Should I lower my expectations?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>List of schools I am thinking if applying to: Michigan Anne Arbor, U of Chicago, Stanford, Harvard, Northwestern, Rutgers, Princeton, Georgetown, Ohio State, UC Berkeley, UCLA, MIT and Duke.</p>

<p>I'm currently a junior. With some luck, my weighted GPA will be 4.3 (3.85 unweighted) by the time I want to apply and my SAT is already a 2250.</p>

<p>Of course, there are plenty of people out there who have much better scores then me and would still get outright rejected. But I do have a relatively interesting story. I was born in Turkey and lived there until I was 4, when I moved to the states. I stayed in the US until 2 months into my freshman year, and spent the rest of my freshman year in Turkey. I decided I didn't like the Turkish educational system, so I told my parents to send me to an international school in Spain, where I've stayed and will be staying until the end of my senior year. So over the course of my high school years, I have been through the educational system of 3 countries, so it's safe to say I'm a pretty cosmopolitan guy </p>

<ul>
<li>I know 4 languages and I am more than fluent in all of them:</li>
<li>English ( easily my best language)</li>
<li>Turkish</li>
<li>Russian ( My mother is Russian, and I have a Russian passport in addition to my Turkish passport)</li>
<li><p>Spanish (I'll have spent 3 years in Spain)</p></li>
<li><p>SAT 2 Spanish: 800</p></li>
<li><p>SAT 2 Math Level 2: TBD</p></li>
</ul>

<p>-Extracurriculars: I play on an American Football team here in Spain, and we actively travel through all parts of the country, Portugal and France to play other teams. Europe doesn't really have the school teams that exist in America; if you want to play sports in Europe, you have to join a club.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>This summer I'll be going to Africa to help construct houses and teach English and Turkish in one of my dad's schools ( he's an architect for an international school)</p></li>
<li><p>I regularly do community work here (not actually sure of the hours.)</p></li>
<li><p>My Course load this years</p></li>
<li><p>Spanish</p></li>
<li><p>Biology</p></li>
<li><p>Trigonometry</p></li>
<li><p>AP Econ</p></li>
<li><p>AP World</p></li>
<li><p>AP Euro</p></li>
<li><p>AP Literature</p></li>
</ul>

<p>That's most of what my application may look like, barre a few details.</p>

<p>My question is, should I bother applying to schools that are this selective?should I lower my expectations? I know how ridiculously hard it can be to get into these schools and there probably are people out there with more interesting applications and higher grades. My biggest thing is the fact that I have been exposed to such a wide array of views ( seriously, my mother comes from a formerly communist, and atheist, Russian family. My mother still owns an apartment that was given to my grandfather by Stalin after WW2. My father, on the other hand, comes from a highly conservative Muslim family.), so maybe if any of these schools are looking for that type of student I might get accepted.</p>

2

<p>You have basically the same stats as I do and I’m applying to the same colleges as you. Don’t ever lower your expectations. All I recommend is that you write really good essays and have any safeties in case you get rejected. </p>

3

<p>Well all of those besides Ohio State and Rutgers are reaches, but thats just because they are for everyone. There is never a guarantee. You are on the right track though so definitely apply to all those schools. Your Ecs and service work is very impressive so thats a big bonus.</p>

<p>My thread (chance pls): <a href=“Chances for Vanderbilt, UNC, NYU, UF, and Duke? - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1610985-chances-for-vanderbilt-unc-nyu-uf-and-duke-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>That list is fine with those stats. You’ll surely get in at Rutgers and OSU. The others are high matches or reaches, but you should still apply to them. </p>

5

<p>GO CHASE YOUR DREAM BRO! :smiley: High expectations improves your abilities! </p>

6

<p>So I’m not overestimating am I? </p>

7

<p>Gotta go for it. But, you have to have backups too. Can you see yourself at OSU or Rutgers? Make sure that 2 of your safeties are ones you really like. Personally, I think at least one of those reaches will come through but you need peace of mind during the waiting process. Interesting life you have. </p>

8

<p>Go for your goal. You are qualified for any of the schools on the list - still, make sure to have some safeties.
Demonstrate your personality thru your essays and interviews - that will set u apart from a bunch of mediocre 2400s and debate champions.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Comments on my app?<a href=“URGENT HELP ! Am I really doomed to lose schooling or go to a community college? Will chance u back? - International Students - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/china/1609820-urgent-help-am-i-really-doomed-to-lose-schooling-or-go-to-a-community-college-will-chance-u-back-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Interesting background. You are certainly unique, and it helps.</p>

<p>Lower your expectations. Prepare for the worst. But do not lower your dreams. It means you can still aim for UChicago, UMich etc. and put your best in it, (provided application fees are not a concern), but yet also apply to less selective colleges at the same time. People that got into Harvard etc. also applied to safety colleges! You should do the same.</p>

<p>What are your extracurricular activities?</p>

10

<p>My only true EC is football. I do some charity work and I’ll be going to africanin the summer. I used to be in debate clubs and I played aau travel basketball in middle school but that all changed when I first moved to turkey.</p>

11

<p>Take a look at this:</p>

<p><a href=“The App Style - A College Application Guide”>http://theappstyle.com/guide/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I think it helps. ECs are definitely important, but more important is the impression that is to be gained from them.</p>

12

<p>Is there something that I could start doing now and December that I can actually put on a college application? I was actually thinking about starting something like a cross cultural understanding group.</p>

13

<p>Boomp</p>

14

<p>Rutgers is very very VERY easy to get into, basically no brainer (literally). Varies a tiny bit based on the desired major. </p>

<p>I also wonder - are you a US citizen? That matters a lot to certain private US universities, especially if you are seeking financial aid.</p>

15

<p>No unfortunately I’m not</p>

16

<p>You have some safeties on there, so you should be fine. Try not to get your heart set on any one school, but there is nothing wrong with shooting for some dream schools. Best of luck.</p>

17

<p>Is there any type of EC I can actually get involved in the next 11 months and make it seem decent on an admission letter?</p>