<p>I've finally gotten curious enough to bite. I'm currently a junior in one of the best public high schools in the US, so my GPA reflects that to an extent.</p>
<p>GPA~3.75 UW-school doesn't weight. It'd be pointless, as all our courses are honors/AP/IB
ACT-34 (E: 32 M: 35 R: 36 S: 34) debating a retake, leaning towards no.
SAT II-770 chem, 800 math II, 800 physics, 800 bio M
Rank: School doesn't rank
Ethnicity: White
Course load: everything that's not AP/IB is honors.
Freshmen year: Chem, Bio, Advanced Analysis I (precalc type thing), Medical Science Seminar, American Lit, US History, Technology, Spanish II, lots of electives
Soph year: Chem, Physics, Advanced Analysis II (precalc continuation), American Lit II, world history, Technology, Spanish III, lots of electives
Junior year: AP Chem, AP Calc BC, IB World History HL, IB World Lit HL, spanish IV, anatomy & physiology 1, physics, lots of electives
Senior year: AP Physics C, AP Bio, AP macroeconomics, IB World History HL, IB World Lit HL, Anatomy & Physiology 2, Multivariable Calculus, lots of electives</p>
<p>My GPA also shows an upward trend-about a 3.5 fresh year, 3.8 soph, and very close to a 4.0 junior year. Classes are weighted with regards to their frequency per week (we run a mod schedule), which explains the GPA jump. Also, I can include a rather traumatic life changing event that happened at the beginning of sophomore year. And I'm not overestimating its effect-it's rather drastic.</p>
<p>ECs:
Model UN-Junior/Senior year
Quizbowl-Junior/Senior year
Guitar & Mandolin Orchestra-Soph/Junior/Senior
Mandolin Quartet-Junior/Senior
Choir-Senior
Karate (4th degree black belt)-fresh year
Worked at a music store-summer before soph
Volunteered at a special needs camp for ~20 hours-summper before junior year
Every other weekend, 2 hours with special needs kids-throughout junior/senior year
EMT training/riding with the ambulance-summer before senior year/senior year
Internship at the Stevens Institute of Technology Optics Lab (dealing mostly with lasers)-Summer before senior year & senior year</p>
<p>Essays: Plan to work extremely hard on them-probably going to examine the traumatic life changing event that I mentioned earlier or my interactions with the special needs kids, which I'm very passionate about.
Recs: History rec VERY strong, science rec rather strong, GC rec very strong
Intended Major: Physics or Bio with a minor in some type of lit or history while fulfilling pre-med requirements.</p>
<p>Schools I'm applying to:
Brown-top choice (obviously a reach)-applying PLME as well, doubt I'll make it
Cornell
Columbia
UChicago
WashU
Northwestern-applying HPME as well, doubt I'll make it</p>
<p>Schools I'm looking into:
Rice
Berkeley
Stanford</p>
<p>Obviously, all of these schools are rather selective and I need to find safeties/schools that are a bit more of a match. I'm not sure if I'd enjoy an LAC, but I might. I like a nice environment with a decent amount of undergrads, but nothing huge.</p>
<p>Also, I'm aware of the UChicago/Columbia and Brown discrepancy, but despite their rather huge differences they all appeal to me in their own ways.</p>
<p>If anyone could evaluate my chances at the schools listed and perhaps list other ones that I should consider I'd be very grateful.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>