O boy...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a high school junior and i am wondering how i'm doing... i'd really love to go to an ivy or comparable school (my favorites are princeton, washington U in St. Louis, tufts, brown, and william and mary) but i know it might be a stretch. Do you have any other suggestions for me?
Here's some things:</p>

<p>-White female from Ohio</p>

<p>-4.38 weighted GPA, 4.0 unweighted (for all of high school, so far)</p>

<p>-classes: FRESHMAN YEAR: Geometry Concepts, Honors English, German 1, World History, Physical Science, Orchestra, Gym, Home Ec.
SOPHOMORE YEAR: Algebra 2 Concepts, Honors English, German 2, US History, Honors Bio, Orchestra, Health
JUNIOR YEAR: Pre-Calc, Honors English, German 3, Economics, AP Chem, Orchestra, Gym
SENIOR YEAR (planning): AP Calc, AP English, German 4 (AP), Government, Psychology, Speech, Photography, Spanish 1, Orchestra</p>

<p>PSAT score: 213</p>

<p>Extra curriculars:
High school's symphony orchestra (all 4 years), High school's Mannheim orchestra (all 4 years), Future Leaders Club (Soph, Jr, Sr), Leadership Youth Program (Jr year), Student Council Rep (Soph, Jr, Sr), Reporter for school paper (Jr, Sr), Peer Tutor (Soph, Jr, Sr), Big Brothers Big Sisters (Jr, Sr), High School theatre - Props crew member for Enchanted April and Head of Props crew for Anything Goes, National Jr. Honor Society (Freshman), National Honor Society (Jr, Sr), Ski Club (Fresh, Soph)</p>

<p>Community Service: Over 400 hours total, including Adopt A Grandparent, volunteer teaching violin lessons, volunteering at my Elementary school, peer tutoring (for intervention and for a german 2 student), day camp volunteer counsellor, organized a school supplies drive for needy children, relay for life (24-hour cancer walk), volunteered at leadership workshops for 6th graders (24 hours total), Big brothers Big sisters at a local elementary school</p>

<p>Honors/Awards (so far): 1 Rating for OMEA Solo & Ensemble contest (Fresh, Soph, Jr) for viola solo, Health Department award for 2005, Century Club Award (Fresh), Suma Cum Laude (Soph)</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Regular baby-sitting jobs over the summer (16 hr/wk)
JC Penney's associate, Men's dept. since October (approx. 10 hr/wk during school year)</p>

<p>Do i stand a chance?
thanks so much for any responses :)
Katie</p>

2

<p>Katie--</p>

<p>With your impressive PSAT/GPA, you definitely could be admitted to some excellent schools. </p>

<p>I'd say you have a chance at Brown, Penn, Cornell, and Dartmouth, but what's going to keep you back from schools at the very top like Princeton are your EC's. They seem pretty random and scattered, and don't seem to convey what you are passionate about. It's much better to have one or two EC's that you are very passionate about and accomplished in than 15 weak EC's. Do you have any leadership positions/national awards?</p>

<p>Your best bet is to try and write essays that really show your true passion. The top universities don't just want smart kids, they want smart, interesting, and passionate kids. Try to make your essays as interesting and "you" as possible. Also, very nice job with your PSAT, but if you study for the SAT and raise your score by 100-200 points more, you have a better chance at the top. </p>

<p>Have you considered UCLA, UCB, USC(safety), Northwestern, University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, Rice, Norte Dame, or the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor? They are all excellent schools, and I think they are within your reach. The UCs in particular look more at numbers than ECs because they get so many applications, and your numbers are great. </p>

<p>Of course, don't give up hope. If you really want to go to a big name like Princeton, apply anyway! You'll never know if you don't try, and who knows ... you might get lucky! :)</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the advice! yeah, my intrests/ec's do sound pretty random now that i look at it! :) i'll try to narrow them down and get more involved in the ones i like best. thanks again!</p>