What kind of schools should I be looking at?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello. I am 1/2 white, 1/2 asian student looking into colleges. But as my parents went to college so long ago and I have no older siblings, I am unsure where to turn. Hopefully you experienced folks here can help point me in the right direction.</p>

<p>Please don't ridicule me too much for the schools I have been considering, they are based on the college mail I have been getting.</p>

<p>Without further ado, I give you my summarized school life:</p>

<p>GPA: ~3.85 unweighted, ~4.3 weighted*</p>

<p>*I predict this is where I will be by the end of this year</p>

<p>Classes:</p>

<p>Freshman year-</p>

<p>Hn. Algebra II (B)
Hn. English (A)
Hn. Chemistry (B)
Hn. US History (A)
Latin II (A)
Band</p>

<p>Sophomore year-</p>

<p>Hn. Geometry (B)
Hn. English (A)
Hn. Biology (A)
AP. European History (A)
Hn. Latin III (A)
Band</p>

<p>Junior year-</p>

<p>Hn. Precalculus (A)
AP. Statistics (A)
AP. English Language (A)
Hn. Physics (A)
AP. US History (A)
Hn. Latin IV (A)
Band</p>

<p>Senior year (per schedule)-</p>

<p>AP. Calculus AB
AP. Physics C (Mechanics?)
AP. English Literature
AP. US Govt
AP. Latin (Virgil/Caesar?)
Band
<possible but="" unlikely="" 6th="" ap-="" will="" consider="" suggestions=""></possible></p>

<p>Class Rank: I believe I'm 15th out of ~130+ students (I am borderline top 10%; we'll see after 2nd semester); this is one of the top 3 public schools in my state so the competition is hot</p>

<p>AP tests-</p>

<p>Euro - 5
Stats, Lang, and APUSH probably 5's
World History (Independent study junior year) - unsure, probably 5 </p>

<p>I am assuming I will get 4's/5's next year</p>

<p>I am also thinking about taking some of these: Human Geography, Microeco, Macroeco, or EnviSci for senior year independent study</p>

<p>Standardized Tests:</p>

<p>SAT I- 2110 (740 CR, 660 M, 710 W), 670 M superscore
ACT- 34 (35 R, 34 M, 34 W, 33 S)</p>

<p>SAT II's- planning on taking Math II, US history, World History, and Latin (may also take Physics, Math I,or Literature)</p>

<p>School-administered IQ tests- 141, 138</p>

<p>EC:</p>

<p>Sports- Soccer and Cross Country in junior high only :/</p>

<p>Music:
1st chair in concert band
section leader in marching band</p>

<p>Awards (thru 10th grade):
Top AP Euro student
Top English student (9th, 10th)
Silver medalist on National Latin Exam
Honors student (yea, generic)
OMEA 5/5 on solo performance</p>

<p>Misc:
NHS: 11th, 12th (possibly officer)
Latin Club- 8th-12th (probably officer)
Academic team (10th-12th)
Chess club (10th, 12th)</p>

<p>Volunteering: predicting somewhere between 200-300 hrs by 2013
Mathew 25 ministries
The Center for Holocaust Humanity Education
teaching chess to elementary school kids
tutoring (specifically in Latin)</p>

<p>Summer:
Took several courses in German, went to Munich, Germany on exchange program
People to People Student Ambassador conference in Washington DC</p>

<p>Only college I have been considering is Miami Oxford</p>

<p>Some prestigious Colleges I have gotten mail from (I am assuming these go out to tens of thousands?):</p>

<p>Amherst
Brown
Columbia
Stanford
Bowdoin
William and Mary
a few other top LACs</p>

<p>I also have been looking into other Ivy League colleges, but my father died when I was young and my mom makes ~$40,000 a year so I don't think I can really afford any of them anyways.</p>

<p>Thanks for reading this colossal post</p>

<p>EDIT: Forgot Mock Trial Captain, and I want to create a Model UN at my HS.</p>

2

<p>Amherst: Low Reach/High Match
Brown: Low Reach
Columbia:Reach
Stanford:High Reach
Bowdoin: Low Reach/High Match
William and Mary: Match
I would say you are in good shape, that Summer experience was very good, and from what I hear it can sometimes be one thing that really pops that gets you in and in my opinion that pops for me. Anyway, good job, and I think the single mother thing (I’m sorry for the loss of your father, btw) is a hook.
Chance me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1322343-chances-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1322343-chances-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Thanks! Any suggestions on other schools?</p>

<p>bump</p>

4

<p>bump …</p>

5

<p>Don’t make a list based on mail. These schools send out thousands of marketing pieces that have no relevance to your chance of getting in. Because you’re low ncome, focus on schools that meet 100% of need and you should be fine. I think ivies, Amherst and peers are high reaches with your scores and ECs, I’d focus a level below those- schools like Bates, Colby, Pitzer.</p>

6

<p>I thought that all schools had to meet the needs based on FAFSA?</p>

7

<p>No, most schools do not meet need. Those on your list do other than W & M and MO, but they also use Profile which includes more assets than FAFSA.</p>

8

<p>Okay, thank you very much. I don’t know how much of a problem finances will be, so I’ll just cross that bridge when I come to it.</p>

<p>In your opinion, should I retake the ACT/SAT? How dismal are my EC’s overall? My class rank may go up at the end of the year, everyone in AP bio is getting C’s or B’s (class is so damn hard) and I’m cruising along with A’s in Hn. Physics. :)</p>

<p>Are my chances far lower than most applicants, or do I have a fair chance with an exceptional essay?</p>

<p>I’m not exactly hell-bent on the Ivies, but I think I will apply to any that I like (in a visit) and hope. Maybe ED would help.</p>

9

<p>Most applicants at top school have a less than 10% chance of getting in. Your chances are no worse than the average applicant’s.</p>

<p>Do use calculators to figure out your EFC. And ask your parents what they can afford to pay. Figuring out finances too late does not work, you are wasting time doing apps for colleges you can’t afford.</p>