high SATs, good ECs, mediocre grades?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>white male
4.18 GPA weighted
14/208- upward trend.. up 8 spots from freshman year</p>

<p>1st MP Senior Grades:
As in AP French, and Honors World Civ
A- in AP LA
B+ in AP Calculus</p>

<p>good NJ public school</p>

<p>Sats: 800V 790M 760W combined from 2 dates- 2350 SATs</p>

<p>SATII- 760 US History, taking Lit/Math Ic in November</p>

<p>ECs
Tenor Section Leader for 3 school choirs, in NJ All-State Chorus
Editor-in-chief of school newspaper (very good paper, award-winning)
Editor-in-chief of school literary magazine (also award-winning)
Spring Musicals w/ Vocal Leads
Fall Play
Captain of Academic Team, #4 in NJ, #1 in Division II
Guitar</p>

<p>I've taken the hardest schedule possible in my school with the exception of AP sciences, bio chem and physics just don't do it for me. All of my academic classes have been honors/APs</p>

<p>APs
US History- 5
Currently taking LA, French, and Calc</p>

<p>I'm applying as a Journalism/Psychology major. My recommendations come from a history teacher who cut class more than I did yet still taught me everything I needed to know for AP History and an LA teacher who was my advisor on the school newspaper and loves my writing.</p>

<p>My essays will be good.</p>

<p>I almost applied ED to Amherst, however I recently had second thoughts. What are the chances that I get into at least one of the following reach schools? I'd be perfectly happy at any of them.</p>

<p>Amherst
Brown
Dartmouth
UPenn liberal arts college
Harvard (i don't want to apply, and don't think i have a shot, but my older brother goes here, and my parents think that makes me a legacy.... is that true?)</p>

2

<p>I would say they are all reasonable reaches, except for Harvard which is a long shot. btw, I do not believe brothers count for legacy. However, I think you are strong enough that it wouldn't hurt to apply.</p>

<p>EC's seem a little weak, unless you can put them together w/ your writing and make that your clear "passion."</p>

3

<p>You could shoot for the moon. Don't let anyone talk you down. Ever.</p>

<p>And as for your legacy question, I don't know. They count uncles, for sure. Why not brothers?</p>

4

<p>weak? i thought my ECs were at least decent. i mean, i run everything i'm in, pretty much... i consider myself pretty involved. my overriding passions are music and the written word, should i make a point of that in my essays?</p>

<p>do my SAT scores make me a viable candidate for these places, or am i just dreaming?</p>

5

<p>" shoot for the moon, even though you might miss...you'll still land amongst the stars"</p>

6

<p>I really disagree that your EC's are weak. They are not outstanding, like being an Olympic athlete or curing cancer, but you have leadership and probably spend a lot of time on them. Combined with your near-perfect scores and high grades in a demanding schedule, I think you have a great chance of getting into at least one reach if you write a good essay. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Amherst - match
Brown - match
Dartmouth - match
Penn - reach/match
Harvard - reach (no, you're not a legacy)</p>

<p>By the way, which school do you go to? Don't worry, you definitely don't go to mine. We don't have class rank, a good acdec team, a Global Civilizations class, etc.</p>