What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm female, caucasian, I go to a public school (distinguished and a very good school) in California. </p>

<p>I don't have a crazy "resume" like a lot of the kids on here, but I would just like some advice on if I'm being realistic on what colleges I'm looking into.</p>

<p>I'm a Junior right now. Here's my schedule:
Trigonemetry/Pre-Calc
Anatomy and Physiology
AP Bio
Honors Spanish
AP US
English
I'm hoping for all A's in my classes. Maybe 1 or 2 B's at the most.</p>

<p>Here's my sophomore schedule and grades:
Chemistry: B+/A-
Algebra II: A-/A-
Spanish: A/A
World History: A/A
English: A/A
Child Development: A/A</p>

<p>Freshman scheduel and grades:
History: A
Health: A
Dance: A
PE: A/A
Biology: A/A
Geometry: B+/A
English: A/A
Spanish: A-/A</p>

<p>I've participated in S-Club (service club) since my Freshman Year. It's about 1 hr/week
I've volunteered at John Muir Hospital 3 hrs/ week since beginning of my sophomore year.</p>

<p>I took the ACT. Composite=30</p>

<p>I still have to take SAT II's, PSAT, etc. </p>

<p>Anyways, here are the colleges I'm looking at:
Amherst
Bard
Bryn Mawr
UC Berekely
UC Davis
UC San Diego
Carnegie Mellon
Pitzer
Pomona
Scripps
Emory
Johns Hopkins
Lewis and Clark
Northwestern
Puget Sound
Reed
Rice
Swarthmore
Wake Forest
Washington U.
Wellesley</p>

<p>I know it's a long list, but if you could just give me your thoughts on my chances at some/all of these colleges. Thanks a lot.</p>

<p>Oh, and if it helps, I plan on majoring in Biology, Psychology, Pre-Med, or political science.</p>

2

<p>It's too early to give you chances. But from what I know of the schools on your list, I can say that it's reasonable for you to be looking at all of them right now (though a few stand out as definite reaches and none stand out as definite safeties...noting, of course, that I'm largely unfamiliar with a few of the schools there).</p>

3

<p>Thanks, I'll continue to look into all of them. I'll have to update w/ more of my stats at a later time.</p>

<p>I just don't want to waste my time looking into a college if there is absolutely no way I could get in.</p>

4

<p>ACT 30 is 50th %ile for Reed, a solid match. Your classes and grades look fine. Keep it up and you'll have some excellent school choices. If you want to do bio research, Reed is one of the best preparers. Your stated ECs are a bit light. Try to take a good proportion of APs and Honors classes offered by your HS.</p>

5

<p>Your GPA and ACT are good, but your ECs are weak.</p>

<p>Berkeley: slight reach - reach
UCSD/UCD: match</p>

<p>You have a good shot at the others, though your ECs are holding you back at some of them (such as Amherst or Pomona). You might also try to raise your ACT to compensate, or try the SAT.</p>

6

<p>Thanks.
I'm going to retake the ACT this spring and I'm hoping for 32+</p>

<p>And do you think it's too late to start volunteering at the animal shelter? I mean don't colleges just look for longevity.</p>

<p>When I think about it though, I guess better late then never. </p>

<p>Other than that, do you have any EC ideas?</p>

<p>Thanks again : ]</p>

7

<p>ECs come from you; they are the things that excite you. What are your daydreams? What would you rather be doing? Longevity is indeed a plus, but not required. Some schools will be looking for a good match, so just keep reading everything you can at the schools' websites; your favorite ECs just might turn up, or you'll just feel what is right, but do pay attention to the acceptance stats (usually presented as the Common Data Set) to be sure you're aiming at mostly matches, with a few reaches and safeties.</p>

8

<p>I was given great post-grad opportunities based on EC involvement that didn't really pick-up until my junior and even senior years of college. Slightly different situation, sure, but (a) it's never too late to start doing something that interests you; (b) there are good reasons for volunteering <em>besides</em> application appeal; (c) you're halfway through HS...that's not too late for anything.</p>

9

<p>Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to turn in my application for the spca this weekend.</p>