<p>I just got my first SAT results and I feel bittersweet. I'm happy because it's my first time taking it and I broke the 2000's (I got a 2010 composite score -660CR/650M/700W) but it's not good enough for the top schools. Ill take it again in October as I'm taking my US History, Math 2 and Spanish subject tests in June. I'm just another nervous kid without any college guidance available :S It would be very helpful if you guys could give me a genuine overall idea of what to aim. 100% fluent in another language and an URM. Here are my Stats/Creds for HS:</p>
<p>Freshman Year
3.8 unweighted GPA. No honors or AP courses available (International School not in US)
Sports: Vars Volleyball (regional and national school competitions)</p>
<p>Sophmore Year
4.0 unweighted GPA. No honors or AP courses available (International School not in US)
Sports: Vars Volleybal (regional and national school competitions)</p>
<p>Junior Year (Moved to US)
AP English Lang&Comp A/A
AP Spanish Lang&Culture A/A
AP US A/A
AP Stats A-/A
H. Precalc. A/A
H. Chemistry A/A
Sports Medicine A/A</p>
<p>4.57 weighted GPA. don't remember unweighted
Academic: STEM scholar
Sports: Cross Country/Varsity Volleyball (made it to state qualifiers)
Volunteer: 110 hours in total...</p>
<p>Senior Year: (US, REGISTERED CLASSES)
AP English Lit&Comp
AP Spanish Literature&Culture
AP Physics
AP Bio or Chem (i really like both :/)
AP Calc AB
H. Government</p>
<p>Doing the same sports senior year.</p>
<p>EC's:
Habitat for Humanity (9,10)
Operation Smile (9,10)
Founder and President (10) of ____ club (10)
Knowledge Bowl (9,10) (regional winners and national winners as well)
Model United Nations (9,10) (conference in Chicago and NY) and officer (10)
Student Government (9, 11)
NHS (11)</p>
<p>...I played in the band during 9,10 and can play the trumpet pretty well but idk if this counts lol...</p>
<p>My new school really doesn't offer any EC activities... not kidding)</p>
<p>I REALLY COULD USE SOME GUIDANCE! SOMEONE HELP ME MAKE A COLLEGE LIST OR SOMETHING I FEEL I'M ALONE IN THIS PROCES!!!!</p>
<p>Hmm, do you have any universities in mind?</p>
<p>I honestly think that your EC’s are kind of weak and that your SAT Score is a little low (target 2250+ for most competitive schools IMO). Chance me back? :)</p>
<p>Hey im kind of in the same boat as you! Im out of the US, Im a URM and I just took the SAT for the first time too (didn’t crack the 2000s though, 1940) and I am doing most of this selection stuff myself as well. Haha. And my school doesn’t offer anything either! So you’re not alone. Anyways I think you have a good chance at the 50 schools, besides maybe the top 10-15 as those are usually reaches for everyone. You would have a better chance at those schools though with a 2250+ SAT as other posters mentioned. But Im sure you’ll do fine as a URM with those scores.</p>
<p>Chance back?<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1653020-chances-at-top-schools-unique-background.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1653020-chances-at-top-schools-unique-background.html#latest</a></p>
<p>Hmm I want to major in Economics and budget isn’t really a problem for me. Some of the schools I was looking into were Duke; UCLA and Berkley; maybe Stanford; perhaps lower Ivies like Cornell, Dartmouth or Brown; University of Chicago, etc. I don’t know where I could possibly get into. I have a couple of safety schools but I wouldn’t want to go to any of them!</p>
<p>@consultur I know how you feel about safety schools and not really wanting to go to one if things don’t look up!</p>
<p>I think you should break the 700s on the CR and M sections of your SAT. It shouldn’t be a problem with your retaking, though - you have a whole summer ahead of you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you even scored more than that.</p>
<p>However, the other people who gave you advice are right. Your ECs seem kind of weak – have you tried not only asking around your school, but around the neighbourhood or even town for a way to get involved? If not, then it’s time to do it. Not to mention this is actually the perfect opportunity to become a founder (and consequently president)! How about a People to People or Interact chapter? Those are only some of the many options that you have. You don’t have much time, but I’m sure you can find a way to speed it up or even work on it during the summer so that you’ll have some activities done by senior year.</p>
<p>You will definitely need those higher SAT scores, as well as leadership positions. If you get that, those schools will consider you. </p>
<p>Would you chance me back please?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1653114-chance-me-top-lacs-nyu-northwestern-etc.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1653114-chance-me-top-lacs-nyu-northwestern-etc.html#latest</a></p>
<p>why wouldn’t you want to go to those schools? They are great schools. Anyways, i would say Georgetown , John Hopkins, and maybe Columbia if you increase your scores.</p>
<p>Good Luck!
Chances me back for U of Michigan? </p>
<p>I would love to go to these schools! These are my dream schools! I wouldn’t like to go to any of the schools in my safety list which are LMU, LSU, Pepperdine, etc. Thank you all that replied!</p>
<p>Why is it your safety if you wouldn’t want to go there? The point of a school being a safety is that if all else fails, you will be able to afford to go there and you would be happy there. You should change your list. Why do you want to go to an ivy?</p>
<p>A safety should be a school you can get into with your current grades and scores and should be one you’d like to attend. If you don’t want to go, then they aren’t safeties. With your current score, GPA and EC’s you definitely need safeties because I think the schools you listed are very high reaches. </p>
<p>Playing an instrument and participating in band do count as EC’s</p>