<p>I'm a junior right now and I'm nearing the time where college applications are going to be the only thing I will be thinking about. I have a 4.0 GPA, take pretty much all the AP classes the school offers. I got a 2200 on the SAT and will take the ACT next year. I get pretty much all As and A-s with the exception of a couple B+s and Bs. I am on the In the know (quiz bowl) team, I have done science fair for the last 5 years and am going to the intel international fair this year, I do Model UN, and am also a part of a high school group to help Haiti victims. Finally, I am a part of the Junior Statesmen of America and have started my own chapter at my high school which I am the president of. In addition I play the indian drums and have been learning them in the classical style for the last 3 years and have played a few solo performances. I plan on also taking the SAT II Math and Chem tests in June. Comments? Questions? Criticism? Help? Advice?</p>
<p>Great stats.</p>
<p>Yeah you can definitely try Ivies.</p>
<p>But you’d better prepare the essays now.</p>
<p>You should apply to 2 or 3 Ivies and see what happens. In which subject do you plan to major? In which state do you live?</p>
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You should say you have a 4.0 weighted GPA (not as strong as a 4.0 unweighted). And realize that no matter what your stats say all ivies are a reach. Make sure you have a safety you are willing to attend on your app list.</p>
<p>One comment on your ECs – there are three levels of EC involvement: 1) Founder, 2) President/Officer, 3) Member. There are then of course some ECs that are more significant than others.</p>
<p>It appears from a distance that most of your ECs are of the 3) level, and none are particularly strong in terms of national recognition.</p>
<p>Now, a 4.0 weighted GPA (I assume your unweighted is about 3.8?) and 2200 SAT with average/above average ECs would put you in the USNWR 20-35 range as slight reaches (if you apply to several, you’ll get some acceptances), and 36-50 range as Matches (you’ll get into more than you don’t). As to schools in the 10-20 (NU, WashU, Vandy, Rice, JHU, Cornell, etc.) I’d say you’re a reach (you’ll get into perhaps 1 out of 5-7 to which you apply).</p>
<p>It is important to keep in mind that the top 10 in the USNWR rankings COMBINED can accomdate under 20,000 new students in the freshman class each year. There are 3.1 million U.S. high school graduates this year, from approximately 19,000 high schools. Those numbers should hopefully put some perspective on the fact that most schools in the US place NOT ONE student into the top 10.</p>
<p>All in all a very solid high school performance… probably more impressive than 95% of your fellow graduates. Congratulations.</p>
<p>I plan to major in the biological sciences and I live in ohio. Also to DunninLA I have been nationally recognized in science fair. I have participated in science fair and have made it to the state level the last 5 years doing intense research at the Ohio State University and this year I am representing Ohio at the International Science and Engineering Fair. In addition, my Junior Statesmen of America participation falls into the founder category considering I started the chapter myself and and additionally the president. Also in the haiti group i am a member of the public relations committee. I guess in Model UN and in In the Know (quiz bowl) i am a member, but I think that in my other activities particularly science fair I am definitely beyond that. But yeah my 4.0 weighted GPA isn’t the best ik but frankly i don’t let such things bother me. Plus I have to keep in mind that I wasn’t born in the country and to get scholarships i have to apply to only private schools so they are my only choice as of now. Either that or go to OSU, live at home and pay in state tuition which is feasible. Thanks for all your advice though. Very helpful.</p>
<p>You might as well apply to the ones you like, as long as you aren’t concerned about the app fee. You never know what people might end up randomly liking about you.</p>
<p>yeah im prolly gonna apply to 2 ivy leagues and the rest like top 20 schools and of course OSU</p>
<p>^ you should — start working on your apps this summer, especially how to incorporate the leadership aspects of your ECs into your description of them, and/or in your essays.</p>
<p>If you really do need substantial merit scholarship money, take some time to investigate in the financial aid part of this website which schools are know for generous merit scholarships.</p>