Where should I apply?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a Junior in high school. I go to one of the top public high schools in the country and I have taken AP Human Geography freshman year (4 on exam) and multiple honors courses. I am currently taking AP US History. My academics are OK…(around a B+). Not great by any means, but I have challenged myself with rigorous courses. There have been a couple C's but my GPA has gone up every semester. My sub-par grades can partially be attributed to my then undiagnosed ADHD and family struggles. I have not yet taken SAT/ACT.</p>

<p>Where I really stand out is in my extracurriculars:
-I have founded a 501c3 non-profit that has raised thousands of dollars to date, has 155 student members, a student board, and 2 senior advisors. We are now 501c3 pending which is a huge accomplishment, as once it is approved I will be one of the youngest non-profit CEO's in the world.
-I have had a summer internship at Atlanta's top real estate firm this past summer, started a small side business that has generated over $25,000 in revenue, and I have always worked during school because of my father's job loss.
-I am on Speech & Debate, Principal Leadership Committee, and our school's ambassador program.
-Awarded school's top award for showing good character, integrity, etc.
-I will have amazing recommendation letters (not to sound cocky…just direct :)</p>

<p>Details:
-1/4 Vietnamese (recognized minority)
-Male
-I am very business minded, well-spoken, and extremely ambitious. I may not be amazing in the books, but I can easily impress in a corporate setting. How do I get this point across on my application without sounding arrogant?</p>

<p>Top Choices:
-I would love to go to University of Pennsylvania (I know…I know…I just like to think big)
-Vanderbilt
-Southern Methodist University
-UCLA or USC
-Norte Dame
-Rollins College</p>

<p>Where would you apply if you were in my shoes? 100% to other recommendations!</p>

2

<p>We can’t make recommendations until you get an SAT or ACT score. Did you take the PSAT? One thing that should be forefront in your search is how much can your family afford. Run the Net Price Calculators on the school web sites. For instance UCLA will cost $60K/year for you.</p>

3

<p>What state do you live in? It’s impossible for anyone to forecast right now, considering the absence of test scores and the critical importance of junior grades especially for someone who had a rocky start in high school). Many colleges will overlook a shaky freshman year, but you have some highly competitive colleges on your list. Vanderbilt, for example, is notorious for its emphasis on test scores, so any prediction now is meaningless. Are you specifically attracted to Wharton at Penn? Focus on your grades, and then look into other strong undergraduate business colleges. Get back in touch with us in the winter or spring, once you have some scores to report and insights into your junior grades and predicted senior schedule.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the input. To answer the questions, I live and Georgia and it will not be necessary to eliminate schools based on cost. Of course it would be ideal to have some sort of scholarship or grant, but not mandatory. </p>