i dont know which colleges are matches for me

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Ok ,so I know you're supposed to pick matches and safeties based on statistics, but I feel as if my essays are gonna be the biggest deciding factor, because my grades, rank and tests seem so borderline. Assuming that my essays are exceptional, most likely (not bragging just have a passion for writing:)), which of these schools would be matches, reaches or safeties? Thanks. You don't have to be specific (unless you want to haha :)). </p>

<p>Colleges: Cornell, UIC, Uof I Urbana-Champaign, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern, University of Chicago, New York University. (I live in Illinois if you can't already tell haha)</p>

<p>SATComposite: 1940
Math: 570
Reading: 670
Writing: 700
(im retaking it, shooting for a 2250)
ACTComposite: 28 (just gonna stick w/ this I think, I hate the ACT)</p>

<p>Volleyball Award
Top 20% School Award
AP Scholar with Distinction
Humanitarian Awards
Junior Class Vice-President
Senior Class President
New Beginnings Leader 2 yrs
Philosophy Club 2yrs
Key Club 1yr
Student Ambassadors 2yrs
O Ambassadors 3 yrs
National Honor Society 2 yrs
CIVITAS (Social Studies Honor Society) 2yrs
Mu Alpha Theta 2yrs
200+ volunteer hours</p>

<p>I have also done a lot of work with UNICEF, Free the Children, Me to We, and Greena America. I organized a volunteer event and oversaw 4 volunteers and over 75 participants. I've attended volunteer leader events and meeteings as well. Additionally, I've been invited to Leadership conferences, People to People Ambassadors, and Writing programs, but was unable to addent due to finances. haha but anyway yeah thats it</p>

<p>GPA 3.80
Weighted GPA 4.20
Rank: 70 out of 510 (Top 15%) Trying to be in top 10% though</p>

<p>Schedule for senior year:
AP Statistics
AP Biology
AP English: Literature & Composotion
PE Leaders Gym
Class Piano
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish
Public Speaking and Communications</p>

<p>Previous AP Classes and Scores:
Us history-3
Psychology-4
English:Lang and Comp- 4
Microeconomics- 4
Macroeconomics- 4</p>

2

<p>Anyone…?</p>

3

<p>Essays are only a deciding factor once you have the stats. This makes Cornell, NU and Chicago major reaches and NYU a reach. Don’t know the Illinois schools.</p>

4

<p>Ok,thanks. Anyone else?</p>

<p>I feel as if my solid ECs and URM status would at least make NYU a match for me. And anyone know about the Illinois schools?</p>

5

<p>NYU is most definitely not a match, maybe a lower reach. You have solid EC’s but SAT’s/GPA get your foot in the door and THEN the EC’s start to matter, jmho. And if you need financial aid, take NYU off the list right away lol. My opinion on the list …
Cornell, U of chicago, northwestern - reach
NYU - slightly lower reach
U Urbana-C - match
UIC - match/safety
Northern Illinois - safety</p>

<p>You sound really confident about a 300 point jump in SAT score…not that it’s impossible, but focus on options in your reach now.</p>

<p>Best of luck :)</p>