<p>By now i have a pretty good idea of the schools that i will be applying to this fall. These include UChicago (my 1st choice), UMich (in-state), JHU, Northwestern, and possibly MIT. On one hand, i am pretty sure that i will get into at least UMich, at least comparing myself to myriad others from my high school who have been accepted there; that's my safety. Also, i fit either in or above all the test scores and GPAs and everything of UChicago and NW. So i am confident about those. On the other hand, i think "what if"? What if i don't get into Michigan? What if i don't get into any of them? So basically, my question is: Should i really consider Mich a safety, and are the others necessarily all reaches, and should i apply to another safety or two just in case? And if i should, does anyone have some suggestions of schools? (Based on the schools listed above, i am interested in preferably a smaller school with abundant research opportunities, an urban-ish campus, access to lots of cultural stuff, and a very strong physics department, preferably with some astrophysics opportunities.) (I'll put a few stats below...)</p>
<p>SATI: 2210, 790M 680CR 740W
ACT: 34composite, 36math 36english 35science 30reading 23eng+writing
SATII: 760mathIIc, 760chemistry</p>
<p>very rigorous schedule, compared to others in my school
3.9 GPA UW</p>
<p>5 APs total + dually enrolled for multiv.calc and diffeq @ MSU senior year</p>
<p>strong music background (band and orchestra) and leadership position in technical theatre...volunteer work at a nursing home this summer</p>