please please help: with my stats--which schools are my reaches, safeties, or fits?

<p>I am a junior and i really want to start finalizing my list. here they are:
UChicago
NYU
Georgetown-- top choice
Columbia
UCLA
Howard
John Hopkins
UPenn
feel free to add anymore</p>

<p>Here's my stats:
African American female
Location: New Jersey
Income: Under 60,000</p>

<p>High school: urban public
Grade: Junior
GPA: 4.0 on a 4.0 scale
SAT 1: 1950 610 m 610 cr 730 wr (i plan to take them 2 more times and after practice i should improve)
SAT II--pending</p>

<p>Schedule (this year):
AP History
AP English
AP Physics B
French III
etc
<a href="next%20year">B</a>:**
AP Bio
AP English
AP Calc
French IV
etc etc</p>

<p>Extra:
-Student Rep to Board of Education
-County Director for official state student political organization--worked on '08 and '09 campaigns
-Editor (main)-- school newspaper
-NHS (member--hopefully pres. or vp by the end of this year)
-Varsity Soccer
-Financial adviser for small organization (music based)
-I dont add up the total amount of service hours, but I have them due to the above mentioned activities.
-Awards in school for excellence in writing, math, science, world language</p>

<p>-College Course at community college
**
Summer:** NYU precollege or LEAD program (if i get accepted)
**
Major:** undecided-- probably along the lines of business administration, foreign affairs, international relations, politics.</p>

<p>I am also having a hard time finding out what schools are right for me. There are soo many!! :(</p>

<p>I understand that you are an African American woman, and your GPA s fine, but I wouldn’t have considered those test scores appropriate at any of those schools. My son has similar stats and we wouldn’t consider him a candidate at any of those schools.</p>

<p>my test scores are definitely going to improve.
i got the 1950 earlier this year–it was just a practice run (real test but practice run). it was done with absolutely no prep.
i expect to improve when i take them 2 more times (im a junior) since i have been practicing</p>

<p>none of those are safeties for anyone. and most will be reaches for anyone.
and right now none are matches</p>

<p>you know what i just dont understand?
does a “low” sat score mean THAT much? im studying to improve but like still
i hate how colleges judge you by a score!
for example:
there was a girl from my school who was accepted into columbia ed this year with an 1850 sat–(she didnt break 700 in any category). my ecs are stronger than her ecs (not to sound arrogant–but im just comparing) and my gpa is the same.</p>

<p>there was another girl from my school who was accepted into john hopkins ed and she had a 550 in math and only 600s in the other two categories. again, my ecs are stronger and my gpa is higher. </p>

<p>(im a junior now–they are seniors).</p>

<p>maybe its the minority status?</p>

<p>Every high school is different, and frankly lots of kids have high grades from poor schools. Test scores show a level of consistent subject constancy and can be used to measure ability across unequal schools.</p>

<p>okayy, but how does that explain the acceptance to top colleges of two students from my school with lower sat scores than i currently have?
you know, im just going to try my hardest and do whatever i can now and then cross my fingers</p>

<p>But truthfully, the schools you have selected are largely selecting kids who are both high achieving AND who test extremely well. I’m sure you know that your test scores aren’t “bad”. They will get you in a lot of places. You’re going to need to stand out in some other way, however, at the schools on your list to really scream “pick me” in the midst of tough competition.</p>

<p>You might try to find out more about the students who were selected. What did they do…how did they structure their essays…did they have something else about them that looked unique? Did they know somebody?</p>

<p>Try applying to Georgetown and UChic EA. If you’re rejected or deferred, recalibrate your list around more realistic choices.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if you got accepted to a couple of those schools, especially if you raise your test scores.</p>

<p>okay thanksss.
i know one of the students did a program at NYU…the one im applying too
and the other did seeds. neither program that prestigious. other than that, nothing else. im pretty close to them.</p>

<p>and yea, ill just apply like i said. hopefully things turn i my favor</p>

<p>my friend, who is african american,
had a 4.0+, and a 1790 on sats,
no leadership, actually not much ECs at all…
she got accepted to UCLA this year,
you’re definitely on the right track…
and i know that UCLA is looking for more out of state applicants…
goodluck to you :)</p>