<p>My dilemma stems from the fact that my transcript and ECs will not really reflect who I am. Although I have the highest grades in all my AP classes, my class rank still sucks because my register messed up my freshman year record. Therefore, I can either repair that error by showing to college I can handle very heavy courseload, or just take it easy and slack off. The problem is that in order to repair my transcript, I have to take a lot of APs, and that leaves no time for ECs. </p>
<li>Do you have any advices or solutions? Should I drop lower my grades from A+ to A- or even some B+ (and have less glowing letters of recommendations) and start building ECs? </li>
</ol>
<p>Here’s two hypothetical applicants to the University of Texas Austin (or other decent public) engineering school:</p>
<p>Me without junior yr ECs: 4.0 UW, 4.6W (standard weight, A in AP/honor=5)
top 15-20%
SAT: probably in the 2100’s,maybe 2200 range
ECs: plays piano (9 yrs), guitar (1 yr), soccer (for fun).
2nd place at a french national piano competition.
graduated from music school valedictorian (out of a class of 20 
)
8yrs studied in music conservatory.
played piano at various public events (church, town celebrations etc…)
probably some volunteering (50 hrs)</p>
<p>Me with more ECs: 3.9 UW, 4.45 W, top 25%-30%
SAT: probably 2100’s
ECs: the same
- some academic club participation (Mu Alpha Theta…)
- NHS
- student council
- 100-150 hrs volunteering
- track JV</p>
<p>Courses (common to both):</p>
<p>9th: english academic, french academic, algebra II, Integrated Physics&Chemistry, health, PE ,… (from a top foreign school that does have “honors” courses)</p>
<p>10th: English II pre-AP, Precalculus Pre-AP, Biology PreAP, World Geography PreAP, Health/fitness (for graduation), keyboarding, 1 semester orchestra. (straight A+)</p>
<p>11th: English III AP, Biology AP, Statistics AP, AP US history, chem preAP, Physics PreAP, BCIS. (still haven’t finished junior year)</p>
<p>12th: Physics C, Music Theory AP, Calc BC, Gov/Eco AP, Chem AP, English IV AP or DC.</p>
<p>What are the chances for those students to get in a good state university (Berkeley OOS, Michigan, UT austin)? or an exceptional private (like Rice, Caltech)</p>
<p>Any comments, insights are more than welcome!! I’m really clueless about what I should do right now.</p>
<p>Thanks. Watson&Crick.</p>
<p>PS: sorry for the long thread.</p>