I am a High School Junior in NorCal. I have a 1520 SAT, 4.65 Weighted GPA, 4.0 Unweighted GPA. My EC’s are 3 years of Track, 2 years of Basketball, 2 years of volleyball, leadership role in NHS, leadership role in Debate Club, I have been playing Trumpet for 6 years, and I traveled to Greece and Mexico for a combined 3 months to volunteer to give information and help screen immigrants to be able to cross the border. I am also bilingual if that helps at all.
Volunteering information for screening immigrants on crossing the border could be construed as illegal activity. I would leave that part out. Best to leave that to immigration lawyers. Everything else looks great. Be sure you apply to a good mix of match and safety school. You live in CA, which gives you a ton of great options.
UCB & UCLA will love your application. Definitely put your humanitarian volunteer work on your applications. Helping refugees will be looked upon favorably. I have no doubt you will have many choices.
I agree with both Coolguy and Copperline - I think you have to tame your experience to ensure it’s only covering legal stuff. You can show your heart without crossing a line.
I hate when people say top 30, etc. because - well most go by US News and you have LACs that aren’t in the same rank and even regional schools. Cal Poly SLO is great - but is ranked regionally (#3), etc.
I’d find the right schools. Even with a 1520, certain schools will be a stretch - only because they are for everyone. Any Ivy short of maybe Cornell and Dartmouth. A Chicago or Rice, etc. - you’re resume is AWESOME but so is everyone else and even more that they admit. Some schools, btw, demonstrated interest matters - so this summer get on webinars, take interviews they offer. Email an admissions counselor. You needn’t over do it - but show a couple of “demonstrated interest” points.
Obviously there’s more than 30 great schools and what drives you? Many of the tops don’t give merit aid, just need based. Do finances matter? What about urban vs. rural. There’s top 30 students on every campus - they might go somewhere for money, for a specialty (i.e. ASU, Michigan State, or UTK for Supply Chain), or where it is - close to home…or in a city or mountains, etc.
There are also great Honors Colleges out there and they are inexpensive after merit - U of SC, ASU, etc.
Also, a school like Florida is #30 - but I’d argue nationally people would give more credit to William & Mary (#39) or UT Austin #42. There’s lots of great schools below #30 - from the Rochesters and Case Westerns to the Tulanes and SMUs of the world.
Also, if you want small - don’t forget your LACs. Washington & Lee is #9 and has the best merit program in the country.
So lots to think about. A rank is just an opinion with some analysis…find the right fit financially, size wise, geographically, and start to narrow from there.
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