<p>Are your registered with a tribe? Are you involved with Native American activities? The Native American connection is one that is treated very differently at colleges in terms of URM pools. The reason for this is that there are many, many people who can include Native American ethnicity in their heritages. So the degree of your tribal affiliation can be a factor at some schools. I have no idea which schools have specific pools for NA students as URMs. Do you have anyone at some NA organizations who can help you with the college process and write a recommendation, perhaps touching upon your GC’s reactions to some of the schools you want to consider?</p>
<p>It was unprofessional for your GC to reaction as s/he did to the schools you listed. You should apply to them, if you so want, but be aware that with your stats, they are very low probabilities for accepts. Lower than those who have very high GPAs, having taken the most difficult courses at their schools and getting top Test scores. Though even their chances are low because these schools simply reject far more kids than they accept. But there is no reason for you not to give this an effort. You should see what photos of your art work, if it is considered exceptional to be included with your application.</p>
<p>Here is the situation for ALL students: In addition to highly selective schools like Cornell, Dartmouth, et al, to which I believe you should apply, other colleges of varying selectivity should also be on your list. Where you got Quinnipiac and Drexel, I don’t know, but if you don’t like either school, which are very different from each other, find other schools at that selectivity range that you feel you can like. If selectivity is your most important factor, you, as well as anyone who feels that way, is going to have a problem. The whole thing about the college application process is finding schools at varying selectivities that match what a given student wants. Anyone can cherry pick the name brand list and say those are the schools wanted. The difficult part is finding those schools that do not have the allure, the rep, the ratings that can also give you want you most want. '</p>
<p>Your stats will get you into most of the schools in this country. Go ahead and apply to whatever selective schools you want as lottery tickets. So they are for every one. But you haven’t done your job in finding schools where the chances of your acceptance are very high. There are a lot of schools out there, so you have some work to do. </p>
<p>Will you need financial or merit money to attend? Are your parents involved with you and this process? Above all, you should have at least one, better more, schools that you KNOW are affordable and will take you I don’t look at Drexel and Q, necessarily as safeties. My son had them on his list and one was reach, the other a border line safety, with grades higher than yours but test scores lower. And, he did get into a nice smattering of colleges. </p>
<p>So in addition to the highly selective,well known school on your list, add some where the chances are a lot better for ANYONE to get accepted. Don’t make this personal–Cornell is a crap shoot for most of the applicants as they reject most of them. FInd some schools that give you a half a chance, 75% chance, and most importantly sure things. But they should be schools that you feel you can get what you want. They absolutlely exist, many of them do, but your attitude may need adjusting if you can’t find ANY out of the thousands so out there.</p>