<p>So... looking at this forum has honestly scared the shit out of me, and I'm only a sophmore. Luckily me being relatively young means I have time to put myself on the 'right' path to the university of my dreams. That university being the University of Chicago. Now my school has a very pessimistic university counsellor (always helpful) who thinks that no one has any chances of going to their dream school, and I wanted some outside advice as to what my chances would be. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>I have a 4.0 GPA by both American and Canadian standards, as from what I understand they differ somewhat</p></li>
<li><p>Top 10 in my class at the 2nd best school in BC</p></li>
<li><p>4 varsity sports: volleyball, soccer, basketball, swimming (I've been playing varsity level since grade 8 and will hopefully continue to for the foreseeable future)</p></li>
<li><p>Volleyball Provincial defensive MVP (in grade 10 at senior level)</p></li>
<li><p>Volleyball Team BC</p></li>
<li><p>Club Volleyball and Swimming</p></li>
<li><p>BC Youth Parliament </p></li>
<li><p>Volunteer w/Rare Disease Foundation</p></li>
<li><p>Art Steward on the Board of Governor's (my school's pretentious way of saying student council)</p></li>
<li><p>Model UN</p></li>
<li><p>Encounters Canada (government run program where students visit Ottawa for a week to visit Supreme Court of Canada and shadow judges, lawyers, police officers)</p></li>
<li><p>Extra AP courses in the summer</p></li>
<li><p>Planning on taking 5 AP courses in school over the next two years</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I was interested in applying one of those summer school program's (Oxbridge, Boston University) and want to know if they are just a scam/make me look like a spoiled rich kid. I guess what I want to know is, what are my chances? If they are in fact bleak as predicted by my counsellor extraordinaire, what could I do to change that? </p>
<p>P.S. I would also have excellent letters of recommendations as I am close with many of my teacher's/coach's</p>