Please Help

<p>i am a junior and washu is my top choice, unfortunately i have NO idea if it is too much of a reach for me. my SAT is around 1950, i dont have nay SAT2s yet but will prolly be around 600. im taking the most honors and AP classes my school offers (havent taken any tests yet). my school doesnt rank but i have a 3.4 UW and 4.0 W gpa. i have visited several times and my sibling is a current student. my ECs are decent, but poor compared to my sibling who goes there now (few volunteer things each summer and active membership in a handful of school clubs). i would be applying early. thanks!</p>

<p>on the same note, how much does sibling legacy count?</p>

<p>Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but given your stats, it's highly unlikely you'll be accepted at Wash U, even applying ED with a legacy. Look, Wash U is a very, very selective college, right up there with schools like U Penn, Duke, Dartmouth, Brown, etc., and your stats - while respectable - would not get you into any of those schools either. Realistically, you have to look at schools that are good, but somewhat less selective. Here's a short list of schools where your stats would be competitive:</p>

<p>Union
Skidmore
U of C San Diego
Syracuse
Penn State
U of Connecticut
U of Delaware
U of St. Louis</p>

<p>There's lots more, of course. Just do some research.</p>

<p>what if i raised my SAT to 2050? washu is my first choice and im not about to settle for any of those second tier schools you mentioned.</p>

<p>also, when i interviewed i did so with a dean
everyone else i know just interviewed witha student</p>

<p>Well then you're in. The Dean interview did the trick. Who can really say who gets in in. There are so many factors touched on in other posts. Things such as Grades, Test scores, HS course difficulty levels, extra-curricular activities, legacies, sports ability and the list goes on. </p>

<p>I think what the other poster was trying to say is don't put all your eggs (hopes) in one basket. Apply to reaches, matches and a couple of safeties. Because unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth where you go will be a decision about where you get in and how much aid you get.</p>

<p>It's all a big dance like choosing partners. You and the schools keep talking. Finally you send in applications. The schools then accept, deny or waitlist. If accepted you get your aid package. This is where the rubber hits the road. Then you make your choice (sometimes asking for aid review). The schools like WashU know they will fill the freshman class with an exceptional student body. So they have the upper hand. You just need to have alternatives if it doesn't go your way.</p>