<p>Hey guys, I've recently been doubting my college choices and think that I might just have way too many reach schools, but could you guys tell me what you think of my list and a very rough estimation of my chances of getting in? Should I add more safeties and lower reaches?</p>
<p>Stats: Top 1% in class of 770 students.
SAT: 2170 (680 M, 740 CR, 750 W)
Extracurriculars are good (President of one club, vice president of another)</p>
<p>Boston University
Brown
Drexel
Princeton
Yale
Harvard
Swarthmore
Wesleyan
Penn State
University of Pittsburgh
Cornell</p>
<p>I don’t think you really do, especially if your a resident of Pennslyvania. If your a resident of Pennslyvania your very likely to get into at least one of the following: Pennslyvania State University, Drexel University, University of Pittsburgh</p>
<p>That gets my vote for today’s most overly optimistic post. Agree you’re into the 4 in post #2. If you like them and they’re financial safeties, the list is fine.</p>
<p>Overly optimistic indeed. Swarthmore and Brown at the very least are also reaches. Cornell and Wesleyan are reachy also, although somewhat less so.</p>
<p>This is not to say that you don’t have a reasonable shot at them, especially given your excellent class rank. But things you should have to make that chance better are: two or three SATIIs in the 700s, maximum rigor, awards of some kind (ideally beyond the borders of your HS), and ECs beyond being the pres of a club. And of course, excellent recs and essays. And a higher math score wouldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>You may well have all or many of these things. I realize that you are understandably loath to reveal too much personal detail.</p>
<p>I think the list looks good in general, although you do have a lot of high reaches that–assuming you don’t have more to show than you have given in this thread–are Hail Mary passes. You don’t need more safeties, as long as you can afford to attend one of the four cited above. You might want to look for one or two schools that fall in between Pitt and Wesleyan in selectivity, if any appeal to you and would work financially.</p>
<p>Yes, he’ll get accepted to Penn State. But, if he needs aid and/or his family can’t pay their EFC, and Penn State doesn’t meet need, what will he do? I think Penn St is one of the most expensive in-state schools, right?</p>
<p>So, he might need a financial safety, IF money might be an issue.</p>
<p>Hey, thanks for all of your feedback everybody; I really appreciate it. </p>
<p>I’m a resident of PA, which is basically why I’m applying to Drexel, Pitt, and PSU (i’m applying to its Schreyers Honors College also). My precise class rank is 7/775 as of this marking period.</p>
<p>Overall, I feel like my test grades are what bring me down; apart from my 2170, i’ve received a 680 in bio, 700 in math 2 and 720 in us history, all of which as far from superior.</p>
<p>From what I’m hearing, it doesn’t seem like you guys think PSU, Pitt and Drexel are going to be financial safeties, because that’s what I’m planning on applying to them as.</p>
<p>We don’t have your financial info so have no way of knowing what schools are safe for you. How much can your family afford and what is your EFC?</p>
<p>Reach: HYP, Brown, Swarthmore
Match: Cornell, Wesleyan
Safety: Boston University, Penn State, Pitt, Drexel</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be too worried about your test scores. While they are on the low side, Brown and Swarthmore (your dream schools), tend to emphasize extracurriculars over the numbers.</p>
<p>Last year 18 students from PHS (our school) were accepted into Cornell. so I’d have to say that it’s definitely a match for him.</p>
<p>However, I do have one question for NotTooCrazy: Why are you applying to HYP? And all 3 of them? Is because of their prestige? Or because you actually like those schools?</p>