stats aren't excellent, but do I have a chance? ...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am currently a junior and I was wondering if I have a chance at any ivies or top 25 schools. I haven't taken SATI or SATII's yet, but I am studying hard for 700+ on all sections, hopefully a 2200/2400 on the new SAT (any tips btw? i bought the McGraw-hill book)</p>

<p>School: Bishop Alemany (Private school in Southern California)</p>

<p>Rank: 34/351 - I know the rank will go up at semester grades because there are many "college prep" students who have 4.0's, while I am taking honors an AP. I also screwed up Sophmore year because my school is kind of weird. Freshman year, I didn't have the opporunity to take honors, I had to take Gym/Health, and Art elective, finally, going into Sophmore year, I tested my way into all honors, and ended up getting 4 B's semester 1. Then second semester, I got only 2 B's. Now, I am taking all honors/AP's. I am very close to getting straight A's this semester (i hope i can get it next semster too)</p>

<p>AP's (8 Offered, will have taken 6/8 by senior year): AP Euro -2, AP Chem - hoping for a 5 since we have a 90% 4-5 passing rate, AP US - hoping for a 5, AP English Lang - hoping for a 4 or 5 ~ taking AP English Lit, AP Gov/Econ, AP Calc, AP Physics, and AP Psych senior year. </p>

<p>GPA: 3.67 UW, but going up after semester</p>

<p>EC's:
Student Government - 9, 10, 11 (Went to Stanford Institute and Iowa Institute)
Speech and Debate - 9, 10, 11
Track and Field - 9
Cross Country - 10, 11
Youth Ministry / confirmation Group - 9, 10
NHS - 11
CSF - 11</p>

<p>Managed a family owned internet cafe, 8+ hours a day over 2 summers</p>

<p>That's what I can remember for now. But due to my school's stupid requirements, I needed to take religion every semester, which kept me from having a full honors/AP schedule. My schedule is the most challenging at my school. </p>

<p>I am looking toward:
Yale, Cornell, Stanford - (i know these are incredibly hard to get into to, but if you guys would please post my chances een if it is slim to none)</p>

<p>UCSB, UCLA, UC Berkely, USC, Pepperdine, Boston College, Wesleyan, Duke, Emory, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Notre Dame University (Indiana) - I am mainly interested in West Coast / East Coast schools un suburban / Urban areas. It doesn't matter, but it is just a preference.</p>

<p>I would appreciate it if you guys would post my chances for the above school or recommendations to other schools I should be thinking about / have a good chance at getting into. </p>

<p>Thanks!!!</p>

2

<p>You have an awful lot of reaches right now. You would have to score at least a 1500 (or the equivalent on the new SATs) to get noticed by stanford or Yale with what you've posted so far. The catch-all phrase "student government" telegraphs that you haven't held any real leadership positions--which is fine (where would student governments be without all the volunteers who pitch in and do the grunt work?) But, again, I don't think it will impress HYPMS. You would almost be better off working in your parent's business after school. That would give your c/v a little more <em>gravitas</em> than I'm able to discern right now.</p>

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<p>sadly, i think i do have too many reaches, but are there other good schools you would recommend? ... btw: we sold the business, but when it was up, i was there.</p>

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<p>It's hard to make a judgement because you don't have many scores. Your senior AP scores won't matter a bit though as to whether you are in, and if you don't send them your junior AP scores won't matter either. I think with the B's and not a lot of ECs you need some good SAT's to bring you up to par. Even with a decent SAT though, you may still not have enough. I recommend applying to 1 or 2 of your reaches and have some matches and safeties to fall back to.</p>

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<p>thanks for the replies so far... i actually thought i had a shot, but i guess not. but ayways, what would be considered a good reach for me? If I knew to do a lot of ec's i would've, but the thing is, the only thing I kept hearing was consistency, thats why i chose three solid ec's. After winter break, I could go join like 5 clubs, but obviously, that's probably not good enough. </p>

<p>I don't know what to do because form the replies I've been getting, it seems like I wont even make it to a good school. </p>

<p>is there anything I can do to boost my chances for a good school? I am studying for the new SAT since 2 weeks ago, hoping to get at least a 2200, but i don't know. </p>

<p>where do i have a chance other than the ones i listed? obviously, ivies are probably out of the question now, but what about other good schools?</p>

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<p>I think it looks worse to join a bunch of things you don't like jsut to get in so I wouldn't try that. As long as you are doing what you love, you don't need to join other things. I mean you are not running around with no ECs at all. Good luck with the SAT, and you should apply to the tops ones as reaches. Some of the other ones you mentioned seemed like good matches to me. It can't hurt to apply.</p>

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<p>FYI - bump stands for "bring up my post"</p>

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<p>I'm no expert on the Cali system, but, doesn't a top 10% finish put you in range of Berkeley? And SynAngel is right. The object is not to add more ECs but to evaluate where you stand in terms of the one's you have. Any chance you might take on more responsibility? Another idea is to create a new club --with you as the head. In any event, and I could be wrong, I think the state systems could care less about your ECs, so definitely keep them in mind. I'd also keep BC and NYU as mid-range reaches and take a look at places like Trinity (CT), Occidental, and Pitzer as possible matches. If you score that 1500 then, replace one or two with of them with a more aggressive choice.</p>

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<p>im hoping i could get ELC, so i can have one UC as a safety, i think rank 14 or higher counts for ELC. but aside from that, any chance for some other top 25's?</p>

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<p>Jimmy2588:</p>

<p>Inconclusive</p>

11

<p>If interested in Notre Dame, might also look at Holy Cross and Georgetown. Don't think Boston College is in the same category in terms od academics of your list schools. While BC is popular as is BU due to Boston location, BC was an average commuter school until the 1980's and doesn't have the academic prestige of the others.</p>