Rising Junior...

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I know that this is a bit premature for me, but I'm pretty nervous about the whole college deal. If you could just briefly give me your thoughts as to whether I'm on the right path or not for getting into a top school, I'd be really grateful.</p>

<p>I'm looking at these colleges at the moment: a list very likely to change over the next year, but still. In no particuliar order:</p>

<p>Cornell
College of William & Mary
Carnegie Mellon
Georgetown
Binghamton
Stony Brook
Palm Beach Atlantic</p>

<p>...Some/most of these are like massive reaches, but anyway.</p>

<p>*White male from NY.
Major: Uncertain</p>

<p>Academics</p>

<p>Rank: ~Top 5% in a class of ~270 people (we won't know exact rank until beginning of senior year).
Unweighted GPA: 95.05
Weighted GPA: 100.915</p>

<p>*Have and will continue to take most difficult courseload possible.</p>

<p>SAT I: Not yet taken.
SAT IIs: Biology-M (700)</p>

<p>*Probably will take U.S. History, a Math, and possibly Physics and/or Lit by the time I'm ready for actually sending applications.</p>

<p>AP Scores: Biology (5)</p>

<p>*Will have also taken Physics B, U.S. History, English Lit, AB or BC Calc, and U.S. Government by the time I graduate (these are the only AP classes offered at my school).</p>

<p>Extracurriculars</p>

<p>(Projected)</p>

<p>Athletics:
9-12: Varsity Cross-Country (Most likely Captain senior year)
9-12: Varsity Indoor Track (Possibly Captain senior year)
9-12: Varsity Outdoor Track (Most likely Captain senior year)</p>

<p>*I'm not good enough to be recruited for college. :p</p>

<p>Clubs:
9-12: Key Club (Vice President 11th, President 12th)
9-12: Renaissance Club (Entrance is based on having a high enough average and enough community service hours, but it's pretty much just another, less selective form of National Honor Society)
9-12: Model UN (Possibly will have a leadership position in 12th grade)
10-12: National Art Honor Society (Again, will be looking into leadership positions in the next two years)
11-12: National Honor Society (See above about leadership positions..)
11-12: Leadership Club (See above about leadership positions..)</p>

<p>*Just as a note, one can only be in NHS starting in 11th grade at my school.</p>

<p>Community Service:
I'm helping out this summer at a hospital to help the American Red Cross with patients, and just in general to try and help the community.</p>

<p>By the end of the summer, I hope to have amassed ~50 community service hours (included in this count are hours from Key Club and other random events). And... yeah. I plan on helping out with the American Red Cross again next summer.</p>

<p>Job:
Uh, yeah, so I have a job, haha. I work at McDonald's for 15+ hours per week usually, nothing major. I've kept the job for about a year now.</p>

<p>Random Schtuff:</p>

<p>I have a few random 'awards' and 'honors'.. nothing major, but eh.</p>

<p>2006: Perfect Attendance Award (:p)
2005: Award of Dedication to Key Club
2006: Had one of my art pieces hang in a local college.
2004-2008: Scholar Athlete (but who isn't?)
2006: I was nominated to go to two National Youth Leadership Forum things, but I don't think they're very presitgious... So I'm not going. :p</p>

<p>*I'm also a member of Who's Who Among American High Schoolers and the National Society of High School Scholars, but I know that both of these programs are shams.</p>

<p>Anyway, if anyone actually does read this, I thank you greatly for your time!!</p>

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<p>You'd get into Cornell if you get 1+ more leadership position(s), a 2100+ on SATs, and 730, 740+ on your 3 SAT IIs. Retake your Biology. 700 is not that great if you wish to pursue some of those colleges on your list. Aim for 750+. Also mention that YOU WORK on your apps. 15 hrs/week + ECs + school = colleges impressed. Layman's terms. :)</p>

<p>azsxdc</p>

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<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>

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<p>Shameless bumping..</p>

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<p>I honestly think Cornell, Gerogetown and CMU are pretty big reaches while Stonybrook and Binghamton are pretty big safties. Don't know about the other colleges.</p>

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<p>So i3asketballboy, you're saying I need more match-type schools? Do you have any suggestions?</p>

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<p>refine your artistic skillz and enter some competitions (scholastic art and writing awards are the biggest).
and send in a portfolio or do a project</p>

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<p>NYU, BU, American University, Bucknell University, Syracuse University</p>

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<p>Thanks guys.</p>

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<p>More shameless bumping..</p>

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<p>BU would be a safe match for you most likely, try BC, its about equal with NYU in selectivity and a better overall school than BU unless youre doing communications. (no bias by the way, i was just thinking of schools in that general selectivity range and it happened to be the one im going to)</p>

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<p>Thanks for the input. Does anyone have any ideas at how I would do in the application pool for Cornell or William and Mary?</p>

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<p>what school would you be applying to at cornell? it makes a pretty big difference. take a look at my thread, actual 2006 results, for some stats of a cornell applicant. </p>

<p>William and Mary is extremely tough out of state, i think you might have a better shot at Cornell.</p>

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<p>Not really sure yet what school I'd be looking at for Cornell...</p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>

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<p>LOL, you wouldn't have a better shot at Cornell; W&M is tough but not /that/ tough. It's hard to tell without your SAT scores, but honestly I think you are in a great position, and are probably underrating yourself. Those last three colleges are super safeties, W&M is a match, and the other schools I think are reaches (but not unrealistic ones!). If you get solid 700s on all sections on your SAT, you will be a great applicant for Georgetown, Cornell, and Carnegie Mellon.</p>

<p>If you like W&M, look into Emory, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, etc. type schools. Also you live in NY; what do you think of Vassar? </p>

<p>I don't really know what type of school you are looking for...there are tons of small LACs that are /great/ schools but not as selective as some of those big names on your list. </p>

<p>Good luck anyways ;).</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot for the encouragement, MissSuperFantastic. :D</p>