<p>I am approaching my senior year rapidly, and getting very nervous about my college list. The last time I checked, I was ranked fifth out of 250 students at a C- school with no funding or any ability whatsoever to teach or provide... anything. The last person to go to an Ivy was in 2010; the valedictorian went to Brown after being waitlisted. </p>
<p>I have something like a 3.9 GPA and took 3 APs junior year; AP Chem, AP English Comp, and AP Calc AB and got a 5, 5, and 4, respectively. I got a 2070 on my SATs (haven't taken subject tests, planning on chem, history?, and english) and a 31 composite on my ACTs. My other classes junior year were Italian 1, Painting (half year), Accounting (half year), and world history honors. I studied french 3 independently because of scheduling conflicts and took a psychology classes at the local community college. I spent a week at the New York Film Academy at Harvard this summer and take painting classes at a local studio usually in the summer.</p>
<p>My courses for next year will be French 4 honors, Italian 2 honors, AP Econ, AP Stats, AP English Lit, Drama Lit, and physics honors, as well public speaking at the same community college.</p>
<p>I am the lead in most theatre productions at my school, and have also done some admirable local theatre. I am on my theatre club's production team (drama council) and will run for pres against no real competition, president of the human rights initiative, president of nhs, world news journalist for my school paper, and a writer for the literary magazine. I am a member of a five member mathletes team (I was one of the founders), chem club, AIPAC (political volunteer group), environmental club, and VP of the student body. I did habitat for humanity last year and will do it again this year as well as (possibly) a volunteer project in Israel. I also volunteer with a couple local teen groups. I won the Smith Book award last year and have won many awards for my regular classes. And yes, I am very involved in all of these activities, it's not superficial. I started them all freshman year or before, other than NHS, of course, and AIPAC. I also work at a farmstand and am looking for a second job..</p>
<p>I want to major in theatre and international relations. I'm freaking out because my list includes some very selective schools and not very solid back ups (either I don't like them or I am unsure on financial aid). The most important thing is financial aid for me. </p>
<p>I know people say "If you make a 'chances' post, you definitely will never get in because you don't have the confidence", but I do. I know I have the ability and the determination and most certainly the desire. I have grown despite my town's solidity. My problem is that everybody has told me that I don't have a chance with Ivy's because, simply, they are Ivy's. And I'm worrying because I need financial aid, and really don't want to go to UMASS.</p>
<p>Here is my list.. I don't know if I'm (a) shooting wayyy too high, or if there is some secret to what else I should do to be a strong candidate?
Reaches:
Harvard
Yale
Columbia
Williams
Northwestern (I'm told it's the "Midwest Ivy"?)
NYU Tisch
George Washington
Sarah Lawrence
American
UMASS Amherst</p>
<p>Please please help! And thank you in advance.</p>