beyond my years by teachers, students and administrators. I have been pegged as the natural 'leader' of my school, and I don't know how to express that without someone being a part of our community and meeting me. You guys probably get this a lot, though, that inability to put who you are on paper.</p>

<p>Anyway, chances?!</p>

<p>Your GPA is probably what would hurt you the most, but your ECs will help you.</p>

<p>BC - High Match
Tufts - Low Reach
JHU - Mid Reach
Chicago - High Reach
Georgetown- High Reach</p>