<p>Bump - any answers welcome!</p>
<p>Just thought of another extracurricular activity: I’m an online author. My stories encourage people to take action against bullying and other societal pressures that people in my age group suffer from. Don’t know if that’s unique in any way. 2000+ subscribers, four years of experience.</p>
<p>I think you have as good of chance as anyone, to be honest. Penn, Yale, Columbia, and Stanford are a reach for anyone, but you are a very competitive applicant.</p>
<p>If both Stanford and Columbia are truly your dream schools, then I’d suggest applying Columbia ED and UChicago EA. Your chances at Columbia are theoretically higher and you’d also have the option to apply EA to other schools. </p>
<p>All in all, you have a pretty good chance! Great GPA and extra curricular activities, but your ACT is slightly lower than what these schools usually accept.</p>
<p>So, yeah, you’re competitive for these schools. I’d suggest retaking the ACT though.</p>
<p>@GoBadgers2 @insideandout thanks for the input!
@insideandout I’ve already taken the ACT 3x and my composite score went up by 0.75 each time. I don’t think it’s worth taking it again, especially if I’m going to pay $50+ for it. That’s why I need to KILL with my essays lol</p>
<p>Should have a decent shot at Columbia. A little short on the recognition side of things but your scores are all in line. Maybe improve ACT by 1 to 2 points?</p>
<p>SO… to be totally honest, I am not seeing any SAT subject test scores, a requirement for any Ivy league school.They all require two. Also, have you taken any AP classes/exams before senior year?? The Ivies are SO competitive, I’m not really sure your application is that competitive. Go ahead and apply, but please make sure that you have some more realistic colleges you are applying to. Something you are a little over qualified for so you have your safety school.</p>
<p>@ZBD5421 the only Ivy school that requires SAT Subject Tests is Harvard from my research and I’m not interested in them. The others don’t require them and are fine with ACT Plus Writing. And as mentioned in my original post, I have several safety schools in state 
been accepted to two: Colorado School of Mines and CU Denver.</p>
<p>Also, would teaching myself Braille give me any brownie points? I’m in the process of learning it and hope to make some use by reaching out to the visually impaired. Or teaching a girl at my school who wants to be a translator Korean?</p>