<p>Can you give the source for where you pulled the list from?</p>
<p>[Top</a> 100 Colleges - Ranked By Selectivity | Admission Sync](<a href=“http://admissionsync.com/2008/06/30/top-100-colleges-ranked-by-selectivity/]Top”>http://admissionsync.com/2008/06/30/top-100-colleges-ranked-by-selectivity/)</p>
<p>I could already see the amazing essays you could write with this incredible story. You could definetly get into a lot of those schools witht hat alone, I’m sure. Have you checked out the Questbridge Scholarship? You look like a likely candidate and it will give you a huge opportunity to use your story to your advantage.</p>
<p>Aw, thanks kseajayne. The Questbridge Scholarship has been high on my list for some time now. I hope I can receive it. Thanks for your support!</p>
<p>If anyone wants me to chance them, by the way, I’d be more than happy to.</p>
<p>^
Doesn’t hurt to try, again. Ill bump my thread that nobody posts in.</p>
<p>Oh good, I hope you do it. My brother was just matched to Pomona for full ride. + My father is a teacher, like yours, and it’s primarily our only income.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. :)</p>
<p>actually a 220 on PSAT is really REALLY good! :D</p>
<p>I think it qualifies you as a National Merit scholar, but I don’t know much about that so you might want to look into that.</p>
<p>and a 36/36 on ACT? Even if that was a practice test, its really good. And since your PSAT, SAT, & ACT ranges are around the same I think you’ll receive a very similar score to your practice when you actually take them. Just keep your grades up, write amazing essays, get letters of recommendation like from any past/current teachers and other people who know you well, and I think you’ll get into an ivy!! :D</p>
<p>I think that you should definitely try to apply to some selective liberal arts colleges, in addition to the well-known universities. They are likely to be sympathetic to your story and very impressed with your test scores. They are more likely to evaluate you holistically as a student. Definitely apply to Princeton and Penn, but also apply to schools like Amherst, Williams, Bowdoin, Carleton, Swarthmore, Tufts, Bates, Haverford, Hampshire, Vassar, Oberlin, Skidmore, Sarah Lawrence…you get my point.</p>
<p>You have to play to the strengths in your application. Your extracurriculars may be lacking, but you have substantial circumstances that contribute to that. An optional essay outlining your history with hospitals (you don’t have to write what for) and how living in a low-income family of 10 made things difficult for you, but how you managed to persevere, did wonders. You have teachers who think that you are an excellent student and who know the situation – get a recommendation from at least one of them who will write how you have beaten the odds.</p>
<p>Please, however, do not mention that you are one-sixteenth Apache unless your Apache heritage has figured significantly in your background.</p>
<p>In all honesty, a very very good number of those schools you listed i’m almost positive you will be in without a question…
You really sincrely need to look at other colleges besides ivies though. Its great to shoot for the stars, and there is a very good chance you will make it there. But it really is important to consider alternatives. Focusing on one group of schools will crush you if you get denied. Look around. I’m sure there are tons and tons of other schools besides ivies you would love, and you would still be around the type of intellectual people you want to socialize with. In MY opinion, your in at all the UC’s. Don’t know much about any of the other schools (besides USC, which youre in)
Good luck! keep up your grades!</p>
<p>thanks, socalscott!</p>
<p>Does anyone else have an opinion? I kind of expected someone to say: sorry, you suck at life, go find a hole and drop your sorry self in it.</p>
<p>@alexandrafitzmor: purely based on what I know (which is not a lot), colleges care a lot about potential and I sincerely think that you definitely have that. Take the SATs and ACTs and see how you do, based on your projected scores you should do really well! I definitely think that your essays (in the application) will give you the best shot at top-tier colleges that look beyond the somewhat superficial GPAs since those will vary with each school.
best of luck.</p>