<p>I'm a junior in high school, in a relatively high achieving school. My rank is in the top 50 out of close to 400 kids. My GPA for my core classes without honors/AP point is a 3.8, and with the honors points I have a little over a 4.0. however, I feel that I may be somewhat lacking in EC's. right now, the only EC's I have are Beat club, and 121, both of which are service organizations. Outside of school, I've played the piano since 6th grade, and I'm currently working through level 5 (of 8). I've also been playing the Indian flute for around seven years. I have a pretty close relationship with my counselor, but I'm kind of shy, so I don't have the best rapport with my teachers necessarily, simply because they don't know me that well. I plan on taking the SAT soon, and I've been scoring close to 2100s on the practice tests that I've taken to prepare. However, my mother keeps telling me that I have no chance of getting into any colleges on scholarship. I really want to go to an Ivy League, but I'm no longer sure about my chances. Could someone please tell me what types of colleges i would likely get into, and if i have any chance at an Ivy League?
Also, on a side note, is it okay if I only take the SAT or will taking the ACT as well help my chances?
EXTRA INFO: I'm pretty sure that I want to go in for biomedical engineering with a premed concentration, but I'm pretty open-minded about my actual major as long as I have a premed concentration.</p>
<p>I think the Ivy schools will be high reaches based on a combination of the 3 main components of an application-- GPA/rank, (projected) test scores, and ECs. Ivies are reaches for everyone, but higher reaches for some than for others. Your 5% decile, with limited ECs, and a good but not great projected SAT score will probably not make you super-competitive. Don’t apply to an Ivy just because it’s an Ivy but rather because it is a good fit. There are dozens of great non-Ivy schools that you may want to look at, because you ARE a strong applicant and will get accepted to many fine schools, but you should tell us:</p>
<p>What state you are from?
What your financial aid requirements are?
Size of college, urban or rural, region of the country you’re looking at?</p>
<p>Taking the ACT will only improve your chances if you do better on it than on the SAT. By taking both it will allow you to compare the scores and pick the test you do better on. How do your SAT IIs look?</p>
<p>If you’re not in the top 10% of your class, any ivy save for Cornell if you’re a NY resident, and apply to a land grant school, is highly unlikely.</p>
<p>The good news is that the vast majority of schools in the US are still quite possible.</p>
<p>I recommend taking both the SAT and the ACT, as then you’ll be able to send whichever you do better on.</p>
<p>You’re not in bad shape, but I agree with the previous posters that the Ivies will be tough. I also think that many of the non-Ivy top schools will be tough, too. You still have a shot at plenty of great schools, though. There are lots of great private and public institutions that aren’t nearly as difficult as the Ivies to get into.</p>
<p>When it’s all said and done, how well you do in life has little to do with whether you went to an Ivy League school. The Ivy League is an athletic league. It does not encompass every excellent school. Many schools that aren’t Ivies are better than some of the Ivies.</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch for answering so quickly
as for the info you requested, I’m from Georgia, I need a sizeable amount of aid, say 3/4 of tuition, and I think I’d prefer a medium sized college, either in the north or west.</p>