Political Obsessive Needs Some Honest Evaluation

<p>Hi everyone, this is my first post at this site. I am a 16 year old soon to be senior getting ready for the daunting task of applying for college, and I am a bit terrified of the process. I am a political fanatic (have been since I got caught electioneering at around age nine), and for years I have wanted to either enter the Foreign Service or become a lawyer and enter politics at some point. I know these statistics are a bit soulless, but it would be great if you could honestly evaluate my chances. I have been obsessed with the idea of enrolling in Georgetown’s SFS school, so if you could especially evaluate my chances there that would be great. </p>

<p>Preferred Major:
Double Major of International Relations and Political Science with a minor in Psychology.
[or Georgetown’s major International Politics]</p>

<p>Top Schools [in order]

  1. Georgetown [applying EA]
  2. Columbia
  3. George Washington [legacy, applying to 6 year law/bachelor degree program]
  4. Northwestern
  5. University of Illinois
    (I’m having a spot of trouble coming up with safety schools if you can’t tell. Suggestions are appreciated with the exception of American since I visited and didn’t like it that much)</p>

<p>Gender: F
Race: White
Location: Illinois
College Class Year: enter in September 2010
High School: Private
High School Type: sends many grads to top schools [Rigorous school, average act is 28ish]
Will apply for financial aid: Yes</p>

<p>Academics:
My school does not have class rank and is only weighting this year. It also uses a 100 point scale instead of a 4.0 scale. Any sort of 4.0 scale is a rough guesstimate on my part. My weighted GPA should skyrocket next year with the four AP classes that I am taking. </p>

<p>GPA - Unweighted: 93.570/100</p>

<h2>GPA – Weighted: 95.220/100</h2>

<p>GPA - Unweighted: 3.78
GPA - Weighted: 4.28
Class Rank: top 10% [not sure of exact rank]
Class Size: 320</p>

<p>Scores:</p>

<p>SAT I Math: 730
SAT I Critical Reading: 770
SAT I Writing: 800
ACT: 33 [sub scores: Reading 36, Math 34, English 35, Science 28 (…)]</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Significant Extracurriculars: Advanced Chorus (6 years)
Concert Chorus (4 years)
Private Vocal Lessons (7 years)
Singing for a total of 13 years.</p>

<p>Cross Country 4 years
Track 3 years
Student Government 2 years
NHS 2 years
Law Club 4 years
Model UN 2 years
Spanish Club 4 years</p>

<p>Other Jobs:
Worked a political campaign for a woman running for US Congress in the Illinois 6th District. One year tenure.</p>

<p>Currently working as an intern for my county’s top Democratic organization. </p>

<p>I am the assistant volunteer coordinator for a Democratic campaign for county board.
[Duties consist of watching 50 volunteers and trying to cover as much ground as possible with them in a potential voting bloc of 30,000 people. Basically a huge job. ]</p>

<p>**Leadership positions: **

  1. NHS Executive Board – Student Government Liaison</p>

<li><p>Executive Board in Student Government – Chief of Staff [was campaign manager previously for victorious campaign]</p></li>
<li><p>Vice President of the Law Club</p></li>
<li><p>Model UN US Cabinet-- Ambassador to the USSR</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Athletic Status:
Cross Country Varsity for 2 years, Injured this year.
Track Varsity for 2 years, injured.</p>

<p>**Volunteer/Service Work: **
-Church Cantor
-Service Duties that are part of NHS
-Webmaster for County Democrats, also participate in a volunteer internship for them
-Campaign for County Board is volunteer
-Any political work mentioned above</p>

<p>**Honors and Awards: **

  1. Participated in the National Student Leadership Law and Advocacy Program in DC, Won Best Overall Advocate [5 winners in camp of 100]</p>

<li><p>2nd Place in Model UN Historical Assembly [out of 60 teams]</p></li>
<li><p>Guest Speaker at a Democratic Fundraiser in downtown Chicago accompanied by David Wilhelm [former DNC chairman, campaign manager for Clinton’s presidential campaign]</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Random Things

  1. I have never received a C on a report card, so there are really no glaring mistakes, though I have received some Bs.
  2. I have taken two AP courses [European History – 5 and US History – fairly confident I received a 5]
  3. Next year I will be taking four AP classes, which is the maximum you can take at my school.
  4. My essays should probably be one of the brightest spots of my application, since I enjoy writing and I am reasonably proficient at it.
  5. I have taken 3 Subject Tests in Literature, US History, and World History. Results are pending.
  6. I speak Spanish fairly well, and I am going to pick up another language if I were to place into some sort of Foreign Service program.</p>

<p>I want to thank everyone in advance for wading through this mound of information. Thanks again!</p>

<p>That’s a stellar resume, I like your chances at Georgetown, GW, and Northwestern. I’m not very familiar with UIUC, anc obviously Columbia is a “reach” for everyone.</p>

<p>Things I forgot/should clarify</p>

<p>Under Awards, I won a pretty prestigious essay contest on the importance of voting.</p>

<p>Also under scores, I received a 206 on my PSAT (I improved a lot haha), and that fell into the 98% percentile (probably the bottom part of that percentage, since a 203 was a 97%). I’m not sure if that would get commended or not. </p>

<p>I also thought I should clarify the Chief of Staff position/position of Campaign manager. Basically, my school’s Student Government is extremely intense. As campaign manager, I was forced to handle/coordinate an army of 30 spazzy high schools kids for one week, without any sort of aid. I probably put in 40 hours a week for three weeks into that job. So our campaign won by a lot, I was given COS, which runs Student Government day to day operations basically, while the President and Vice President run the big things. If either of my friends get impeached/resign, I become VP. Just thought I should clarify since it is a non-traditional position.</p>

<p>First off, it’s totally awesome that your Student Government has a CoS position! I wish mine did… I’ll be running a campaign, but nothing to show for it.</p>

<p>I like your chances, though your GPA (UW) is a little low.</p>

<ol>
<li>Georgetown [applying EA] — low reach</li>
<li>Columbia — reach</li>
<li>George Washington — match</li>
<li>Northwestern — match</li>
<li>University of Illinois — safety</li>
</ol>

<p>Chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/733467-chances-hyps-etc-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/733467-chances-hyps-etc-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Why not look at Michigan, Wisconsin (both very good poli sci programs and both good matches) and maybe American where you could probably contend for both honors and possible full ride but still be in DC.</p>

<p>Are you applying SFS at Georgetown?</p>

<p>Right now</p>

<p>First off, it’s totally awesome that your Student Government has a CoS position! I wish mine did… I’ll be running a campaign, but nothing to show for it.</p>

<p>I like your chances, though your GPA (UW) is a little low.</p>

<ol>
<li>Georgetown — reach (slightly higher reach if SFS)</li>
<li>Columbia — high reach (for everyone, but you have a good shot)</li>
<li>George Washington — low match</li>
<li>Northwestern — low reach</li>
<li>University of Illinois — safety</li>
</ol>

<p>I wouldn’t submit ACT score if I were you.</p>

<p>Unfortunately Georgetown requires that you send everything, regardless of what you scored on it. So, I have to send in that ACT unfortunately (though I didn’t think it was too bad, is it really weak?). Is it too weak for the other schools as well?</p>

<p>And what do you think would be a good UW GPA? I know its a bit late to bring it up now, but I figure I should know.</p>

<p>Georgetown: Low Reach
Columbia: Reach
GWU: Low Match
Northwestern: Low Reach
UIllinois: Safety</p>

<p>Fantastic resume, in at 3/5 for sure in my opinion! =]</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/730207-i-will-study-get-ready-perhaps-my-chance-will-come-2.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/730207-i-will-study-get-ready-perhaps-my-chance-will-come-2.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>superb academic credentials man, well done
pretty well rounded too</p>

<p>Georgetown- high match
columiba - reach
GWU - low match
NOrthwestern - match
UIllinois - in</p>

<p>chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/733636-mediocre-gpa-pretty-good-sat-score-please-chance.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/733636-mediocre-gpa-pretty-good-sat-score-please-chance.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>thanks everyone. Just got my SAT IIs so I wanted to post. They aren’t fantastic but they aren’t horrible? I think? </p>

<p>U.S. History – 770 [just finished the course when I took this]
Literature – 730 [could retake but probably wouldn’t do much better]
World History – 720 [took W.H. freshman year so I thought this was decent]</p>