Do these stats get me where I want to go...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am currently a junior and while I feel I have a good grip on the college process, I would like to hear some others' opinions on my chances at a few institutes of higher learning. NOTE: ECs/classes for senior year are what I plan to do...and I <em>try</em> to stick to my plans. Here goes nothing...</p>

<p>ME:
Semi-upper-middle-class white male.
I'm not a legacy at any of my schools.
Southwest PA.</p>

<p>GPA:
9th grade: 4.0 uw/4.06 w (cumulative 4.0 uw/4.06 w)
10th grade: 3.86 uw/4.29 w (cumul. 3.93 uw/4.17 w)
11th grade: 3.86 uw/4.47 w (cumul. 3.91 uw/4.27 w)</p>

<p>CLASSES:
9th: 2 honors
10th: 2 honors, 2 AP (World History, Calc AB)
11th: 1 honors, 4 AP (Eng. Lang., Calc BC, Spanish V, US History)
12th: 3 AP, 1 honors (Eng. Lit., Econ, Statistics)</p>

<p>CLASS RANK:
1st decile weighted/4th decile unweighted (?)
(The difference is due to some "B" grades in my AP classes...GC only reports the best (weighted or unweighted) decile to the college...we don't rank individually)</p>

<p>SCHOOL:
Competitive public, upper middle class suburb, blue ribbon school a few years back, 3 USA Today Academic All-Americans in the last 5 years, 3 current seniors with perfect 2400 SATs, sends a fair number to Ivies (3 to Harvard this year)</p>

<p>PSAT:
72 CR/67 M/74 W = 213
Commended YES, Semi-Finalist NOT SURE</p>

<p>SAT I:
1st sitting: 730 CR/760 M/780 W (11 essay) = 2270 (1490 M+CR)</p>

<p>SAT II:
US History: 760</p>

<p>Math Ic, <some science="" test="" to="" placate="" cmu,="" cornell=""> SCHEDULED</some></p>

<p>AP TESTS:
10th: World History (5)
11th: Eng. Lang., Calc BC, US History (scores mail July 1)
12th: Eng. Lit., MicroEcon, MacroEcon, Stats, SCHEDULED</p>

<p>ECs/AWARDS:
IN-SCHOOL:
-JV Cross Country (9th)
-Freshman Baseball (9th)
-JV Baseball (10th, 11th)
-Varsity Baseball (11th, 12th)
-Varsity Golf (12th) (?)
-Spanish Club (10th)
-Helped to found school's Cricket Club (10th)
-Cricket club secretary (10th, 11th, 12th)
-NHS (10th, 11th, 12th) (can run for prez 12th) (participate in food drives/community tutoring, 2-4 hrs./week)
-Honor roll (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th)
-School store volunteer (11th (as part of marketing class work experience), 12th)
-Member of 3-person quiz team for a local TV quiz show (12th)
-Architecture Apprenticeship (11th)
-Business Apprenticeship (12th)
-Commencement Speaker (12th, I plan to...school doesn't have vals/sals anymore...too un-PC I guess)
OUT-OF-SCHOOL:
-Junior American Legion Baseball (8th (team made it to state championships), 9th)
-Community Baseball (8th, 10th (team won league championship))
-Volunteer at church (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th) (read the liturgy 2 times/month...3-5 hrs./month since start of high school)
-Caddie at golf club (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th) (started at start of high school...20-30 hrs./week summer, 4-8 hrs./week fall & spring...reached "AA" (highest) caddie status in less than 2 years)
-Junior golf tournaments (1-9th, 3-11th)</p>

<p>Now that you've heard my life story, would you please kindly chance me for the following schools? (I plan on majoring in finance or economics.)</p>

<p>IVIES:
Dartmouth
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
Cornell</p>

<p>MATCH:
University of Virginia
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Notre Dame (is a Catholic school right for me?)
University of Michigan</p>

<p>SAFETY:
University of Pittsburgh (employee parent=free tuition, plus I'm honors college eligible by a long shot.)</p>

<p>Also...Most of my schools have the university feel (save for Dartmouth). Should I explore some LACs, or no? (I have the feeling Dartmouth is somewhere in btwn.)</p>

<p>Thank you very, very much for your input!</p>

2

<p>noooo.. you cannot go to college....Portland Community College for you.</p>

3

<p>And YOU will be going to college WHERE...</p>

4

<p>Notre Dame is a match for no one.</p>

<p>Yes, you will be a very competitive applicant but they reject kids just like you. Do I think you will get in? Yes, I do but don't underestimate ND's competitiveness. I would go as far as to say that it was easier to get into Cornell this year than it was to get into ND. Come check out the ND forum to find out if its right for you!</p>

5

<p>A match school isn't one that you are guaranteed admission, just one where you have a pretty good shot, so I <em>would</em> call ND a match (albeit a high match). I think that you are in good position and have reasonable aspirations...my thoughts specifically are: </p>

<p>Wharton...biggest reach
Cornell and Dartmouth...tough shot (maybe waitlists)
ND...you are very competitive, but not a sure thing (could be a waitlist)
UVA...pretty tough OOS, but I think you are likely to be admitted
UMich...you are very competitive, very likely admit
CMU...you are very competitive, very likely admit (barring extremely competitive major)
UPitt...good safety</p>

<p>Should you explore some LACs? Yes, I think so. Give them a shot...the top ones all offer fantastic educations to rival those of the top 20 Unis, and the door is open just a little bit wider. I had better luck at the two top LACs that I applied to (Wellesley and Carleton) and wish that I had even applied to a couple more (I did visit 5 others, but none of them jumped out at me...looking back I feel like I stacked my list too much with über competitive schools, though). If they don't end up being right for you, fine, but I think it is a good option to at least look into.</p>

6

<p>copefan....i'm also a junior...and although you have waaaaaaaay better eCs than i do. i have better academic stats.</p>

7

<p>Yo. Pitt's a reach 4 u son. 6% chance if less.</p>

8

<p>To the two above me...</p>

<p>Yeah, real helpful, guys.</p>

9

<p>"Yo. Pitt's a reach 4 u son. 6% chance if less."</p>

<p>says the kid from "'Burban CT"</p>

<p>I say you have a legitimate shot at almost everywhere on your list. It is pretty much a crapshoot though. I would feel good applying there if I were you.</p>

10

<p>Have you considered Colgate or Bowdoin? Academic and athletic, like you.</p>

11

<p>Holy Cross, Colgate, Bucknell.</p>

12

<p>bowdoin and colgate are not athletic/academic schools-</p>

<p>athletic and academic combos would be Notre dame, duke, stanford, michigan, UNC chapel hill, virginia, ucla, berkeley maybe vandy to an extent</p>

13

<p>both colgate and bowdoin are D3=not athletic- eastconn is d3</p>

14

<p>OP, please tell me you dont go to Schenley ;)</p>

15

<p>Actually Sanders, Colgate is D1. It's no powerhouse, but it is alright.</p>

16

<p>ok its D1 my mistake--its funny since the OP plays baseball and Colgate doesnt even have a baseball team currently...</p>

17

<p>No, I don't. (go to Schenley)</p>

18

<p>ok just checking :P</p>