Is my list too risky?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I worried about my list of colleges because many of them are very selective and I feel like I have a greater chance of not getting accepted into any of them.
I still have to narrow down my choices before I start applying because my list is a little too long, but I wanted an opinion about the schools.
So the schools i have chosen so far are:</p>

<p>Bowdoin College(planning to apply early b/c i really want to go here)
Amherest College
Hamilton College
Williams College
Bates College
Tufts University
Boston College
University of Virginia
University of Chicago
Rutgers- New Brunswick ( i live in New Jersey so I wanted at least one state school)</p>

<p>I'm a low-income student and will definitely apply for need-based financial aid but I am also applying to Quest Bridge and I think 5 of the schools I choose are partner colleges with QB.</p>

<p>Stats:
11 honors total
4 AP classes (took Com. Sci. A sophomore year and got a 3)
also taking AP Euro, AP French and AP English this year</p>

<p>~weighted gpa : 4.2 unweighted: 3.8
weighted rank: 23/309 unweighted: 13/309</p>

<p>~SAT (highest scores combined): Reading: 660 Math: 660 Writing: 610 = 1930
SAT II: Unknown yet
ACT: Unknown yet (assuming 28-32)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
~JV Tennis as freshman/sophomore & Varsity Tennis as Junior/Senior
~Key Club (service club) : >100 hours
awarded "golden member award" at district convention
ran for officer position every year but was never elected into a official position, but my adviser made me "Special Projects Manager" for my efforts and activity in the club..
~Fencing Club ...I.also technically have an "officer" position (our club isn't very big but a couple of students and I stayed with it until the following yr and got "officer" positions)
~French Honors Society- elected Historian
~National Art Honors Society
~National Honors Society
~also did some violin from October to June of last year and it was the first time I've ever played an instrument (is this worth noting????)</p>

<p>Lastly I'm confident about my teacher recommendations and pretty confident about my essays</p>

<p>P.S. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum b/c it is technically asking for my chances but I'm also looking for "match schools" b/c I'm not sure that I have enough match schools or even safety schools</p>

2

<p>I’ve decided I like Carnegie Mellon and University of Rochester as well lol. Personally, I think Carnegie Mellon is a reach but UR is a match so hopefully adding those to the list balances it out more, but i still need to narrow it down :confused: Someone please help D:</p>

3

<p>I would focus on adding a few more safeties and matches. If you can get your test scores up, that will help a lot. Applying through QB may help too, if that works out. A good list, but reach-heavy, so I would look for a couple more matches/safeties.</p>

4

<p>I’m looking for some matches/safeties but I just don’t know what would qualify as ‘match’ based on my stats…
Do you have an suggestions?</p>

5

<p>WOO! U Rochester rocks!</p>

<p>Anyways. Taking up the violin would probably not be worth noting on the app cuz it was for such a short time… but it could also add some character! :slight_smile: I mean it can’t hurt but it probably won’t change too much. X)</p>

<p>And you’ll probably get in to at least ONE of the schools on your list (other than Rutgers, I mean!) so make sure you’re completely fine with going to Rutgers in case you don’t like the other schools you get in to/you don’t get in to them/you can’t afford them. Just plan for your worst case scenario, but hope for the very best! :)</p>

<p>Hope I helped some!</p>

6

<p>Risky, risky, risky. What are your safeties?</p>

7

<p>I haven;t really found safeties that I would want to attend other than Rutgers… any suggestions?</p>

8

<p>Rutgers New Brunswick is more of a match for you, unless perhaps you have some other hook, URM, first generation to go to college, etc. QB could help a lot too.</p>

<p>I don’t know much about the LACs, but as it stands right now I would say CMU, UVA, UChicago, Tufts, and BC are all reaches, or close to reaches.</p>

<p>Look at TCNJ, good school which would probably be a match for you. I think almost any other in-state school in NJ, besides Princeton, Rutgers NB, and TCNJ, would be safeties for you. Your test scores are your real challenge right now.</p>