Not another one...

<p>I know you are probably dreading reading another "Chances post", especially as the year grows later and later and the collective hype is becoming palpable.
But I don't frequent these forums much, and I'm looking for a few helpful comments about my situation (an objective opinion, if you will); so read on if you have a few spare minutes.
I plan on applying EA to Stanford; if that does not work out, I will likely apply to Harvard and Yale regular (as a what-the-hell kind of gesture) and UPenn and Brown, Rice as safety.
I plan on want to eventually get into a JD/MD combined program after undergraduate (hence a broad curriculum) and am very interested in law and medical/scientific issues.
To preface, I'm a white middle class male (that probably hurts). At least in terms of my EA choice, my grandpa attened Stanford Graduate school (it might help a bit). </p>

<p>Academics:
-Rising Senior at Brophy College Prep, #1 Arizona Private School
-Top 1% of class (Rank 2 of 330 students)
-Rigorous Course Load Taken includes 9 Advanced Placement (AP) by end of Junior Year and 16 by graduation
-GPA: 3.97 Unweighted 4.45 Weighted (where AP is 5.0, regular is 4.0)
-Senior Schedule AP Micro/Macro Economics, AP English Lit, AP Calc BC,
AP Physics, AP Spanish, AP Government/Pol, Weight Lifting (lol)</p>

<p>Awards:
-Brophy Award: AMDG Award Sophomore Year (Top Over-all in Class for Leadership/Academics)
-Brophy Award: Intellectual Achievement Junior Year (Top Academic in class)
-AP Scholar with Honor (expected National Scholar by Senior Year)
-Expected National Merit Semi-Finalist or Finalist (in 99% for AZ)
-2nd, 10th, and 7th place in State National Spanish Exam
-3rd Place in State CARSEF Molecular Biology Science Project
-Award for Superior Distinction in the National Forensic/Debate League (1500+ points)</p>

<p>Tests:
SAT Composite: 2280 (800 CR 750 W 730 M) (I've always wanted to retake for 800 W as its my best subject.. but I havent had a free Sat :( )
-ACT Composite: 34 (36 English/(36)Writing 35 Reading 32 Science 32 Math)
-SAT II’s: 760 Biology (Molecular) (taking literature, USH, Math IIC this October (my grandma died before the June test date). I can reasonably expect close to 800 in USH/Literature (Best subjects) 750+ IIC
-AP Tests: Score of 5 on 7 tests including Human Geog, Biology, US History,
European History, Environmental Science, Psychology, English Literature, 4 in Chem, 3 on Calc AB (my school is retarded and offered as a SEMESTER class.. argh.)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-Debate and Speech Team for all 4 years. Accomplishments include by end of Junior Year: AZ State Champion in Debate, Semi-Finalist of National Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking, Qualifier for National Tournament of Champions in LD Debate, Qualifier and Top 60 in the Nation at National Forensic League Nationals, Finals of ASU Debate Tournament 2 Times, Octafinalist Yale Debate Tournament, Octafinalist Berkeley Debate Tournament, elimination rounds other National Tournaments, Champion of every Arizona Local Tournaments in Debate this past year and 2 in Speech, Superior Distinction in NFL Participation, Captain of Debate Squad, Overall Club Treasurer Junior Year and President Senior Year (yeah, i put a crapload of time into this, but I love it).
-Mock Trial Member and Participant in State Trial Junior Year
-‘Monday Morning’ School Newsletter Contributor, Assistant-Editor Senior Year
-National Honor Society: 3 Year Member, Executive Board Member, elected President Senior Year
-Member of Spanish Honor Society
-Freshman Retreat Leader, and Big Brother (counseling) Junior and Senior Year
-I put tons of time into this too: 4-year Member of Key-Club, Vice-President School Club Junior Year. Senior Year Elected District/Regional Executive Board Secretary/Treasurer over some 400 school clubs in AZ, NM, TX, UT, parts of California (Southwest District) of Key Club International
-Science Club: Helped to Found, Treasurer Junior Year, Vice-President Senior Year. Participant in State-Finals Of the Department of Energy National Science Bowl
-Internship at the Mayo Clinic Research center with Dr. Rafael Fonseca on Myeloma and Genetic Engineering Junior summer-Senior Year; 15 Hours a Week (as Volunteer work). Will be published in Blood oncology researchy by november-december (as a contributor to our project obviously). Unfortunately started to late to enter Intel meaningfully though I plan on entering BioGenius, perhaps Westinghouse and other science fairs later in the year.</p>

<p>Service:
-More than 100 hours in Key Club Service Projects by Senior Year
-More than 60 hours in NHS Service Projects by Senior Year, in Addition to 30 hours of In-School Tutoring
-2 Weeks spent in School-based Justice Project in Mexico (~200 hrs)
-5 hours a Week Volunteering at Mayo Hospital Junior Summer-Senior Year (~50 hours)
-Hundreds of hours administrative work organize district level drives, projects, etc etc thru Key Club</p>

<p>Recs/Essay:
I know my counselor really well; it should be superb. And I have two teachers picked out who will really rave about me. I am a good writer so essays should go well.
Thoughts, comments, suggestions? I'm very sorry for the protracted nature of the post but I thought it was better to post everything relevant so you might evaluate (I'll be listing a lot less on the App ;).</p>

<p>by all means, list this all on your app! You have a great shot at stanford. However, Rice is definitely, definitely NOT a safety. More like a reach/match.</p>

<p>bump:
Any other opinions? Is my priority list for application (besides stanford) wrong, because I was always under the impression that one would have a much better chance getting into Rice than Yale/Brown/even Penn.
Thanks</p>

<p>Might check out Duke-very good pre-med.</p>

<p>Just because you have a better shot of getting into Rice, which you do, doesn't mean it is a safety. It's almost as reach-y as the rest of your schools. A safety school should be one that you absolutely know for sure that you'll get into, like a state school or something.</p>

<p>upenn brown and rice...they're all up there.....at that level of schools they cant be safeties for just about anyone</p>

<p>he will get in anywhere he applies.</p>

<p>lol I wish. Thanks so much for your optimism though (I assume its that, not sarcasm :) ).
Also, I get what you guys mean about safety, yeah Rice is not a definite, just more likely than the others in my opinion.
Any other thoughts? What would be a good essay topic (thinking of debate culture/humor based which would be more quirky, or maybe something on service in a unique approach).
Thanks for your responses</p>

<p>Boston U and Syracuse could be safeties for ya. There is no question that you would get in.</p>

<p>im serious....I mean I know admissions at the IVY's and some others are random, but you honestly are possibly one of the most qualified students I have ever seen, and for a school to reject you would be absurd.</p>

<p>Wow thanks for the compliment. Maybe I have an inclination to view my situation more critically than I should, its just that no one I have talked to about my situation is nearly <em>that</em> positive. Any other thoughts, or what I should do on my essays?</p>

<p>shameless bump.. any other opinions before I let this post wallow into message-board oblivion</p>

<p>any other opinons before I let this die forever? (for real, this time ;).</p>