<p>A male in Junior year, I want to compile a list of schools (15 or so) that I should focus on for my applications. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>My stats - </p>
<p>State: CA
Weighted Unweighted
Academic GPA (9) 4.0 3.83
Academic GPA (10) 4.2 3.79
Academic GPA (11) 4.5 3.83
Academic GPA (9-11) 4.2 3.81
(PE excluded from Academic GPA)</p>
<p>6 APs and 3 Honors so far; 4 more APs next year</p>
<p>PSAT 223
SAT 1 (11/08): 2210 (670R/800M/740W)
SAT 2: Math 800; three more this summer
AP: Calculus AB - 5; Euro History - 4; will take four more tests in May</p>
<p>EC: Varisty sports (basketball, on bench though); Science club (divisional winners); Community service (200 hours so far); School band</p>
<p>Science or math-oriented, but open to other fields such as economics.</p>
<p>OK. I Know why I have been ignored so far - I didn’t provide a school list. Any comments on this list? Too ambitious? Thanks!</p>
<p>Princeton
Columbia
UC Berkeley
UCLA
Chicago
Michigan
Duke
Washington University at St. Louis
Carnegie Mellon
USC
UCSD</p>
<p>Those schools are pretty good, or the ones i know are, but i think you have a chance. What you need to do is distinguish yourself from others. If your interests are science and math, do everything you can to excell in those areas, and to stand out against other applicants. Thats what schools love! but your grades are good, decent ecs but there good be more, and lots of ap’s which is great. From my somewhat limited knowledge of applications, your definitely on the right track!</p>
<p>try to bring up your CR SAT score.</p>
<p>Thanks to you both, non artic and north_face! I knew that I could be better off if I have a CR score>700. But somehow that’s been my weakest link. Not sure if I can get it into 700s, but will try.</p>
<p>By the way, I saw it in several posts, but how on earth could people know that s/he got very good recommendations? Isn’t it the case that those are confidential?</p>
<p>yw.</p>
<p>you have the choice to make your recommendations confidential or not. the teachers will directly send their recommendations themselves, but you can sign a waiver choosing whether you want them to be private or not (i guess viewable in the future?). it’s all personal choice, though many people think it’s more official if it’s completely private. others won’t waive their right to view their recommendations based on principle. either way, it takes some calculating. anybody who agrees to write a recommendation for you will probably write positively, but you should consider it wisely. who will write the best rec? who really thinks highly of you? who’s a great writer and can express this? you want your recommendation to stand out. only you know what teachers/mentors/etc really know you in a great, unique light.</p>
<p>Thanks, again, for the info. But suppose that I manage to get my CR above 700, do you think that my list of schools is reasonable?</p>
<p>bringing up your CR will definitely help, but i’m not sure it’s really going to change much.</p>
<p>you’ll probably get into michigan and the easier UCs. all of those other schools are extremely difficult, so it’s going to take some kick-ass essays, especially because your ECs don’t seem to be all that amazing. princeton and columbia are definite reaches.</p>
<p>I don’t like chancing people at all. No experience, not an adcom, not familiar with all the schools, feel there’s way too much subjectivity. That said, you’re definitely on your way to somewhere great.</p>
<p>I wanted to address the recommendations question.
As north_face said, there’s the whole waiving thing, but I waived all my rights and have gotten to see most of my recs. My counselor always gives a copy of her letter to the student. I didn’t see my English teacher’s rec until I asked for a letter later in the year - I gave him an envelope so it could be sealed and signed, but he left it unsealed - implied permission to read. My Spanish teacher wanted to make sure her rec seemed appropriate for what I was applying for. I haven’t seen my math teacher’s recommendation, but I know she knows me well and wouldn’t have much bad to say. I needed a science/math rec for Chicago, but since my focus is more humanities, I haven’t needed it again. If there was something that came up, I’m sure she’d let me read it, though I don’t intend for it to come up, and I wouldn’t directly ask.
Make yourself a respectable and trustable person, and you’ll be surprised at the response sometimes. It’s gotten me far. 
Good luck with all this. 15 apps seems like a LOT. I have hardly kept up with my four, and now that decisions are all in, I can’t decide. Between four. Get organized during the summer if you can. Start writing essays and such. Time will fly.</p>
<p>If you plan on applying to Michigan then I reccomend you take the ACT. I’d imagine you’d be okay without it, but there’s no harm and they prefer it over the SAT.</p>
<p>Thanks. I will definitely work hard on my essays in the summer. But ACT? I am not sure. I hate to say it - I am kind of lazy, and love sports too much! Anyone think that I should cross some of top schools and repalce them with safeties?</p>
<p>Dude, it’s one test that takes 3 hours. Skip a day of your community service and go take it.</p>
<p>I re-took SAT in March, and my scores are 740R/800M/730W. I know I now have better chances of getting into the schools listed. But by how much? Any comments? Thanks!</p>