Evaluate my Application List

College Search & Selection
1

Hi everyone,

I’m a junior who will be applying to schools in the fall. I have a list of schools that I’m planning on applying to, but is continually changing. Please give me some advice with regards to admissions and fit for the schools. Thanks a lot.

Rank (top schools --> safeties)

  1. Princeton
  2. Harvard
  3. Yale
  4. Cornell
  5. Stanford
  6. Pomona (I have legacy)
  7. Georgetown
  8. UVA
  9. USC
  10. Boston College
  11. UNC
  12. Northeastern
  13. American

I understand that 1-5 are all huge reaches, and that my chances for 6-9 aren’t that great either, but honestly, I would love to go to any school #1-11 on this list. So I get that my chances are slim at each, but I really just need to get into one to be happy. What are the chances that I get rejected from #1-11?

Stats:
ACT: Composite: 34 || 36 Math/35 English/33 Science/30 Reading/9.25 Essay
SAT 2: US History, Math 2, Spanish (No scores back yet, but expecting around 700 in each)
GPA: 3.875UW || 4.23W
Rank: My school doesn’t rank (top decile at rigorous public school)
AP: Macroeconomics: 5, Waiting on Psych and APUSH
Courseload through junior year: 3 AP’s, as many honors as possible – note that my school only allows 1 AP before junior year
Senior year Courseload: 4 AP’s, 2 Honors, 2 Regular
Extracurriculars: 4 years debate (2 jv 2 varsity), 3 years DECA, 2 years Stock Market Club, 4 years quizbowl, 2 years weather club, started a politics club junior year, 2 years model congress, 1 year model un, 2 years newspaper, 100+ volunteer hours, 3 summers working as lifeguard, summer at Brown program, 1 year soccer, 4 years tennis, 2 years NHS, random summer internship, soccer ref 7 years
Leadership: Founder of Politics Club, Varsity Tennis Captain, I run the soccer referee program in my town, NHS tutor, Head referee for many soccer matches
Awards: Made it to DECA Nationals and other various DECA awards, various debate awards, every high honor roll possible, various minor quizbowl awards, 2 varsity letters, passion award in 8th grade
Letters of recommendation: Outstanding letter from best teacher in school (my APUSH teacher and the tennis coach), other is undecided

Interests: Law, political science, psychology, economics

Other notes: I’m male, hispanic, white, and a pacific islander. I’m from the northeast. Top income bracket.

Thanks!

2

We already gave you advice on your other post. Your current list is extremely reach heavy and does not have any real safeties (acceptance rates at Northeastern and American are are 28% and 25%, respectively). You also say you wouldn’t be happy to go to Northeastern or American. These schools are both notorious for the importance they place on demonstrated interest, and if they sense you are attempting to use them as safeties and aren’t really interested, they will almost surely reject you.

If you like Georgetown and BC you will probably like Fordham, which would be a great safety for you. On your other post you indicated some interest in Villanova - probably more of a low match than a safety, but it would still be a good idea to apply there.

There’s no doubt you have worked hard in high school and are a qualified applicant, and I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if you got into one or more of these schools. But I can assure you there are plenty of hardworking, qualified kids with a 3.8 and a 34 who have gotten rejected from all of them. You are doing yourself a disservice by not thinking more seriously about safeties.

3

The list is way too reach heavy IMO. I’d classify your schools 1 - 11 reaches. You need to expand your list to include match and safety schools that you would be happy to attend.

4

Agree with above. My son’s friend had a 35 ACT with a 4.0, lots of EC including clubs, leadership and sports. With a legacy, he didn’t get into UVA. He was also rejected from Villanova but did get into (and will attend) Northeastern. You have great stats, but you don’t have too many reaches.

5

Yes, you have no safeties. You say you are from the northeast. I’d start with your instate flagship. If you don’t like that then maybe University of Alabama. I think you’d qualify for the full tuition scholarship there. Find a school with >50% acceptance rate.