I have formulated a list of schools that I am going to apply to, please give me your thoughts! Each of these schools have been considered due to their academic quality and their location, as well as their pertinence to my major. I have also included an impromptu resume.
My Resume:
Academics:
SAT 2130, planning on taking it again
GPA in Sophomore and Junior Year (Unweighted): ~3.8
Honor Roll Every year in High School
Class Rank: Top 5, depending on weighting, etc.
AP’s:
Language and Comp (ENG)
European History - 5
Computer Science -4
Psychology -5
Micro and Macro Econ - 5/5
Environmental Science - 4
Calculus -TBD
Physics-TBD
Chemistry - TBD
English Literature - TBD
Languages: English, French (3 years), Indonesian
Sports:
Soccer (9-12) - Cap
Basketball (10-12) - Cap
Swimming Team (12)
Extracurriculars:
Global Issues Network (Environmental and Humanitarian aid group)
Founder of the Zoo Friends Foundation (We work with the local Surabaya Zoo to clean up the zoo and to promote healthy practices between animals and visitors, like not throwing food, etc)
Homework Help
Local Church Clinic on weekends
Church Youth Group
World Scholars Cup (Debate, Essay Writing, Theory of Knowledge - Was 1st place team, 2nd overall individual)
Habitat for Humanity
THIMUN (model UN for SEA)
School Strings Orchestra, First Chair Cello (though I don’t get paid hahaah)
STUCO
School Spirit Organization (Leader)
Theater/Drama - Lights & Sound Manager and Leading Role
Formal training in playing Classical Guitar & Piano since I was 8.
Universities that I am going to apply to (In order of my interest in going there):
Reach:
Columbia
Vanderbilt
Georgetown
Duke
Match:
NYU
UCLA
Boston College
University of Rochester (double legacy)
Wake Forest
Emory
Safety:
Penn State
Fordham
Please give me your opinions in regards to my candidacy and maybe what other schools I should look at! Please be nice
And money is no object right? You can pay the full fright for all these school?
Assuming the answer is yes, then go to the Common Data Set, Section C, for each school (google it) so you can compare your stats to those of last year’s student body. That’s the best way to chance yourself.
So it looks like you are interested in large urban universities with a preference for the east coast. You might want to consider a few of the more competitive state schools to add to the mix. SUNY system perhaps. Temple U in Philadephia offers guaranteed merit money for students above a particular GPA/SAT threshold. Don’t remember the specifics but you seem to be close. Google it and see.
Do you have any ideas about a possible major?
Statistically, I would consider NYU a reach rather than a match for qualified applicants due to the selectivity of its admissions. Otherwise, it looks like a reasonable list, assuming your parents can pay. Run your family’s data through a few financial aid calculators to determine expected contribution and reassess as necessary.
Nobody knows your chances but you have a reasonable mix of colleges.
Make sure you love and can afford your safeties.
Make sure you can afford the reach schools.
I think you have a nice mix of colleges, but looking at your “matches” – they aren’t all true matches.
NYU - high match
UCLA - high match OOS
Boston College - high match
University of Rochester - match to high match
Wake Forest - match
Emory - high match/low reach (slightly subpar numbers and their overall admit % is around 25%)
If you get your SAT up to, say, 2200, then these probably all will come more firmly into the match or high match range (the latter, in the case of Emory).
