Oh, no particular suggestion, I was just wondering.
@summerhazed Aha, which olympiad, if I may ask?
As for your chances, I think you’ll get into at least one. You seem like a genuine and fun guy, so if you’ve managed to convey those great personal characteristics in your essays, that’ll help. Your national olympiad thing will also help, even if it’s not a ‘major’ olympiad. They show passion and that’s what universities are looking for. However, do make sure you tell them the reason you didn’t actually take the final/national exam, because if you don’t, AO might think you did it because you just took the first exam(s) for fun and didn’t really care.
Good luck!
@Tomas1355 It was the geography olympiad (yes, that’s actually a real thing). I did mention the reason that I didn’t go in my application to make sure that they knew that I had a legit reason for not going to nationals and that I didn’t just bail on it or anything. And thanks for calling me a “genuine and fun guy”!!! I’m definitely trying to convey my personality through my essays and overall application because at the end of the day, most of those colleges would take the candidate who actually seems to be a good fit for the school than some random kid who happened to ace his standardized testing and won national olympiads and all that crap.
Alright, so I think I’m getting closer to finalizing my regular decision schools. Assuming that I don’t get in ED to UChicago, how do the following schools look?:
in no particular order
American (before priority deadline; international relations)
George Washington (international relations)
Fordham
Emory (international relations)
Georgetown SFS
Princeton (WWS major)
Columbia
Penn
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It looks like you focused the list on your interests,
I agree with the other poster that you have a good personality, which I would subtly highlight.
I would send the SAT IIs everywhere, as they are not that bad, above 700. If you don’t send them, it will look like they are worse than that from a rural school. I would definitely not send the AP exam scores, which are much worse, probably because the more advanced material was not covered in your classes.
You can apply to Princeton, but they turn down so many with close to perfect test scores. The school for foreign service there sounds preppy. I am more OK with the other Ivies you mention as reaches.I don’t think you will get into them, but it may be worth a try. Georgetown and Emory are reaches, but more the level I would recommend applying to, where you should have a shot.
@sattut What are you saying, am I not preppy enough for Princeton? Princeton doesn’t accept people based on majors. I’m not worried about getting rejected by Princeton or the other Ivies, I’m just trying to put my best foot forward. If they reject me based off of a few test scores, then I wouldn’t want to go there anyway.
I think I’m going to take Georgetown off my list. They do not have score choice which means I’d have to send my SAT, both ACTs, and all five subject tests I’ve taken. Some of my scores are pretty bad, so that will definitely affect my chances. Georgetown SFS seems to be very competitive, and honestly I don’t really know if I want to study international relations. Plus, it just doesn’t seem like a good fit for me.
@summerhazed
I don’t see the point of American, GW, and Fordham on your list. Why have three safeties, you need more match schools. Maybe Tufts and BC. Emory’s QSS program is great and pairs well with IR.
Well American and GW both have great IR programs, and Fordham gives decent scholarships apparently to students above a certain GPA and SAT, so I might as well apply.
I forgot to mention that I am applying to Tufts, and I might consider BC, but honestly I don’t know. @VANDEMORY1342 What do you suggest to be good match schools for me, considering my profile?
As indicated, I think you should apply to more schools around the Georgetown, Emory, Tufts level, or you risk winding up at one of you safes.
Wow! You’re a very strong applicant. I agree with the top post (s) that you do have a good chance for UChicago ED.
UChicago (ED) - Mid-high match with ED
-Columbia (RD)- Low Reach
-Princeton (RD)- Low Reach
-Penn (RD)- Low Reach
-George Washington (RD)- Match
-American (RD)- Match
-Northeastern (EA) - Match
-U of Pitt- Deeeeefinitely a match
@Yayeducationlol I think the Ivies are more like high reaches than low reaches, but thank you!!!
I’m retaking the subject tests December 2 (literature again and math level 1 instead of level 2). I’m pretty sure I can get 750+ on the Math Level 1, since I’m more familiar with the content. And with the lit one I just need to take practice tests to get used to the test format. If I study really hard over break for them and get mid or high 700s on them, how much would they improve my chances at top schools?
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It’s been quite a few eventful months since I made this thread, but I’m now officially done with the college admissions process. The schools I applied to were somewhat different than my original list.
Rejected: none 
Deferred: UChicago (switched to EA, withdrew application)
Waitlisted: Columbia, Georgetown, WashU
Accepted: Northeastern, UD Honors, Fordham, Emory, Oxford, and last but certainly not least…the University of Pennsylvania!!!
I have no idea how I managed to get into Penn, an actual Ivy League, but somehow I did, and I will most likely be attending there in the fall.
Yaaaay, congratulations!!