I am a high school senior with, what I think is, a pretty average academic profile. My extracurriculars are what I believe define myself the most. I am unsure if I am qualified enough to apply/get accepted into any prestigious colleges. Any recommendations?
My school schedule is pretty rigorous. The majority of the classes are AP/Honors classes with few exceptions (mandatory classes like health/pe) and orchestra.
GPA: 4.302 weighted
SAT: 1430
AP Scholar
National Honor Society Treasurer
President of Environmental Club
Founder/President of Project
International Sustainability Competition Finalist
Recipient of national grant to fund environmental project ($2,000)
Recipient of local grant to fund environmental project ($18,000)
Researcher (paid) at Public University
Captain of Science Olympiad Team
Recipient of several top 5 medals at State Sci Oly competitions.
Principal Chair of Second Violin Section (3 yrs) of Orchestra
Secretary of Orchestra
State Music Competition Gold Medalist for Violin (4 yrs)
Performed at JFK Center for Performing Arts
National Director’s Award Recipient
Intern/Volunteer at Children’s Science Museum (500+ hours)
National President’s Volunteer Service Award Gold Recipient (3 yrs)
Captain of School’s Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science Club
What is your UW GPA? Do you have any subject test scores or AP scores?
Your ECs are great, but there are only 10 spots on the Common Application. Narrow down your list and pick 10 that are the most important to you. You want to build your application around a theme that shows your passion. Let’s say you apply as an Environmental Science major to top colleges. You are going to want to list your ECs relating to environmental science first on the Common App. If the prompts allow you to, you are going to want to write supplemental essays (not your main Common App one) about why you love environmental science and what you hope to accomplish by studying it in college.
Your ECs can do a lot for you, but stats are generally more important. Is there any chance you could improve the SAT score?
The top schools are a crap shoot for everyone but you seem to have a very solid record (despite your claim of “average”). If you have good essays and recs, there’s no reason not to apply to any school you like, regardless of its “prestige.” You might not get into every school you want, but I doubt any adcom would dismiss your application out of hand.
@doorrealthe I have not yet calculated my unweighted GPA. I would like to pursue a career in environmental studies and sustainability. My standardized testing skills are definitely my weakness. I may take the SAT one more time to attempt to improve my score. I have yet to take the SAT subject test. I have narrowed my extracurriculars down to the core 10 (all revolving around my passion towards sustainability).
These colleges generally offer some of the strongest programs for environmental studies and cover range of selectivity:
Allegheny
Bowdoin
Colby
Colorado College
Hamilton
Hobart & William Smith
Middlebury
College of the Atlantic
Bates
Dickinson
Hampshire
Juniata
Oberlin
Pitzer/Pomona
St. Lawrence
Williams
To be a successful applicant at several of them, however, you would need to begin to think of yourself as more than academically “pretty average.”
Your qualified but on the low side academically, seems like if you convinced them you were majoring in an environmental area you would have a chance at almost anywhere.
@CU123, an LAC, outside of maybe a theatre major since it’s very staff specific, is very unlikely to target an intended major when accepting a student.