Do I have a good, balanced college list?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've been looking at some colleges and created somewhat of a list that I'm going to apply to come application time. Does this list look good based on my possible majors? Does it seem balanced with a good number of matches, reaches, and safeties? Are there any changes that you would suggest I make to the list to have a better chance of going somewhere that I'm satisfied with. </p>

<p>Profile:
School: One of top public schools in IL.
Gender: Male
Year: Senior
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
Income-~125-150k
GPA: 3.95 UW 4.67 W.
Rank: 4/1100</p>

<p>Scores:
SAT I: 2350 (800 CR, 780 Math, 770 Writing)
ACT: 36
SAT II: 800 Math II, 800 Chem, 770 US History
AP: Taking a total of 15 AP's by end of Senior year, with self-study on Human Geography and World History.
I got mostly 5's and a few 4's so far. </p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
JV/Varsity Cross Country Team (10-12)
JV/Varsity Track Team(10-12) (Both are top in state)
Played for Club Soccer Team outside of school (9-12)
Student Council (10-12) Class Representative
WYSE Competition (10-12) Vice President
BPA-Business Professionals of America (10-12) Vice President
Scholastic Bowl (10-12) Captain
Interact Community Service Club(10-12)
Spanish Honors Society(10-12) </p>

<p>Awards:
Some stuff through Scholastic Bowl, WYSE, and BPA.
Made state for Scholastic Bowl and WYSE and nationals for BPA
1st place at BPA State
Earned Ambassador Torch Award for BPA.
National AP Scholar after Junior Year
Finalist in Ayn Rand Foundation Anthem Essay Contest
Cross Country and Track TEAM finished top 3 in state
USACO Semifinalist
National Merit Semifinalist-Should be Finalist too</p>

<p>Volunteering/Internships:
Totaled up around 100+ hours, both through Interact and working at a hospital. Also volunteered at the soccer club I play at as well as around my town with various events.
Interned with the statistical research department of a local hospital. Also had a paid internship at Fermilab. </p>

<p>I'm looking to major in either engineering (Bio or Chem) or Economics/Statistics. </p>

<p>Schools List:
Safeties-
University of Illinois (State flagship, should get in)
University of Pittsburgh (Good chance to get lots of merit scholarships)</p>

<p>Matches-
UC Berkeley (Out of state, so could be a reach?)
Vanderbilt
Emory
Northwestern</p>

<p>Reaches-
Cornell
Duke
U Chicago
Columbia
U Penn
Princeton
Stanford</p>

2

<p>I think you have a good balanced list. some of the reaches should be a match to you, go get it with a good essay…</p>

3

<p>Very balanced, realistic list. Just rather lengthy, IMO. If possible, I’d suggest shortening it so that you can more easily balance your time put into each application. If you can’t, no big deal. May also want to consider Carnegie Mellon for engineering. Good luck, and I am sure that you will get into a number of the schools that you have designated as “reaches.”</p>

4

<p>Thanks guys, that’s good news. :D</p>

5

<p>I agree that many of your reachs could be matches. You effectively have the strongest possible unhooked application. It is a very good overall list. I would be shocked if you didn’t get in to more than half of your reaches. If you are over the 75th percentile in test scores for a school and in the top 1% of your class (with 15 AP’s no less), the only schools that would reasonably reject you are those that have a complete overload of equal applicatants (Princeton and Stanford on your list). The other reaches are basically matches. Cornell and Chicago are very selective but with their ~20% acceptance rates they are not overloaded with perfect applications.</p>