Extremely Stressed...Chances please?

<p>I am so stressed right now! I have to go study for a Physics test but I can't even concentrate...(Please help me benevolent people on CC)</p>

<p>Race: 1st Gen. Asian/South Korean Male (Permanent Resident)</p>

<p>School: Difficult North New Jersey Public School
GPA: 4.29 W, 3.66 UW (bit weak here)
Rank: 23/298</p>

<p>SAT I: 2170 -- Best Score out of 2 tests (680verbal, 760 math, 730 writing) + Retook in October for 3rd time hoping for 700+ on verbal</p>

<p>SAT II: 770 BiologyE, 780 Math IIC, 790 Korean w/listening, 800 Chemistry
AP Exams: 5 Chemistry</p>

<p>Course Rigor + Grades in HS (weakest point): I wasn't recommended for any honors classes in 8th grade because I was a complete slacker/idiot getting by with B's and C's. But by end of 9th grade I got recommended for all honors. I had a difficult time adjusting to the honors environment as you can see below. </p>

<p>9th Grade: (No Honors/AP)</p>

<p>Spanish 2: A
English 1: A
Geometry: A
World Civilizations: A
Band: A+
Gym: A
Biology: A
Business Management: A</p>

<p>10th Grade: (All-Honors)</p>

<p>English 2 Honors: A-
Spanish 3 Honors: B+
Algebra 2 Honors: A
U.S. History Honors: B
Chemistry 1 Honors: B
Band: A+
Gym: A</p>

<p>11th Grade: (All-Honors/ 1AP)</p>

<p>English 3 Honors: B-
Spanish 4 Honors: A-
Trig/Pre-Calc Honors: B+
Chemistry AP: B+
Physics Honors: B
Band: A
Gym: A
U.S. History 2 (Summer): A</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule
AP Physics C
AP Calc BC
AP English
AP Spanish V
AP European History
Band
Gym</p>

<p>Extra-Curriculars as of now: (Stongest Field)
From most important to least:</p>

<p>All-Eastern Band (12th, Currently Awaiting Acceptance)
New Jersey All-State Band (10,11, Section Leader in 11th)
New Jersey All-State Orchestra (10,11, Only accepts 1 player from entire state)
New Jersey Region Band: (9,10,11, Section Leader in 9,10)
Bergen County Band: (9,10,11, Section Leader all)
Volunteer Nursing Home (90~100 Hours)
All-School Musical Pit-Orchestra (10, 11, Director's Invitation Only)
Chemistry AP League (11)
Volunteer: Town Community Band (10,11, Section Leader in both, about 70 hours)
Marching Band: (10,11,12, Clarinet Section Leader 11th, Alto Saxophone/Horn Section Leader 12th)
Conductor's Symposium (A music conducting seminar that requires professional players to sight-read while teaching conducting) : (11th, Director's Invitation Only)
National Honor Society: (11,12th)
Math League (11,12th, invitation only)
Tri-M Music Honor Society (10,11,12th)
All-American Youth in Concert in Ireland (11th)
Jazz Band: (11,12th)
Instrumental Music Chamber Guard: (9,11th)
Bowling: (10th)
Intramural Badminton: (11th)
Volunteer Music Orientation for children at a Temple: (11th)
Spanish Club: (10,12th)
Chess Club: (9,10th)
Drama Club: (9th)</p>

<p>So my EC's are mainly focused on music with some dabbles in other areas. I play 5 instruments with relative ease (learned 3 new ones in HS)</p>

<p>Awards:
Recognition Award from Board of Education for All-State Band/Orchestra, Region Band, County Band</p>

<p>Undergraduate Music Award (9th)</p>

<p>Work Experience:
CVS Pharmacy (20~25 hours per week in Summer), Worked as Cashier, general store maintenance)</p>

<p>Essays: I think my essays are like 10x better than the papers I wrote at school</p>

<p>Recommendations: 1 From AP Chem, 1 from Spanish 4, should be great, I don't know about my guidance one</p>

<p>Schools I'm Applying/Considering:</p>

<p>Early Decision: Johns Hopkins University (#1 Choice!)
Early Action (Maybe): University of Notre Dame</p>

<p>Regular Decision:</p>

<p>Reach: Northwestern, Washington Univ. in St. Louis, Possibly Columbia/Cornell)</p>

<p>Match/Slight Reach: Carnegie Mellon, Rice (?)</p>

<p>Safety~Maybe Match: Boston College, UNC-Chapel Hill, UMich-Ann Arbor (Great Aunt attended - Is this considered Legacy?)</p>

<p>Major: Chemical Engineering</p>

<p>It surprising that your rank is as high as it is with so many Bs. </p>

<p>Keep in mind most colleges will back out band and gym when recalculating your GPA. One of the main problems i see is the drop in grades when you went from regular classes to honors. I think your mid year report will be especially important as it will show what happens when you go from H to AP. Itis also an issue that there are no APs before sr year.</p>

<p>All this is to say that your reaches are really reaches. Apply to Mich NOW!!</p>

<p>JHU ED you should get in. I am not sure if UNC Chapel HIll is a safety, more a slight reach considering you are out of state.</p>

<p>Reaches:
Northwestern
Washington Univ. in St. Louis
Columbia
Cornell
UNC (You are OOS, only 18% admit rate from OOS)</p>

<p>Slight Reach:
Rice</p>

<p>Match
Carnegie Mellon
UMich-Ann Arbor (they like GPA alot...and your OOS)</p>

<p>Safety/Low Match:
Boston College</p>

<p>My rank is only high because everyone else struggled (if not more) through the same classes I did...only 2 people got A's in Chem Honors out of the top 40 students in my grade, same with Physics Honors. </p>

<p>Also, there is no possiblity in my school to have AP classes before Junior year, and even at Junior Year, the max is 2 (Choice of: Chem, Bio, Euro, U.S. History 2, Statistics), and to take 2 I would have had to drop Band or Spanish. I couldn't because my extra-curriculars require me to take band during h.s., and Johns Hopkins required 4 years of language. And I did take 1 Ap class in Junior Year...Chemistry AP.</p>

<p>Any other input? It would be greatly appreciated</p>

<p>Relax, your grades aren't bad for a tough school and your scores are great. I'd expect you to get in to a couple of reaches. Great-aunt won't count for legacy purposes, I don't think.</p>

<p>But definitely try to get some A's this semester.</p>

<p>UNC is a big reach</p>

<p>ok honestly dude..stop worrying whats done is done..focus on improving your GPA for senior year 1st sem..and plus your SAT scores are good/GPA is good..quite honestly no matter what you'll get into a really good/respectable college..there are soooo many ppl out there in much worse situations then you are..youre set man dont worry.</p>