<p>GPA: will be anywhere between 3.85 to 3.9 by the end of junior year, depending on how many B's I can raise to A's</p>
<p>SAT I: 2250
-M: 800
-CR: 700
-W: 750</p>
<p>SAT II:
-Biology: 800
-US History: 790
-Math II: I haven't taken it yet, will probably be anywhere between 780-800</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
-2 years of a sport, then I got lazy and quit
-2 years of band, then I got lazy and quit
-a few clubs here and there, one of which I've been in since freshman year and have put much of my time and effort into, though I'm not in a leadership position :(
-~100-200 volunteer hours total
-in other words, not much</p>
<p>As you can see, my extracurriculars are terrible. Are lower end ivy leagues like Brown, UPenn, or Cornell even a possibility for me? I think places like Johns Hopkins and Duke are realistic reach schools, do I stand a chance? What could I do starting now that would increase my chances at top colleges? </p>
<p>Did you know that you can lie completely about your extracurriculars and not get caught? The only thing you cant lie about are community service hours. To get into the really good schools, you need LOTS of service hours. For extracurriculars, just say that your the president of …whatever, and there you go. I dont really know how much of your integrity you would want to hold though.</p>
<p>I’d hate knowing that I had to lie to get into a certain college, so not doing that. Any extracurricular activities that colleges like and that I could start doing right now?</p>
<p>I’m like you, man. 4.0 uw (hopefully - finals this week) at the end of junior year, 31 ACT (first try, taking again), and the most rigorous courseload my school offers but horrible EC’s. </p>
<p>Now, I’ve been told that they don’t matter for most state flagships if you’re otherwise qualified, but I’m not convinced when I see 36er’s get denied from Madison and Urbana-Champagne. I feel dumb, but I come from a medium-sized, suburban city in Middle America where internships are not readily available to me, clubs positions are popularity contests and jobs are hard to find. </p>
<p>I have about 200 volunteer hours at the local hospital over the past summer, NHS, 4 years of varsity track and XC (qualified for state last year) and joined a couple medical-related clubs this (junior) year. Other than various minor volunteer efforts, that’s all I got. </p>
<p>I’ve done interesting things like build guitars and breed guppies over the past summers, but it seems like top-colleges don’t want thoughtful, albeit quiet, intrinsically motivated kids anymore. They want machine academics who will fill up positions at top-name law and accounting firms and play the role of the pretentious a-hole that everyone loves to hate. Then, they go on to wear that title like a badge of honor.</p>
<p>I’m not trying to be negative or whiny, but since when does success in the real world correlate with washing test tubes at some local scientist’s research center just to say that you did and maybe get your name on some papers? Can’t a person be passionate and successful in a chosen field and NOT have to have won a Nobel prize at age 16? Ugh. #end rant.</p>
<p>“I have about 200 volunteer hours at the local hospital over the past summer, NHS, 4 years of varsity track and XC (qualified for state last year) and joined a couple medical-related clubs this (junior) year. Other than various minor volunteer efforts, that’s all I got”</p>
<p>*As you can see, my extracurriculars are terrible. Are lower end ivy leagues like Brown, UPenn, or Cornell even a possibility for me? I think places like Johns Hopkins and Duke are realistic reach schools, do I stand a chance? What could I do starting now that would increase my chances at top colleges? *</p>
<p>You can try for a few of these top schools but you need to have a realistic list of schools to apply to. With your GPA and ECs, your chances are not strong at these top schools.</p>
<p>That said…that is NOT the end of the world…there are MANY other very good schools. It sounds like you’re a bit of a prestige-hound.</p>
<p>What “non-elite” schools are on your list?</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay each year? That will also determine where you should apply and where you’ll go to school.</p>
<p>moneyp: Could you explain that a bit more? </p>
<p>mom2collegekids: I don’t know if UC Berkeley and UCLA are considered non-elite, but I will be applying there. I know they don’t put too much emphasis on extracurriculars, so I’m guessing I have an above average chance of getting in those schools? My parents and I are still discussing how much they’ll be paying, so that isn’t set yet. My major is undecided, but something math or science related for sure.</p>
<p>Cal and UCLA are hard to get accepted to …they consider GPA very heavily!! …so you need to have some schools on your list that you know for sure that you’ll get accepted to.</p>
<p>And, until your parents come up with a budget, you really won’t know where you should apply.</p>
<p>*for need aware schools, do not for aid. this will boost your chance. *</p>
<p>At this point, he doesn’t know if his parents will pay for all costs.</p>
<p>to the OP: discuss with your parents on how much they are willing to shell out for you. once you know, you can make strategy. for schools that are need blind, go ahead and apply for aid. for those that are need aware, try not to ask for aid so that your chances will be higher.</p>
<p>“I’ve done interesting things like build guitars and breed guppies over the past summers, but it seems like top-colleges don’t want thoughtful, albeit quiet, intrinsically motivated kids anymore.”</p>
<p>What makes you think that? ECs are meant to demonstrate interests and characteristics that are independent of your academic accomplishments. Your ECs certainly do that, especially if you have developed expertise in your ECs. The only schools that don’t care much about ECs are the large public schools who can assume, with an entering class of thousands, that they probably have a decent mix of skills and interests without having to hand pick them. In a LAC, with an entering class of 500, they will be very interested in what you bring to the class. Your skills are unique and interesting and, if you write effectively about them, they will differentiate you from all the editors of the school paper and captains of the math team.</p>
<p>Try UC Davis, it’s a very good school, and it’s not nearly as hard to get in. I wouldn’t consider UCLA and Cal “safety” schools.
Don’t take getting in to these colleges (or any college for that matter) for granted - imagine how horrible you’d feel if you had to take a gap year or go to a community college for gen. ed. if you didn’t find decent safety schools! D: It’s happened to lots, try to aim super low (but aim as high as you want!).</p>
<p>UCLA and Cal are definitely not my safety schools. Basically what I want to know is how I can increase my chances at reach schools starting now.</p>
<p>Well, I don’t mean to hi-jack this guy’s thread but I guess it’s appropriate since I’m in the same boat as him. If you feel like I am doing so, I apologize, man.</p>
<p>@stressedouttt: I’m not really sure what you’re saying–that my EC’s are good? If you think that then I implore you to look at the plethora of candidates on here with very prestigious national awards in the sciences, summer internships, mission trips to Africa and research with professors.</p>
<p>@M’s Mom: Guppy breeding and guitar building can’t be used as EC’s, as much as I would like them too. An LAC wouldn’t make much sense in terms of my major so I’m not really interested in going to some small one in Northern Michigan or Idaho or something. My concern isn’t even with star candidates getting accepted to Harvard, Yale etc. There was a girl I know who’s at Harvard. I think my GPA was better than hers but she was extremely friendly and involved. She deserved to go there. Everything about her was perfect for it.
I don’t have a problem with that.</p>
<p>What I <em>do</em> become a little discouraged with when I see it is when an otherwise active, 4.0 student in the 95+ percentile on a standardized tests can’t get in at ANY school comparable or better than the average Big 10 school (i.e. well-ranked, state flagship, research universities)–simply because they didn’t have the opportunities to go on mission trips and get internships. I suspect the parents are very involved in driving kids to accomplish these things, at least in terms of getting them in the right mindset. I never had that luxury. Colleges seem to punish people who don’t have a lot of opportunities by looking at them and saying, “he’s unmotivated”, when this applicant obviously has enough motivation to maintain a 4.0, compete at the state level in a sport, and dedicate time to both volunteer and intrinsic interests. Am I wrong?</p>
<p>Guppies e breeding and guitar building absolutely can be used as ECs. A family fre d is an adcom at Stanford and she actually said that is the kind of thing they find more interesting.</p>