SAT Subjects: History (800), Math 2 (790), Biology E (800)
AP: 9 classes - only 5’s, will be taking 5 more senior year
I had a really bad sophomore year because of some unforeseen circumstances
I am extremely interested in environmental science and EC’s related to it:
Created my own business selling organic, vegan, fairtrade skincare
Internship at Seattle’s wastewater plant
Got a bid to ISEF for creating a system that desalinates ocean water (didn’t win at ISEF)
Also, I am a dance teacher and part of a touring dance company.
I am looking to go to a mid - large research university (not LAC) which is in a more city setting. Could you please help me find some schools that would accept people with my stats?
UVM is in a fun city, has strong environmental science, and would definitely be realistic with your stats (maybe even a safety given your strong SAT score).
Strong ES programs can often be found at colleges in mostly natural settings (e.g., Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Colorado College, Hamilton, Middlebury, Pitzer/Pomona). However, in terms of schools more aligned with your stated interests, you can still find some excellent programs in larger, urban-type environments. Northeastern could be good, as could Emory. Harvard offers a top program, though I’m not sure how your GPA would stand up there. You certainly have the impressive, diverse testing – and seem as well to have the extracurricular interests – for any of these schools. If financial assistance would not be a factor, look into some California public universities such as UC-Berkeley and UC-Santa Cruz, though your GPA could be an obstacle with these too. UColorado-Boulder would be worth a look. UVM, mentioned above, appears to be a good suggestion. Btw, I’d recommend you mostly ignore graduate department rankings as you proceed in your search.
You have excellent stats and ECs (especially the ISEF bid), and it is not beyond you to attend an Ivy. Yale (New Haven), Princeton (Princeton, not a huge city but still), and Harvard (Cambridge, close to Boston) are good fits. If Ivies aren’t your thing, consider Duke (Raleigh-Durham), UMinn (Minneapolis), and UC Berkeley (Berkeley, #1 ES school according to US News). You’ll go far, trust me. Good luck!
P.S. I know US News isn’t the most reliable source for major rankings, but I’m not too experienced with schools with good ES programs, so…
Since you didn’t explicitly state your intended direction, should we assume you would want to pursue environmental studies/science as a major in college?
Geosciences will often be integral to environmental studies, so consider the availability of offerings in this field as you continue your college search.