<p>Alright, I'm looking for a little guidance.... here's my high school resume up until this point, if anyone could give me an honest opinion on my chances of getting into schools such as:</p>
<p>Washington University in St. Louis
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Knox
Boston College
UPenn
William & Mary
Haverford</p>
<p>... it would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>I have a cumulative GPA (unweighted) of 4.0 and am on track for being at least co-valedictorian. My ACT score hovers around a 30-32 and I'll have taken at least 5 AP classes by the end of senior year. I am captain of the girls Cross Country team, have been in two musicals through my school, volunteer at a vet clinic in spring/summer, am secretary of the Fair Trade group in my community and also run a Fair Trade "mini-store" at my church weekly, I have gone on a mission trip and an a leader in my church's ministry for organizing those trips (technically I'm co-leader of the trip planning committee) and I'm part of a state-wide mission organization's core team as well. I tutor other high school students in Spanish, am in my church choir, and am part of a club at my school to help incoming freshman, along with a peer mediation group. I have recieved just over a dozen of scholarships and honors from my school and the community and was chosen for a national committee in conjunction with College Board as well. I think I'll have pretty good recomendations and I'm a good writer so my essay will (hopefully) be good enough.</p>
<p>What do you think? What can I do to make my chances better? Thanks again :)</p>
<p>Might look at Holy Cross-very good school with top academics and good athletics. Holy Cross has nice campus 1 hour from Boston. HC is smaller version of Notre Dame but slightly easier to get into.</p>
<p>I disagree with the above. HC costs like a top private school but isn’t as academically solid, with a mid-50% SAT range that doesn’t even hit the 700s. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t even look at it, especially with your stats, Reachhigher.</p>
<p>I would suggest retaking the ACT if you have the time to study and take lots of practice tests. For all the qualified applicants these schools get, there’s a pretty significant difference between 30-32, 32-34, etc. If you bumped up your score you could be above average as opposed to average, which would obviously help your chances :)</p>
<p>I would say you have a pretty decent shot at any of those schools (especially Knox). I am only a fellow high schooler, but it seems that college admissions officers stress grades as the MOST important part of your application. And it looks like you have all As. You have a lot of good ECs - you’ve covered a lot of different areas, you’ve gotten involved in your own community and you went outside your community with the state-wide thing. I think you have a good amount of leadership. I would keep the EC stuff exactly how it is. You’ve handled it all and have still gotten straight As, and you don’t want to lose that.
Your one weak spot is your ACT score. You simply cannot get a 30. If you have the time, you should shoot for a 33, especially if you want to get into Northwestern, which is one of the more score-centric private colleges. And without a higher score, UPenn might be a reach. Wash U will super-score your ACT. It’s one of the only colleges that does that.<br>
Make sure you write a killer essay.<br>
Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks so much everyone! Yes, I’ll definitely be taking the ACT and SAT again, along with AP tests and subject tests. My goal is at least in the 32-34 range if possible… and I’m working to perfect my EC’s (basically figuring out how to word it on my apps). Thanks again for all the advice!</p>
<p>I disagree with the above. HC costs like a top private school but isn’t as academically solid, with a mid-50% SAT range that doesn’t even hit the 700s. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t even look at it, especially with your stats, Reachhigher.</p>
<p>I totally agree with dudecollege on this. Also, to say Holy Cross is “slightly” easier getting admitted to than Notre Dame is really an understatement.</p>
<p>Notre Dame is very tough to get into but the academics may not be as rigorous as some of the other schools in discussion. My daughters attended a HS that annually sends a half dozen students to Notre Dame. Some of those students have said that they found ND easier academically than their high school.</p>
<p>That’s interesting… anyone else know anything else about that? Could anyone rank these school as far as which is most difficult to get into? Thanks!</p>
<p>Haha I feel the same about ND… at least I know that it has good academics. Maybe not quite the same as some of the others, but there is some security in knowing that it’s a well respected university.</p>
<p>I definitely feel that you have a good shot! You have a very strong list of ECs and great grades. My only advise is to bring up your ACT score and be sure to convey your passions through your essays. Good luck!</p>