<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I'm now a Junior, and I've only looked at a very small selection of schools -- some are Columbia, the Cooper Union, and Princeton. I feel that I cannot get admitted to these schools, because I have no extracurricular merit (as I said, I have no idea what I want to do, making it difficult for me to commit myself to activities). My grades and test-scores are stellar: I'm taking 2 APs, have an A+ average, got a 750 and an 800 on two SAT IIs, and scored in the 99th percentile on the PSAT last year.</p>
<p>I don't know what I want to do, really. I'm interested in many areas, and these areas often change. I once thought I was geared toward math and science, but I've recently started to open up and become curious about history and philosophy. I spend most of my time either reading or browsing the Internet.</p>
<p>So, I think the logical thing to do is look at some very good liberal arts schools that fall just short of the name-brand-top-tier-elite school threshold. My family is very poor, and I cannot afford to go to college on my own. I will need a full scholarship, which I am confident I can attain, because of my academic merit and the recommendations my teachers can give. I was advised that since I have no apparent direction, looking at great schools with good core requirements/overall programs (and lots of good specialized programs) would be best.</p>
<p>I'm still going through a teenage crisis, so I often experience depression due to feeling internally pressured (about what I "should" be doing, not feeling accomplished, etc.). I sometimes tell myself that I really want to be a programmer, so I push myself in that direction, but since my enjoyment in the area fluctuates, I'm not entirely sure I'll stick with it (I would very much like to, however).</p>
<p>Please advise. :) How can I figure out where I should apply?</p>