Please help me find some great matches!

<p>Hi! I've been having trouble finding some good 'match' schools. My potential majors are Environmental Policy, Environmental Studies, and Journalism. My ideal school size is around 4,000. My 'reach' schools are Barnard, Pomona, Middlebury, Dartmouth, and Yale.</p>

<p>White, Female, No hooks, Public for freshman + soph years, Very competitive (no, seriously) private school for last 2 years</p>

<p>Average GPA: 90 or 91%
Unranked, but highest UW GPA in our graduating class is 94%.</p>

<p>Note: At my old school, my guidance counselor encouraged me to enroll in the easiest courses so that I wouldn't be stressed... and so I had no clue that taking all Honors classes was so important until sophomore year. Before 9th grade, I'd always been in the highest-level classes. Anyway, I tried very hard to accelerate during my freshman and sophomore summers but my school would not allow credit from any summer enrichment courses. This is why I am a year behind in math and science </p>

<p>I truly love learning but that love diminished at my former school where the teachers did not care about the subject they taught and their students, and/or were completely uninspiring/just plain bad at teaching. The administration continuously stood in my way of excelling for they were focused on simply graduating the students. All of that along with the fact that I was going through family-related trauma and had just lost my best friends caused my grades to take a fall. My grades were excellent last year because my teachers were wonderful - passionate and supportive. Oh, and my classmates were amazing. I finally found peers who I could relate to. I rediscovered my focus and energy.</p>

<p>Freshman:
Ancient World H- B+
English 9H- B+
Algebra 1- A-
Physical Science- B
Spanish 2- A
Fashion and Design- B+</p>

<p>Sophomore:
English 10H- A-
H Modern World/H Civics- B+/B+
Geometry H- B+
Biology H- B+
Spanish 3H- B+
Speech (Public Speaking)/Contemporary Issues- A-/A</p>

<p>Junior:
AP Enviro- A
APUSH- A
English 11H- A
Spanish 4H- A
Chemistry H- A
Algebra IIH- A-
Photography 1- A
Poetry & Playwriting/Astronomy- A/A</p>

<p>LOL Projected Senior:
AP Modern European History- A
AP Spanish- A
AP English- A
AP Biology (Maybe)
Independent Study in the Sciences
Bioethics/Black Gold - Oil- A/A
Photography 2- A
Composing & Arranging- A</p>

<p>ACT: 35
SAT II: Biology: 800, Literature: 800, Spanish: 780, World History: 770
APs: Environmental Science: 5, U.S History: 5, Psychology (self-study): 5</p>

<p>ECs: I LOOOOVE my extracurricular activities. I'm so, so passionate about writing and environmental policy/activism. I also adore photography, theater, traveling, history, and working with children.
-I write for about 2 hours/day for fun. I have published an award-winning children's book. I also won two National Gold Scholastic Awards and a State Young Writers Award. I was published in Scholastic's annual anthology "Best Teen Writers of 2010" I will be submitting a writing portfolio to the Scholastic Comp. this year. I am Short Story Editor for my school's Literary Magazine (meetings take place during school)
-I do media relations and outreach for a sustainability-focused NGO run by and for youth ages 13-26. I am a national and international young delegate for environmental policy...I've attended and spoken at the U.N's Commission on Sustainable Development, the Convention on Biological Diversity in Japan, Mexico and Denmark and will be a delegate at the Rio Earth Summit 2012. I am Founder and Chair of a youth environmental activism group connected to the city government. Meetings take place 1x/week, more when we’re close to an event. I'm currently expanding the group to cover my entire county. I created a composting program utilized by all district schools and parks. I visit these schools often to garden and compost with the kids. I'm Green Team Leader next year. This year, I helped lead the Team to victory in the Green Cup Challenge and placed 2nd in the Siemens National Sustainability Challenge. Club meetings take place in school
-I tutor low-income kids 2x/week.
-This will be my 6th year dancing ballet and 3rd year studying guitar.
-I take kickboxing and yoga in the winter after school (required)</p>

<p>This summer, I did marine biology research with a scientist for 3 weeks, I'm taking Precalculus and starred in a community theatre production (I'm also writing A LOT, reading A LOT, playing guitar, teaching myself how to play piano, and traveling)</p>

<p>Next year, I'm doing an independent study in school with my environmental science teacher/mentor.</p>

<p>Please, somebody?</p>

<p>Cornell
[SNES</a> Home](<a href=“http://snes.eas.cornell.edu/]SNES”>http://snes.eas.cornell.edu/)
[Department</a> of Natural Resources](<a href=“http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/]Department”>http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/)
[Department</a> of Science & Technology Studies - Program](<a href=“http://www.sts.cornell.edu/programbsoc.php]Department”>http://www.sts.cornell.edu/programbsoc.php)</p>

<p>Are you suggesting that Cornell is a “match” for me? LOL, I doubt that, but thanks for the links!</p>

<p>Darn, I forgot to elaborate on my photography interest. I do a shoot about once per month and mess with film in my school’s dark room. I’ve achieved some national recognition and had some of my work featured in an exhibit in my home state. I really love photography and would like to go to a school filled with artistic/creative students.</p>

<p>You have really good ECs and some of them could be definite hooks. </p>

<p>A lot of LACs could act as matches. I’m thinking Bowdoin, Colby, Wesleyan but they are all a bit smaller than 4000 students.</p>

<p>Have you looked at college of the atlantic?</p>

<p>^^ Thank you! Wow, I really like Bowdoin and Wesleyan but I feel like those are reaches. </p>

<p>^ Yes, I have! That would be a great match, thanks :)</p>

<p>^^^ Colby seems like a great school for me as well. Thanks a lot!</p>

<p>Suggested target schools (LACs):</p>

<p>Bates College
Colby College
Colgate University
Colorado College
Connecticut College
Grinnell College
Macalester College
Mt. Holyoke
St. Mary’s College of MD
Whitman College</p>

<p>What about Wellesley or Smith? Your test scores and ECs are impressive enough that you should have some options provided you vary your schools. Good luck!</p>

<p>Oberlin College in Ohio, Vassar in NY (selective enough to be a reach, though, but very artistic and creative). Where are you from? </p>

<p>Skidmore, Bard. Both in NY state.</p>