Where Should I Go? Any Shot At Ivies?

<p>aight dogs, tell it to me straight--</p>

<p>gpa: 4.1 weighted</p>

<p>rank unknown, but definitely top 10% (probably 6-7%) of class size about 330.</p>

<p>SAT: taken Oct 9...(help me calculate my supposed score): I read all the forums about the test last weekend and concluded that I got 2 math q's wrong and 6-8 verbal wrong. so im guessing high 700's for math and low 700's verbal..</p>

<p>SAT II: 760 writing, 680 Bio, taking math2c in November, should be mid-to-high 700's. (THE BIG QUESTION: when I take the math, ought I re-take the bio? It’s been a year I since I had ap bio (4 on ap)...anyone do well simply from studying a bio SAT II book????)</p>

<p>Have taken all and only the hardest courses (except all those crap courses everyone needs to graduate) at a public high school.</p>

<p>ECs/Honors/Awards:
Fencing Team(9)
Varsity Debater, have advanced to national competition. (10-11-12)
Varsity Cross-country (11-12)
Varsity Tennis (10-11-12)
Piano (12 yrs experience)
Guitar (but insignificant exp.)
National Classical League member
National Latin Exam Awards: the silver one in 10th grade and the bronze in 11th
National Honor Society
National Merit Commended Scholar
[very-soon-to-be] Eagle Scout (beaucoup hours of service throughout
Scouts as well)
Volunteer at Walter Reid Army Medical Center (this is where all the people
that Bush maims end up)
Volunteered for various food-kitchen and food drive programs
Member of Church Choir
Member of Church Youth Group</p>

<p>Work (here’s where I hope to SHINE for those admittance folk) :</p>

<p>While the rest of you were following high-powered lawyers around this summer, I was at the opposite end of the job spectrum: I had an enlightening experience working on a large-scale farm operation, waist-deep in pig s**t.</p>

<p>Ran a small bakery/café, increased sales and prevented an early closing (acted as sole worker under owner doing duties of manager, cashier ,baker, inventory dude, and maintenance dude every day).</p>

<p>Started a lawn-care business (I hire one part-time worker) that regularly cares for several yards in my neighborhood, including some government property. </p>

<p>Essays will likely be written on work experience--very original and very personal; none of this “The Big Piano Recital” crap.</p>

<p>Recs:
EXCELLENT rec from junior year English teacher (“top few in my career” box will undoubtedly be checked in every instance)</p>

<p>VERY GOOD rec from (very well respected) ap bio teacher</p>

<p>VERY BAD to SUPER DUPER rec from debate coach (all depends on time of month I ask for it). This one would be the “optional reference” rec that applicants DO have access to before sending, so I wouldn’t need to send it if it’s no good.</p>

<p>Considering major in business.</p>

<p>I got some bigtime legacy action Swarthmore-wise (father, grandmother, aunts...). anyone got opinions on that school? obviously my dad thinks it's great, but what do you guys think?</p>

<p>Well, fools, that’s all I can think of right now, so list me some schools you think I could get in, as well as some you think are “reaches.”</p>

<p>Let us know when you get your SAT scores and also what schools you are considering besides swathmore. but on first glance your EC's are nothing outstanding.</p>

<p>You are too "flat".</p>

<p>Need your SAT scores to be sure, but I think you have a shot at Swat, and lower Ivies (HYPSM much less likely, but who knows). THe question is where do you want to go? Swarthmore is an intense, small intellectual, quirky school, but you should know that. It does not have a business major, but again you would know that too.</p>

<p>your bio score sucks for ivies. bring it up</p>