<p>I'm a junior in highschool and i've been worrying about being able to get into universities like Northwestern, Cornell, Notre Dame, maybe Columbia or any school on that level because I want to see how far I can reach. I really want to be able to have a shot but I'm afraid I haven't done enough to be considered competitve or unique once I start applying:</p>
<p>~I'm pretty good with my grades:
11 honors total
4 AP classes (took Com. Sci. A scophomore year and got a 3)
also taking AP Euro, AP French and AP English next yr</p>
<p>~weighted gpa : 4.2 unweighted: 3.8 (hopefully APs next yr won't kill it)
weighted rank: 23/309 unweighted: 13/309 </p>
<p>~SAT: Reading: 550 Math: 660 Writing: 600 = 1810 ( I know this is low considering where I want to apply but Im taking them again in May and I'll hopefully get at least a 2000 if not 2100 D:<br>
SAT II: Unknown yet (assuming mid to high 700s)
ACT: Unknown yet (assuming 30 and on)</p>
<p>extra-curriculars: (most worried about)
~Key Club (service club) : around 100 hours
awarded "golden member award" at district convention
ran for officer position 3 TIMES!!!....didnt win.. but was placed at "Special Projects Manager" for my efforts and activity in the club.. technically an officer position (lol)
~Frencing Club ...I.also technically have an "officer" position (our club isn't very big but a couple of students and I stayed with it until the following yr and got "officer" positions)
~French Honors Society
~National Art Honors Society
~National Honors Society</p>
<p>I also volunteered at my church a while back but it wasn't anything REALLY significant and I also started to play the violin recently (first instrument I've ever learned to play but I dont know if this really helps but just throwing it out there)</p>
<p>Im really worried about my extra curriculars because its really not very 'active' with officer positions and stuff compared to other people and Im kinda worried about SATs but hopefully i'll try to open that blue book one of these days :[. Please give me your honest opinions if you think I might or might not have a chance. I know I can be ambitious at times but I'm wondering if I'm too ambitious with this. Even if it is a reach I want to try anything to get in, so if you have any suggestions about what I can do in the next few months to help I'd really appreciate it! :D Also, if this stuff is OK would the essays and recommedations be like the dealbreakers?? And if these school seem a little too high what college would I do well in (based on all of this) but that still is a well known and good college?</p>
<p>Definately not on par with columbia, you need to have like spectacular grades and ECs for there.
Your SAT will have to be like AT LEAST 2100 if you want to be competitive at those schools (idk bout ND but i assume its also a very competitive school)</p>
<p>You grades are pretty solid, but you don’t have anything that says to the admissions officer "I excel and fit your school better than these applicants with 2300 SATs, 4.5 weighted GPAs, and who seem to be more passionate about something.</p>
<p>You seem like a “solid” applicant, but Northwestern, Columbia, and Cornell are not looking for “solid” applicants, but exceptional ones.</p>
<p>I would buy an SAT book and do a little of that every night, and commit yourself to some extracurricular activity. I don’t know what you do after school and during summer, but make sure you aren’t just sitting at home playing video games.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter that much what you do, just that you do something you love and you show that to colleges (and that its productive lol).</p>
<p>How can I show I commited to something with only a few months to go till applications start?
I always thought that Key Club would show commitment but after three years I don’t really have anything to show even though I did work hard
I was also thinking of trying to change the Fencing Club to a full-on team sport but considering the budgets and all I am not sure I’m capable of doing that
Sorry for asking all the questions but I really want a shot at those schools and I have no idea how to make myself stand out :(</p>
<p>You have a whole summer. You could start an organization, work a couple hundred hours on something else, etc.</p>
<p>Though TBH i wouldn’t get your hopes up TOO high for columbia, which is a high reach, you could get into cornell and notre dame i bet if you put in the time and commitment to something, have some beastly essays, and the like.</p>
<p>IDK bout Northwestern, its a solid reach but i dont know how high it is</p>
<p>You probably should not put unrealistic pressure on yourself. The average point gain for second SAT attempts is in the 30 point range. Going from a 1810 to 2100 (300 points) is asking a lot. </p>
<p>Work hard, but don’t stress. Improve as much as possible but ultimately remember that even with a 2100 you may be a long shot for these schools. The good news is that there will be plenty of great schools in your target range, and your chances for success in life are not substantially altered by whether you get into the University of South Carolina or a Top 12 like Northwestern.</p>
<p>Your EC’s certainly aren’t that special. And since you are a junior, it may be too late to start anything. So I would definitely focus on your SAT’s, and for schools like the ones you mentioned, you should aim for around 2200. Definitely work hard on your essays this summer.</p>
<p>Get those SATs up and you might have a shot at Notre Dame or possibly Northwestern. Columbia will be a reach. But remember, outside of the top 15, there are many, many great schools to choose from.</p>
<p>Minus athletes, generally the thresholds for admission are not substantially different between those that are accepted ED and those that are accepted RD. The benefit may come in a small improvement in your odds. For example, if you are comfortably in the target range for the school, they may be offering admission to 1/4 of the people with similar stats to yours in ED, versus offering admission to 1/5 of the people with similar credentials to you in the RD round.</p>
<p>The thresholds/stats for those offered admission will likely be very similar for ED and RD.</p>
<p>Also one last question: Since these colleges are pretty mmuch reach for me than what schools do I have a good chance at, where they’re not reach but not safety schools either?
Btw thanks to everyone who replied/replies :]</p>
<p>You do not have your new SAT scores, your ACT score, or your SAT II’s so is a bit premature to give up on your reaches.</p>
<p>With your current stats and EC’s etc. there are still lots of great schools. Your gpa and rank are good and there are many elite LAC’s that do not even require SAT scores (see the Liberal Arts colleges subforum). For national universities you may wish to consider incredibly well-regarded schools such as Boston University, Villanova University, McGill University, University of Richmond, University of Miami, Indiana University: These schools are not going to be shoo-ins but you have reasonable chances.</p>
<p>Some other to also possibly check into are Syracuse, Rutgers, Elon (NC), Knox (IL/SAT optional), Lawrence (WI/SAT optional) and Muhlenberg (PS/SAT optional).</p>
<p>Wake Forest and Holy Cross are also SAT optional (which is probably the best choice for you). Have you tried the ACT and what are your updated SATs?</p>