Stats:
Unweighted gpa: 4.0
Weighted gpa: 4.582
ACT composite: 31 (I’m planning on retaking it in september and hopefully raising my score to at least a 33)
Class rank: 2
The colleges i’m currently planning on applying to are:
NYU
UW Seattle
Colorado Boulder
University of Miami
Concordia University Montreal (as an international student)
McGill University (as an international student)
Vanderbilt
Temple
I am also considering applying to:
Colorado State
Purdue
University of British Columbia (as an international student)
Columbia (If I improve my ACT score)
Yale (If I improve my ACT score)
Northwestern (my father got his masters degree here)
UC Berkeley
I’m having a very difficult time deciding where to apply to, what is a good number of reaches/matches/safeties, and what category would each of these schools fall into for me. Basically, I just need help determining and making a well rounded college list.
I’m planning on majoring in communication or media studies.
I’ve been a competitive gymnast for 8 years and a dancer for 13 years. I began competitive springboard diving in March (all of these sports have been done through private clubs, not my high school). Outside of athletics, I have been writing and producing music for 2 years. I volunteered as a gymnastics coach for 5 years and currently volunteer at my local humane society.
I take classes at a local community college for dual enrollment and have made the dean’s list (my college gpa is a 4.0) I am also a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State, Temple University, and UW would /possibly/ be safeties for you.
EDIT: NYU seems like a good fit for those majors off the top of my head.
Snapapp^ all of those colleges are reaches for anyone, except maybe NYU. I actually think you have a reasonable list. If you get your score up to 33, you can give your reaches a shot, but put effort into the application. I think your ECs are good, and it doesn’t matter if they are within or outside of school.
Your list of 8 is fine as is. I don’t think you need anymore safeties or matches. Vanderbilt will be very unlikely unless you can get your ACT up. Assuming you get that up, you can be more ambitious. Meanwhile, keep,the grades up. Good,luck!
Most of your potential colleges offer both communications studies and media studies, but others (Yale, Columbia) would offer you the single option of cinema and media studies (a combined program). Your list would come together better if you were to begin to clarify which academic programs you are specifically seeking in your choices, particularly since highly selective colleges – and perhaps otherwise excellent options – frequently do not offer communications as a major (though the opportunity for a minor is more common).
It appears you prefer large, often public, often urban, universities. More so than academics, this may be the only current unifying principle of your group.
NYU- Match
UW- Match
Colorado Boulder- Safety
University of Miami- Match
Concordia University Montreal - Dunno
McGill University - Match
Vanderbilt- Reach
Temple- Safety
Colorado State- Safety
Purdue- Safety
University of British Columbia (as an international student)- Dunno
Columbia- High Reach
Yale- High Reach
Northwestern- Reach
UC Berkeley- Reach