Getting into Dream School

<p>I desperately want to go to American **University **and I'm wondering whether its possible.
I'm an
-African-American student with 3.1 gpa, mostly a.p and honor courses.
-I have 1300 on the SAT
-I intend to get around a 3.7 from my senior year.
-I have alot of extracurricular activities politically related
-my mother went there for graduate school, but she didn't get her degree.
What are my chances of getting into the college? Also should I apply early application or wait b/c I want to pull up my gpa?</p>