<p>I am from Boston, MA and currently a junior in high school.</p>
<p>School:
-I have a weighted 96 GPA (Out of a possible 120, highest in my class is a 117)
-I am currently taking 2 AP classes with intention of taking 3 more next year
-I recieved a 155 on my PSAT and hope for a 1650 on my SATs (low but I am horrible at tests wah)
-Top 40% class but hope to be top 30% by the end of this school year.</p>
<p>Extra:
-Amnesty International (9-current)
-Model UN (10-current, also won many awards at confrences and vice president this year. Will be president of club next year)
-Junior State of America (10-current, vice president this year, president next year)
-Student Council (9- current)
-Mock Trial (10-current)
-Mentor program for freshman (10-current)
-School Orchestra (9-10)
-JVA Soccer(9)
-JV Winter Track (9)
-Girl Scouts (2nd grade- current, president of troop this and next year, Completed Bronze and Gold Award as well.)
-Soccer Coach of town U6 soccer (9-current)</p>
<p>-I have a lot of community service hours but have never counted them up to be honest. Service isn't about logging my every move I just do it becuase I love it.</p>
<p>-I have also been on 6 service trips around the world. I have done things like Habitat for Humanity in South Africa and helped out at AIDS orphanges in Trinidad. All of these were with my chuch and other Christian groups.</p>
<p>-I know I am not the strongest student but I have a low GPA becuase I slacked off the first year or so in high school. I have gotten better. I also think I have pretty good extra c's so hopefully colleges will value those as well?</p>
<p>-I have a passion for Politics so I am leaning to major in Pol. Sci.</p>
<p>Do I have a shot at any of the following (Or do you think there are any schools I should be looking at? I am from Boston and just looking to get out of New England)
-Pitzer College
-Scripps College
-Occidental College
-Pepperdine University
-St. Olaf College
-Grinnell College
-Macalester College
-Whitman College
-Baylor University
-University of Tulsa
-George Washington University
-Any of the University of Cali's ( I still have to look into them but I knwo I have no shot at UCLA and some of the more competetive ones)</p>
<p>Any feedback would be appreciated!! I have safety schools but these are some that I am not so sure about hehe.</p>
<p>LL, a number of these schools are pretty difficult to get into and have pretty high SAT scores. Your service trips look excellent though and should help you out a lot. Take an SAT course and/or start studying now for the test (if you haven't already). Take the test a few times. Also, take the ACT test as some people do better on that test than on the SAT. Other schools that you may want to look at and that have an excellent reputation are Dickinson, Gettysburg and Franklin & Marshall. They are SAT optional if you find you are having trouble with the SAT. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yeah I know a lot of them are harder than will probably accept me but they're def. not my only school, just some of the ones I knew would be a struggle to get into. I am getting a tutor for SATs as well.</p>
<p>LL, good job getting a tutor. Probably Baylor would be the easiest to get into out of this group. Pitzer, Macalster and Grinnell are very difficult to get into. Unsure on just how difficult the others are, but I know they are not easy. Its hard to tell right now because you have not taken the SATs.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Service isn't about logging my every move I just do it becuase I love it.
[/quote]
You...are fantastic.</p>
<p>Your ECs are amazing, and I admire the things in which you've chosen to get involved. It is also very clear that you have a genuine commitment to those things and I can imagine that they've really affected you.</p>
<p>The upward trend of your grades is very important and will make up for a rough start. Colleges would rather see that than once-spotless grades declining.
I second the suggestion to try the ACT. Way different style of test, and a lot of people end up with way different ranges of scores.</p>
<p>That said, you have a rough list, but I think many of these schools would very possibly accept you at this rate. I agree that Baylor will probably be the easiest. I can't speak for very many other schools, but based on the kids I know at Pepperdine and Macalester, you could have a shot there, too, especially since you seem to be making a stalwart effort at raising your GPA and scores. From what I gather of Macalester, they're a lot less obsessed about grades and scores, but their standards and averages for those are also very high. It's also an absolutely outstanding place if you're interested in politics.</p>
<p>I'd also suggest looking at Colorado College. Competitive, superb LAC, seem to take more holistic impressions of intellect and character, and I think you'd have a good shot at admittance. CC is a very liberal school surrounded by a very Christian town which might be an interesting dynamic to you...</p>