<p>Also suggestions for safeties and other reach schools for a premed major..thanks for going thru the trouble.. Alright, here it goes...</p>
<p>State: NJ
Race: Male, White on the outside, black on the inside lol
SAT: 2310
SAT2: 770 Math II, 730 History, 710 chem
GPA: around 97
Rank: Maybe 15/370, top 5%, sorta competitive
AP: 4 junior year, 2 5's, a four and a 3
Senior year: 5 aps</p>
<p>Extra Curricular:
4 years jazz band, 2 years section leader --> musics my passion
science club, math team, science league, 2 years XC, 2 years Baseball, 3 years Marching band, summer swimming for over 10 years, NHS, Music Honors Society, music award from school, 2 years debate team
some community service with youth group and on my own</p>
<p>Other leadership camps, nothing really stands out...
Im kinda of nervous being from new jersey and all. Tell it to me straight doc</p>
<p>Your scores are good, your grades/rank seem good, as do your ECs. Nothing, however, is outstanding, and it appears that you have a singular leadership position. </p>
<p>The top schools are mid-reaches. Good luck.</p>
<p>I disagree. I think that your scores and grades and ECs are good but what is outstanding is that you have had, for some time, a particular talent that you dedicate a lot of time to (music).
What IS outstanding? I think it’s wrong to think that you have to have a 2400 in the SATs plus some crazy thing like published research in Scientific American to truly be outstanding. Very few teenagers can accomplish so much with one goal in mind. Good luck though, those schools are still VERY selective, I do not mean to get your hopes up. You do have good chances though!</p>
<p>In my honest (and possibly flawed opinion), you are at huge disadvantage. As you have mentioned, one of the factors is your admissions area, one of the most competitive in the U.S.</p>
<p>Another disadvantages are your SAT2 scores. Although you have broken through the 700 barrier, you are rather average in terms of percentiles. For example, a 770 on SAT2 would put you in the 79th percentile, a 730 in History (U.S.?) would put you at 87th percentile, and a 710 on chemistry puts you at a 72nd percentile. Needless to say, many applicants applying to prestigious colleges as you have mentioned will have similar statistics, if not higher.</p>
<p>In addition, your GPA is rather average as well. NY Times reported that Princeton rejected thousands of valedictorians. The provided article was published in 2007, and competition has only increased since then.</p>
<p>Although you say that music is your passion, keep in mind that there are literally millions of students that play the instrument, and many who apply to highly selective institutions with “musical ability” as their hook play in state, national, and international levels.</p>
<p>well in my essays I am going to elaborate on my experiences playing in jazz clubs as I have been doing for years now…those others who play in national ensembles andwhatnot are just of a different breed…and they are nothing compared to people Ive come across on the jazz scene…</p>
<p>You’ve got a better than 50-50 shot at Upenn. Be sure to apply ED though! The Penn supplement is up and the essay prompt has changed so get started early!</p>