what selective American universities can I get into? and which should I avoid?

<p>My academics aren't very strong. I'm very much above average... but I'm not excellent I'm just good.
I've taken the SATs just once.
My SAT score was in the mid 1900s, I plan to take it again
I'm in the IB diploma programme.
my IB average is currently in the mid 30s out of 42</p>

<p>I want to study English Literature: Creative writing (main) and Neurobiology and behaviour (on the side)</p>

<p>Extra-curricular activities (I'm from West Africa)</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Head of Journalism team (We started our school's first student blog and first newspaper, which I am the chief editor for)</p></li>
<li><p>Columnist for school magazine (I've been a columnist since I was a freshman. I wrote one column for 2 years, and currently I write another column)</p></li>
<li><p>Creative Director for a popular collaborative literary blog for the youth in Africa (The blog is the first of its kind in my country, and I am a founding member)</p></li>
<li><p>Head of Photography unit for my school's Yearbook committee (We published the school's first yearbook in 8 years)</p></li>
<li><p>Professional writer for 2 magazines published across Africa and read internationally. ( I am the youngest hired writer at both magazines)</p></li>
<li><p>Stage director for school play and I acted a minor role (one of the cast members couldn't make it so I had to fill in for her).</p></li>
<li><p>Co-head of Spoken word poetry club (first of its kind in my school, I am a founding member)</p></li>
<li><p>Director of International relations of the Interact club/Junior Rotary club (during my term the club raised money to roof an underdeveloped school and bought musical instruments for a school for the blind)</p></li>
<li><p>Vice President Interact club/Junior Rotary club (during my term the club raised money to buy a water reservoir for a local hospital)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>-Chief Director for a charity organization. We organize regular clothing drives and soup kitchens. And we offer free practical lessons for homeless people to learn tailoring/shop management/catering/ hair styling. And when they complete a full course we provide them with capital money and help them set up a small shop based on the trade they learnt.
Professionals in the various areas volunteer to teach the students. I found the charity and initiated this charity with 9 of my friends.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Chief Director and founder of a community service agency that places interested high school students in various volunteer jobs with charities, churches, hospitals and schools. These high school students contact us (usually during school vacations) and they give us their contact information and their interests and we link them with a volunteer job that suits them.</p></li>
<li><p>I am the head organizer for an annual event amongst high schools in my city which consists of poetry recitals, musical performances and short drama plays, all carried out by high school students.</p></li>
<li><p>I am on the organizing team for a female empowerment conference for young girls in my country.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>-I entered a Global poetry writing contest and my poem was one of the top poems and was selected for publication.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I performed at a National poetry slam contest (representing my school, it was the first time my school was involved in such a contest) and I came in 2nd place.</p></li>
<li><p>The charity organization I found won a highly prestigious award recognized across the African continent.</p></li>
<li><p>I won an international humanitarian award to honour philanthropic young people.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I'm getting 2 teacher recommendations.
One that I know will be absolutely spectacular because this teacher simply adores me.
The second one will be good, I guess. This teacher may not adore me, but he's well informed of my achievements and I perform well in his subject.</p>