new here...please be brutal :)

<p>ok so i've been reading these posts for a while now and i finally have decided to subject myself to the opinions of you all. though i know i don't have to say this, please be honest!
so here we go:</p>

<p>female, black, mid-low class
high school junior
small private school in CA (only because i have a full scholarship) that is pretty good, i think (admits 30% of 9th grade applicants)
GPA: 3.8 uw/ 4.1 w (roughly)
my school doesn't really rank, but I imagine that I'm at least in the top 10%
APs:
Euro- 3 :(
SATs:
770 cr/750 m/790 w
no SAT IIs yet, but I imagine they'll be decent...
most demanding classes possible:</p>

<p>Freshman year-
English I (B+/A)
Spanish I (A/A)
World Views (A/A)
Honors Geometry (A/A)
Biology (A/A)
Chorale (choir) (A/A)</p>

<p>Sophomore year-
English II, American Lit. (A/A)
Spanish II (A/A)
AP European History (B/A-)
Honors Chemistry (A-/B+)
Honors Algebra II & Trig (A/A)
Glee Club (auditioned choir) (A/A)
Dance--
Yearbook--</p>

<p>Junior Year-
Hon. English III, British Lit.
AP US History
Spanish III
Honors Pre-Calculus
Glee Club
Art I
and i'm doing independent study for AP Psych and AP Bio, since i want to double major in bio and psychology</p>

<p>Senior Year (planned)-
AP English IV
either AP Art History or Comparative Religions
Honors Spanish IV
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics
Glee Club</p>

<p>I'm pretty into sports, but i'm not very good...
Volleyball- 3 yrs
Basketball- 6 yrs</p>

<p>And other extracurriculars:
Tutoring (2 yrs) abused children at this place called Hillsides
Started an arts program at Hillsides
Voice training 6 yrs- singing is my main passion
extensive church activities (missions and the like)
Summer job at a lawfirm (2 yrs)
Main job is doing the scoreboard for volleyball game during the school year (3 yrs)
active in Young Democrats for 3 years
active in the Alliance (GSA) for 3 years
I'm also captain of the basketball team and a section leader in the Glee Club</p>

<p>the thing is, i've had extensive "personal issues"- i.e. dysfunctional family, depression/anxiety/PTSD/other crappy stuff, so I didn't really do as much as I could in terms of extracurriculars and stuff...</p>

<p>I really, really want to go to Yale (I know, you're rolling your eyes) or Cornell, which are my 2 reaches. But I've got a few others (Wesleyan, UCB, UCLA, UCSD) that aren't as impossible to get into.</p>

<p>ok...GO!</p>

<p>yale's iffy, but cornell seems in reach if you keep up grades and get good test scores.</p>

<p>most likely in at yale and cornell</p>

<p>Good chance for Cornell, and UCSD, and UC Berkeley. Try to meet a rep from Wesleyan and Cornell when they visit your school or are in your area. If you can travel this coming Spring or later to Yale, Wesleyan and Cornell and do interviews there it might be helpful. If not try to do interviews with alumni in your area in Fall '08.</p>