On track for top LACs and a few Unis?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a junior, and I'm just wondering if I'm on track for the top 20 LACs and for top 30 unis. Thanks.</p>

<p>Male
Not a URM, but still very much an M (Jewish).
School: Highly competitive public school in CT (we've got a ridiculous amount of Intel semi-finalists, finalists, and the same applies for Siemens)</p>

<p>Rank: Top 10% (top 15% at worst) of a class of ~350
GPA (F/S/Junior): 3.9<X<4.0 (weighted), low F GPA significantly harmed me (Junior year predicted based on semester grades)</p>

<p>PSAT (I'm taking March SAT):
CR: 80/800 (trying to keep it there...ish)
M: 61/610 (aiming for 650, doing intensive tutoring)
W: 72/720 (aiming for 750 with essay on SAT)</p>

<p>SAT II: 780 US History (taken in June of last year), ??? Lit (taking it this June), ??? Bio (Ecology, maybe, maybe, this June)</p>

<p>APs Taking Currently: AP Environmental Science, AP US Government & Politics, AP English Language and Composition</p>

<p>APs To be Taken: AP Euro or AP US, AP Calc AB, AP Physics B or C: Mechanics, AP English Literature, and AP Econ (if I drop Spanish)</p>

<p>Independent Research – Economics related, highly regarded by PhD candidate at Ivy where I took a summer class on economic growth and development, also well received by UConn professor and UMass-Amherst professors; I'm trying to get published</p>

<p>Have won awards from CT science fair, a regional fair, attending more fairs, and hoping to do well elsewhere; won "gold key" (1 of 3000 awardees in the nation) for the Scholastic Art and Writing awards, won award at Columbia Scholastic Press Association conference in NYC; numerous community service awards </p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Viola - 6-ish years w/private teacher, formerly in school orchestra, dropped it for a local youth orchestra (at least 3 hrs. week of orchestra practice in that group, which was audition-only)</p>

<p>Administrative assistant (volunteer) at local hebrew school, 4 hrs. per week</p>

<p>12 hrs. a week at local Barnes and Noble –*cashiering, customer service, etc.</p>

<p>School newspaper (highly regarded, 70 yr. history, Columbia Scholastic Press Association gold award every year for 6 years or so) – 9th gr.: ombudsman, 10th gr.: chief copy editor (managed copy editor staff of 5 persons), 11th gr.: opinions editor (position is shared with a senior), about 10-15 hours per week</p>

<p>Highly involved in local and state Democratic politics: Worked for mayoral candidate in two most recent elections, worked for local Democratic Town Committee in past three local elections, worked for ("intern") House of Representatives candidate in 2004 and 2006 (lost both times); all of those jobs were for a considerable amount of hours worth of phone calls, clerical work, research, canvassing, etc.</p>

<p>Also:
Applied for Bronfman Youth Fellowship (apparently highly regarded), hoping to get in</p>

<p>Thanks so much for your comments. If you could make some suggestions for my APs next year and what I should do about SAT IIs, that would be much appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Bump (10 char)</p>

3

<p>I definetly think you are on track. You look like a very strong applicant. Really like your ecs.</p>

4

<p>You're very good. You can aim higher than top 30!</p>

5

<p>You're in the mix, but take Bio M, not E, almost everybody I know does better on M....Also if you're interested in econ, better get your Math SAT above 700....</p>

6

<p>Thanks all. So I should try for Bio M, not E? Has anyone tried E?</p>

<p>Also, does anyone have any AP suggestions regarding:
1. AP Physics B or C: Mechanics (no prior background)
2. AP Modern European or AP US
3. Drop regular-level Spanish (spanish 5 in sr. yr.) in place of AP Econ</p>

7

<p>I took APUSH as a tenth grader and I didn't think it was terrible (future history major). As long as you have studied, know how to do DBQ's/write history essays I think you'll do okay. Just study and memorize. Thats my advice.</p>

<p>And yes, you will get into very good schools, you are a very strong candidate for any of the schools you will apply to.</p>

8

<p>i took Bio E; I should've taken M :( ... APUSH is fairly easy, so i would take that. i'm usually a strong proponent of continuing languages, but since most colleges require 4 years at most, and you can't take AP spanish, i would suggest you take AP Econ...</p>

9

<p>Why do you say that M would have been better?</p>

<p>AP Econ over spanish, got it.</p>

10

<p>I realized after I took the test that I didn't know as much about the ecological aspect of Bio as I originally thought... Besides, the people I know (and the SAT 2 percentages seem to show that people) did better on Bio M than Bio E. I suppose your success depends on how much you (personally) have studied each subject, though. good luck!</p>