Help figuring out what to do this year to improve chances of getting into a good college

Applying to College
1

Hey everybody (side note, English is a second language, so I’m very sorry if this post makes little to no sense),
So I’ve never posted here before, but I’ve been reading through a whole lot of threads, and I’m finally ready to ask my first question. I apologize if this is the wrong thread as well, I just though this one seemed most appropriate. I am currently a junior in highschool, and I am honestly really apprehensive about my college chances for next year. I am not certain that I have done enough good stuff to make it into a selective college (my dream schools are HYP, or UChicago). Could you guys read through a list of stuff I’ve done so far, and maybe give me some tips on how I could improve, and what classes, EC’s and volunteering opportunities I should pursue given the following information (copped from one of the several SCEA threads I saw people posting on)

[ *] SAT I (breakdown): 1550 (800 math, 750 reading oof, gotta get it up)
[ *] ACT: 29 (took it in 7th grade, need to go again lol)
[ *] SAT II: I’m taking Math II and World History next semester
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Hmm, well about a 3.8 ish, weighted is probably much higher
[ *] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Idk
[ *] AP (place score in parenthesis): Human Geo (5), World History (5), BC Calc (5), Physics C: Mechanics (5), Micro (5), Macro (5)
[ *] IB (place score in parenthesis): School doesn’t have RIP
[ *] Current Course Load: Calc III at regional university, Farsi at regional university, AP US History, AP Environmental Science, English III (our school offers a specialized, audition-based course for students interested in writing, I currently do that, but I’m self-studying the AP exam)
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel, etc.): Hmm… Well Idk if these really count, but in my Sophomore year I was a State Champion in Domestic Extemp and Prose, I also won the Rotary International Speech Contest, I think I’ll at least get Commended for National merit (217) praying for the Semi-finalist, Won my University’s Persian Poetry Contest if that’s worth anything
[ /list]

[ b]Subjective:**
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Debate, quit at the end of 10th grade (Sargent at Arms)
Ethics Bowl, (Captain 2 yrs)
Quizbowl (VP)
Orchestra, Quit Last year too, still play for gigs in a Jazz combo
Model UN, Most Outstanding Delegate 2 years, Best Delegation Last Year (VP)
[ *] Job/Work Experience:
Small Summer Camp
[ *] Volunteer/Community service:
Not much tbh, tutor kids at my school for free
[ *] Summer Activities:
Well I’ve had pretty uneventful summers so far, but this year I am applying for NSLI-Y, so hopefully I’ll get to go to Tajikistan
[ /list]

[ b]Other**
[ *] Intended Major: Econ or IR
[ *] State (if domestic applicant): OK
[ *] School Type: Public
[ *] Ethnicity (Hispanic Y/N/not reported): Nope
[ *] Race(s): Black and White
[ *] Gender: M
[ *] Income Bracket: lower middle class
[ *] Hooks (URM, athlete, legacy, 1st gen, etc.): URM from the South is probably pretty good, but I won’t have legacy to any schools I am considering applying to
[ /list]

Thanks to anyone who took the time to respond, again, please let me know how I can improve as a student and what sort of activities I ought to do this year to increase my chances for admission to a top-tier school.

2

I’m just another applicant so don’t take my word too seriously but your academics are great!! I would focus on finding an activity that’s truly meaningful to you and provides benefit to others in the next year. You have loads of AP and college courses and a 1550 SAT is amazing don’t fret. Best of luck!

3

Apply to uOk’s honors college (and regular University) as soon as the applications open. That’ll be your safety. Various other honors colleges (Ole miss, UTDallas AES/McDermott, UKentucky, ASU Barrett, Temple…) can be added.
Then you need some matches, which would be colleges with acceptance rates above 30%. Get a Fiske guide and start reading. Find at least ten colleges with acceptance rates above 30% that you hadn’t heard of and that sound interesting. Run the NPC on these as well as colleges you know and bring results to your parents, ask them what they can afford from income and savings (no loans).
Any college with acceptance rates below 30% should be seen as a reach. You add them on only after you’ve found two affordable safeties you like and five affordable matches.
Since you’re lower middle class you should look at the “100% meet need” colleges, especially those which don’t package loans SUV as Davidson, Haverford, etc.