I’m only a junior, but is there anything I can do to improve my chances for the top schools? (I know they’re all reaches, but I particularly like Stanford, Yale, and Columbia).
White boy
California
GPA UW: 3.65 (I got 3 C’s Sophomore year because I was bullied so much at my old school I stopped showing up to the classes I shared with the bullies, but I’m retaking the courses now/over the summer)
GPA W: 4.32
SAT I: 2350 Composite (770 CR, 780 M, 800 W)
SAT II: taking USH, Lit, and Math II/Bio M in June
APs: World (4), Euro (4), Physics B (4), and I just took Bio, Lang, and APUSH
Next Year: AP Chem, AP Psych, AP Enviro Sci, AP Lit, AP Gov, AP Econ, AP Stat (taking French 4 at a community college)
ECs (I know this is a lot of detail, but I think this is the strongest part of my application):
Youth & Government:
- since Freshman year
- was Youth Lt. Governor of California (elected by the whole program), and previously Committee Chair on LGBTQ Rights
- multiple local leadership positions (Campaign Manager, Statewide Fundraising Director, Speaker of the House)
- two year participant in the Future Leaders Campaign, raising money for scholarships
- member of the Speaker’s Bureau, program to secure donations for scholarships
- in charge of managing the program’s social media channels
- exchange delegate to Maryland’s program in Junior Year
YMCA Participation: - volunteering since Freshman year
- three year participant in Annual Support Campaign
- Counselor-in-Training at Summer Camp two years in a row (not old enough to be a counselor legally)
- member of the Youth & Teen Advisory Board since October of 2013 (elected Metro Representative)
- in charge of establishing a LGBTQ Safe Space at the YMCA
Speech & Debate: - since Sophomore year
- multiple league and invitational champions
- two-time state qualifier (one event Sophomore year, two Junior [10th and 11th in each])
- national qualifier (this year, hasn’t happened yet)
- ranked 2nd junior overall in state (top 10 including seniors), and top 5 in district (1st junior)
- received Premier Distinction (highest honor for students) and the Academic All-American (award for academic excellence)
New School (I transferred the start of Junior year due to bullying mentioned above): - Student Council (first ever President)
- Speech & Debate (Team Captain & Student Coach)
- Gay-Straight Alliance (Founder & President)
Old School: - Gay-Straight Alliance (since 9th, Vice President -> President)
- Empower! Feminism Club (since 10th, Treasurer)
- American Red Cross Club (since 9th, Treasurer -> President)
Internships: - intern for the Human Rights Campaign the summer of 2013
- intern for a mayoral campaign the Spring of 2013
- applying for Tony Cardenas’s Congressional Youth Advisory Campaign over the summer
Is there anything I can do to improve my chances for the following:
Pomona, Stanford, Columbia, Yale, and other similar schools
??