<p>I'm only a sophomore and I don't think my credentials are good enough to get me accepted. My GPA is 94 unweighted (96 weighted) and I've only had 1 B out of every class (might be 2 after this year). I got a 730 on my Bio SAT II and I took the last old SAT and got 1420. My biggest problem is that I am only in one club (German Nation Honor Soceity). Some charity work I am doing is going to Africa over the summer to teach at a learning center and possibly starting some sort of foundation with my uncle and grandfather to raise money for cancer research. My guidance counselor says that my grades aren't good enough to go anywhere better than NYU or BC and I have a feeling he is going to screw me in his evaluation. What should I do besides raise my GPA to better my chances for getting in?</p>
<p>What are you passionate about? What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time? I'm sure there's hidden treasure there somewhere, unless you just sit around doing nothing all the time.</p>
<p>Your grades are good. Don't let your guidance counselor keep you from applying to Stanford. What he said about your grades is very mean-spirited. Anything is possible, just make sure you have a safety school.</p>
<p>You need to take the SAT II Math IIc, it's required. You should also have another try at the SAT I. Supposedly, the SAT score doesn't matter very much, but I'd still lean toward trying for a good score, just in case. I'm not saying 1420 isn't a good score, but you have to remember that Stanford admissions is very competitive, and raising your SAT score can't hurt.</p>
<p>Something that I'm passionate about is music, but I don't know how much that will help me if i'm not going for a career in music. I like soccer and baseball and I'll be on varsity soccer next year. I'm also interested in computer programming. I'm definitely going to take the SAT again because I'm only a sophomore. Given my grades would Berkeley, U of Michigan, and NYU be safeties, or should I aim a little lower?</p>
<p>You don't need to be going for a career in music; the admissions people just need to get to know you as a person. They've only got some pieces of paper with which to do that, so you need to give them as vivid a picture of yourself as you can. Also, the sports are good. It shows you're well-rounded. As long as what you're passionate about shows through in your essays, etc., that's good.</p>
<p>I don't think Berkeley could be considered a safety, for anybody. I don't know the other two at all. One thing: don't look at SAT scores to see how safe they are. Ask around. Ask in the UMich and NYU forums here; you'll find plenty of people who know better than I do.</p>