<p>You may have already seen this info, but I have a different question than when I first posted it. Which are matches, reaches, and safeties? I need to make sure I don't have too many of any particular one.
Colleges I will (most likely) apply to:
1. Claremont Mckenna
2. Rice University
3. Stanford - Obviously reach
4. California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo
5. Middlebury
6. USC
7. Brown?
I'm still open to suggestions.</p>
<p>-Unweighted GPA 4.0</p>
<p>-Weighted GPA 4.2</p>
<p>AP/Honor courses: None until this fall, but I am concurrently enrolled at a local community college where I have taken German 1-4, English 201A, and Precalculus.</p>
<p>Class Rank: I do independent studies with a small private school. I think I'm 1/10.</p>
<p>SAT 2: Aiming for over 700 in Math II and Lit. this fall (took German in the spring and got 640 - is that worth reporting?)</p>
<p>EC's: Principal 2nd and Concertmaster of the local youth symphony in the past. This year I think I will be co-concertmaster. I also volunteer with the youth symphony by coaching younger kids in the symphony.
Publicity Director at a Scholastic Honor Society that does volunteer work at my community college</p>
<p>Honors/awards: Cal Poly All-State Festival Symphony Concertmaster
National Merit Commended
Applied for and received private art showing</p>
<p>Additional Info:
Major: Undecided. Interested in Engineering, but also interested in other stuff (e.g. Music, Art, English)</p>
<p>Race: White</p>
<p>Family's Situation: Not from hard background</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for your time and effort answering my question.</p>
<p>Hi Thursday,
academically, you are capable. However, with your ECs that might be a throw up.
Here is what I think:</p>
<ol>
<li>Claremont Mckenna- match</li>
<li>Rice University- possibly a reach</li>
<li>Stanford - Obviously reach ( I agree with you- Stanford would be a HUGE reach) </li>
<li>California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo- match</li>
<li>Middlebury- Not sure about Middlebury </li>
<li>USC - perhaps a match</li>
<li>Brown- a reach as well</li>
</ol>
<p>That is what I think. Why? As a said before, your GPA and SAT show that you are a capable student. However, with your ECs it’s really a throw up. HOWEVER, if you can write good essays, that might be able to tip the chances in your favor.</p>
<p>Yeah, I should have gotten involved in more EC’s… do you think it might help if I say I didn’t really have as many opportunities because I did independent studies? I’m not trying to downplay how right you are about the necessity of several good EC’s for admission to great schools, I was just hoping it might improve the admission officers’ view of the missing EC’s.</p>
<p>Also, since Stanford is such a large reach, would it not be worth it to do Restrictive Early Action? I wouldn’t be able to apply EA to any other schools if I did, but it is definitely my top choice at this point.</p>
<p>Theoretically, only Cal poly is a match if you meet their admission criteria.</p>
<p>USC might be a low reach.</p>
<p>All others are definitely reaches because they are top 20 schools and not considered an automatic admission for anyone unless they are sports recruits or have a hook. Being good at academics is not a hook. It just means you have a reasonable shot.</p>
<p>texaspg I was thinking I would do 2 safeties, 3 matches, and 3 reaches. This just rocked my boat haha. what would be good matches/safeties for me? I like small schools, but I like having a lot of options as far as majors.</p>
<p>To everyone else, I really appreciate your opinions too!</p>
<p>I agree with texaspg. Also I would suggest taking three SAT subject tests and try to score above 700 in all of them. Just because two are required does not mean they will not look at three.</p>
<p>No disrespect to texaspg or perazziman as senior members you probably have a lot of experience but I’m a little stunned/doubtful, because up until now I thought that most of those were matches/low-reaches. Especially USC… I thought that was more of a match… I would really appreciate if you could elaborate on your reasons. </p>
<p>How much would a 3rd Subject test help? I just don’t want to spread myself to thin.</p>
<p>You may be closer to a match if you are in California for USC. However, their applicant pool last year was ridiculously large and the admit rate hit 20%. When the admit rates are so low, you can’t predict a match outcome. Your credentials are no longer relevant as the admit rate keeps going lower.</p>
<p>The match or safety outcomes are predictable when the rates of a school are in the 30-40% range or guaranteed based on specific criteria like state schools. You should have lot more state schools on your list to cover the match/safety requirements and consider all others reaches if they have a 20% or less admit rate. </p>
<p>I am a parent. I know a kid in Texas who got into a super reach this year (8% or below admit rate) and not Rice and several other schools that are not at the same level. It can come down to how much effort you put into the essays for one school vs others because of the personal feelings (I should get into USC because I am above their average numbers and so you put little effort into their supplement).</p>
<p>At USC the acceptance rate for National Merit Finalists is 50%, and overall it is 20%. At these rates, it is not a match for anyone. By the way, is your school well known for sending students to top colleges? If that is the case, then not taking AP/ honors classes in junior year could be okay. Otherwise, there could be some questions about the rigor of your course work. The community college courses may or not be seen as equivalent of AP courses.</p>