My current college list- Ivies, top tier; help me edit, suggestions please

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey, I'm not too far in the college process, I'm just starting. I've got a list of a lot of the colleges I'm somewhat interested in and I was wondering what my chances of getting in are. Also, feel free to suggest any colleges you think I'd fare well at.</p>

<p>White male, Texas resident (can easily obtain California residency.)</p>

<p>GPA:</p>

<p>Freshman: 3.75uw
Sophomore: 3.75uw
Junior: That's this year.
Cumulative: 3.75uw, 4.5w.</p>

<p>SAT I: 2340, 750CR/800M/790W.</p>

<p>AP scores: Psychology 4.</p>

<p>Junior year APs: Chemistry, US History, English Composition, Calculus AB, Music Theory.</p>

<p>Senior year: Economics, Spanish Language, Biology, Physics, Literature, Computer Science AB</p>

<hr>

<p>Community service: 80 hours with church homeless shelter, more coming from hospital and other stuff. Will have over 200 by the time I'm applying to colleges for sure.</p>

<p>Sports: JV Volleyball, freshman year.</p>

<p>ECs: Math UIL, Mu Alpha Theta, Habitat for Humanity, Piano and Guitar (prolific composer, this is my "passion").</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>Talent show winner.</p>

<p>Will graduate under honors program criteria which includes a research project, community service, and GPA maintenance of course.</p>

<p>Expecting I'll win some things in Math UIL this year.</p>

<p>Colleges:</p>

<p>Reach: MIT, Caltech, Brown, Amherst (recently started to like the idea of LACs).</p>

<p>Match: UCSD, UCLA (if in state for UCs), Macalester College, Reed College.</p>

<p>Safety: Case Western Reserve U, UT, Baylor University, UCSB, Georgia Tech.</p>

<p>Any other suggestions for college, editing to my list?</p>

2

<p>Hello? Anyone?</p>

3

<p>Godfather:</p>

<p>Assuming you are a California resident,
UCB/UCLA: Match
UCSD: Safe Match
UCI/UCSB/UCD: Safety
UCSC/UCR/UCM: Super Safety</p>

4

<p>Your list looks fine. A solid GPA this yr will make you much more competitive at the Ivies, even though you have a shot either way. But seriously, put together a 4.0 this yr and many top tiers will become quite realistic (esp. non freshman grade schools like Stanford, Princeton, & Johns Hopkins).</p>

5

<p>Wow thanks, I didn't know that colleges sometimes disregard freshman year, that sure will help. I could end up with like a 3.9.</p>

<p>Any other opinions/advice?</p>

6

<p>our stats arent exactly the same, however i do see weaknesses in your application (dont worry for me its my SAT). You have a very weak extracurricular, but i guess you resolve that with the awesome SAT score.
i believe that you have a good chance of any of those colleges. i suggest changing your list because your safeties arent too hard for you to get into and your matches are really like your safeties.</p>

<p>Suggestions:
Reach: MIT, Caltech, Brown
Match: Amherst, Reed College (dont know abt Reed)
Safety:UCSD, UCLA (if in state for UCs), Macalester College</p>

<p>p.s. im applying to Brown as my reach as well =) but probably not what you are concentrating in.</p>

7

<p>I actually may not apply to Brown, I have some legacy there though so I figured I might.</p>

<p>Oh, and Reed is way easier than Amherst, if you care. I can tell you a bit about it. It's in Oregon, LAC, and the acceptance rate is like 45%. It may be a safety, I don't know.</p>

<p>I'm surprised you said Amherst was a match, but it's cool with me.</p>

<p>Thank you very much for your opinion.</p>

8

<p>I think with a solid unweighted GPA this year, Amherst and Brown and the Ivies will be very realistic, you may want to get involved in some more non-math extracurriculars but it probably wont help that much. From what I've heard MIT and similar schools seem much more focused on academics and less on outside things, and with such a high SAT and tons of AP's it may not be as much of a reach as you think, especially with math honor society and a math award.</p>

<p>Best of luck to you, you have way better chances than most people I know!</p>

<p>P.S: If there is a math at your school above AB Calculus I would definitely take that next year. If not it won't be a problem because colleges will see that mulitvariable anything similar was not offered to you.</p>

9

<p>There is BC. But they make you take AB first weirdly enough. I'll be taking BC senior year.</p>

10

<p>I am confused by your list - with MIT and Caltech I would expect to see Carleton - but you have Macalester. What majors are you interested in?</p>

11

<p>Oh I didn't know about Carleton. Honestly, I've just heard a lot of good things about Macalester.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestion, and I'd be happy for more. What are my chances for Carleton? Reach, match, or safety?</p>

<p>Majors: Math, Biology, Psychology, Meteorology, Economics.</p>

12

<p>I dont know much about the west coast schools, but your academic record is very good, SATs will get you in anywhere, and 11 APs very impressive. ECs could use a little boost, but the community service will help there. MIT and Caltech are reaches for everyone, but you have a realistic chance.</p>

13

<p>There is no such thing as "some legacy". If one of your parents went to Brown you are a legacy, if neith did, you're not. If someone in your family gave millions, you're a development candidate.</p>

<p>If your parents don't live in California, you can not "easily get residency." Even my friend who had one parent living in Cali couldn't get residency because she lived with the other parent and went to a public school in another state.</p>

<p>So be realistic.</p>

14

<p>Carleton should be a match for you. It is very strong in the sciences - and looks like an enjoyable place to spend four years - especially if you like snow.</p>

<p>Look into Cornell - it actually offers Meterology. It also has just about everything. It would be a reachy match.</p>

<p>Penn State College park might be a good safety - look into possible scholarships. The honors program has its own dorm and many perks. Again, its advantage is that it offeres so many programs.</p>

<p>One other thing to think about if you have a lot of good AP scores. My son is just starting at UChicago - and is scheduled for a course of studies that will result in a joint BA/MS degree in four years if he can handle the course work. This is one advantage of a university - if such a program is offered - over an LAC. When you are looking at college websites, take a look at the AP credit information. This possibility came as a complete surprise to us - but if you will be able to place out of first year courses, it may be worth enquiring about.</p>

15

<p>MIT, Caltech - reach
others - match/safety</p>

16

<p>

UCLA a safety?
You're a funny guy, I'll tell you that... :rolleyes:</p>

17

<p>MIT, Caltech - reach
UCLA - match
Brown - match
Amherst - match
others - safety</p>

18

<p>I was originally looking into Meteorology- if thats what you want to do I would recommend applying early decision to Cornell. I met with the head of their meteorology department and it is the best in the country. They take just about 20 kids every year, total enrollment around 75, but you should get in with those stats and ED. That was my original plan before I switched to majoring in chem and applied ED to Duke.</p>

19

<p>Thanks everybody, great advice so far.</p>

<p>Suze, thank you for your opinion, but my family owns a rental home in California, so I could live in it.</p>

<p>It depends on your definition of "easily."</p>

<p>Notice the difference between everyone else's help and constructive comments, and your cynical and abrupt comments when you don't even quite know where you are coming from.</p>

<p>Now, back to the great advice!</p>

20

<p>Suze is correct. You would have to live in that rental home for at least a year and pay taxes in CA to attain resident status. If you can't take the heat, get out of the line of fire.</p>