<p>Schools (RD): Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, Northwestern, UChicago, BU, NYU, Tufts, Michigan, Umass, CMU, UIUC, and GaTech</p>
<p>Applying as Computer Science and/or engineering major</p>
<p>GPA: 3.77/4.0 (unweighted, no weighted available)
Rank: top 13% -> 45/350ish (this is also unweighted, but I've took the most rigorous course load)
SAT: 2310-> 800M, 750 CR, 760 W
SATII:720 Math II, 710 Physics</p>
<p>ECs: Few clubs and sports here and there. Captain of robotics team, research lab intern for 2+ years (getting rec as well), publish/coauthor on paper (related to CS/engineering), etc. </p>
<p>Any shot at my reaches, I know my GPA/rank isn't very high, I had a 3.6 freshman year, but 4.0s Sophomore and Junior year. I'm working on my essays, any hope that they might counterbalance a lowish GPA (my SATs are on the higher end as well).</p>
<p>Honestly, don’t worry about the GPA much. A lot of schools don’t care much about freshman year, so the fact that you got a 4.0 later more than makes up for it. Your SATs are awesome, so you’ve got a foot in the door at the Ivies and Chicago.</p>
<p>The main problem might be a lack of diverse ECs. Try to emphasize how important and time-consuming the research and paper was, as it will only take up a bit of space to list. Also try and be unique, as there are lots of comp sci./engineering students with the same ECs and stats as you, so in the admissions process it’ll be a fight to take well-rounded, personable, unique students.</p>
<p>I’d say BU, NYU, Mass, UIUC, GaTech, and Mich are all matches or lower for you, you’ll probably get in to most or all of them. Tufts will be a bit harder but you’ve got maybe a 50/50 chance. The others are, of course, reaches. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yeah, it is pretty time consuming. I do other activities, it’s just that I’ve been focusing more on this b/c I’m interested in going into tech/research/entrepreneurship later on, and I didn’t want to turn down an opportunity to work on the project at the lab. The lab work is related to personal future interests, so I can definitely incorporate that into my uniqueness.</p>