not sure where to post this! STUDENT focused colleges?

<p>Yeah, my weighted and unweighted is still going to be very low, but I had something around a 2.8gpa my freshman year, 1.7 sophomore, and 3.6 this junior year, now entering senior year and taking college courses right now to bring it up a tad, hoping this will make colleges see the huge change I've done. My ACT score was a 19, but I'm taking that again for the next date coming up, and my SAT was in the 50th percentile, so I guess average on that, around a 1600(new SAT) combined score. I'm hoping to boost that by a LOT and get a significant increase. I play a ton of music, mainly rock and other weirder stuff, hoping to bring a good band to whichever college I attend. Politically active, huge writer, I've got countless things in my personality... I'm just not that well informed on which colleges go for the student itself rather then scores, I'm smart but not great at showing it on tests. I'd kill to get into University of Chicago, being from Chicago, it'd be great to go back... But yes, can anyone give me and advice/suggestions/recommendations?</p>

<p>Dang dude u sucked freshman and even worse your SOPHMORE year.. its gonna be tough to show a college such as chicago your change (if there is one)</p>

<p>I'd rather take advice from someone who doesn't spell "you" with "u"'s. Thanks.</p>

<p>You're from Illinois? Then what's wrong with UIUC? If you can get your scores up a bit you might be able get in because you are in state. Even if you still don't get in to the main campus then you could probably go to an off branch college like UIC and work hard for a year or two and then transfer to UIUC. This would probably be a good way to go since you have been able to improve your grades so much the past year. However I still think that you should apply to Chicago if it is your dream school. Who knows if you can explain why your grades were so poor for the first two years in one of your essays you may be able to get in.</p>

<p>I was from Illinois. I moved to South Carolina my junior year, and now going into my senior year. I'm trying to find out if I can get back to my old school and take more AP classes, right now I'm scheduled to be taking Biology and English Lit. and Composition plus a few honors</p>

<p>Well, I am not sure doing that would make a major difference. As long as you are taking the toughest classses at your school in SC, you should be alright. However I give you a lot for credit for being so ambitious. That would be a great thing to mention in your essay, that you actually tried to get back to your old school just so you could take harder classes. Btw if you lived in illinois last year you might still be considered for instate admissions because you lived there for so long. You should look into that because I think every state has its own policy.</p>

<p>Sweet, haven't thought about that. I'll check it out!</p>