<p>Tough call.</p>
<p>If you can retake SATs, do so. A private Kaplan tutor, though expensive, is worth it. They work with you based on your areas of strength and weakness. </p>
<p>Is your school a mega-hard magnet school? That might help assuage people uncomfortable with 3.974 weighted.</p>
<p>Are you looking to get recruited for track/xc? That might help you at some of the schools, also.</p>
<p>What are your interests? If you’re an international relations geek like me, then Macalester moves up on likelihood of acceptance, provided you can speak to your interest eloquently. If you are as good a writer as you and your English teacher think, speaking or writing about interests shouldn’t be too hard. </p>
<p>A good essay will help at Grinnell, too, which is all about the writing. Showcase your talent and get to know any interviewer/contact you can.</p>
<p>Everybody has a chance with Ivies. The only thing everyone applying to Ivies has in common is that it’s not likely that they will get in. So go for your dream, but don’t sweat it if you don’t make it, because there are so many reasons people get in and don’t get in that it’s very hard to guess. Applying ED could help a bit, but then again, you may want to do that with schools like Wesleyan or Carleton, which are slightly less ridiculously selective sometimes. </p>
<p>Shoe-in for Indiana, especially if you are in-state. BU’s supplemental essay is a place where you can show some funky writing talent. As their site says, “Go ahead and knock them out!”</p>
<p>As long as they personality-match you well, Northeastern shouldn’t be too hard to get into for you.</p>
<p>I know absolutely nothing about Muhlenberg and Rochester.</p>
<p>What is “Academic All State?”</p>
<p>Finally, beefing up the leadership and service always helps, and it’s never too late. Just make sure you can talk about it convincingly.</p>
<p>Best of luck. Can you chance me? Mine’s called Crossing My Fingers. Thanks.</p>
<p>Peace.</p>