Which of these should be safeties/streches/etc?

Applying to College
1

<p>I know this post is a bit long, but I greatly appreciate anyone who will take the time to help me out and give me some advice!</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>SAT: 2080 (730 CR, 640 M, 710 W)
SAT Subjects: Taking this June
GPA: 3.9 (unweighted, my school doesn't do weighted)
I also take college courses at my community college as an early admissioin HS student. I'll have like 24 credits by my senior year in HS. My college GPA is a 4.0</p>

<p>ECS:
Speech and Debate 1 year
Varsity Cheerleading 1 year
Write for my local community TIMES newspaper - Youngest Columnist ever
Intern for another paper called Evening Sun Newspaper as a newsreporter and video editor, also their youngest reporter.
Began my own business at age 16 (still running, its a multimedia, family history dvd business, has turned profit, and been recognized by local media)
National Honor Society
Washington Journalism and Media Conference
Penn - Pal to prison inmate program
Volunteer service at United Way and YWCA
Began community chapter of Teen Age Republicans so I am creator/chairman
Began community/school supply drive titled Students Helping Students, collected and distributed 100 full supply kits to associated charities
Presented to many businesses in support of my own business, including the VA department, United Way, and College Business Seminar
Student Government at community college
Student Work Program at community college
Youngest on-going supporter of NOYs (national organization of youth safety)
Videographer for local Republican Committee</p>

<p>Awards/Other Achievements:</p>

<p>Student of the Month at high school
Student Presenter/Guest Speaker at community college
Principal's award at HS
Dean's List at College
First in 2 of my college classes (against full-time undergrads)
Student of the Month by Evening Sun</p>

<p>NOTE: I am NOT a community college student, I am just a high school student taking advanced courses at my community college. </p>

<p>Colleges I am planning to apply to (haven't narrowed yet)</p>

<p>Penn State
Pepperdine
George Washington University
American University
Boston University
Stanford
NYU
U Maryland College Park
Harvard
Princeton</p>

<p>My top choices/dream schools are GWU, NYU, and Harvard. I am not sure where I would stand at these schools, so input is greatly appreciated. Sorry this is a long post!</p>

2

<p>Penn State (match)
Pepperdine (match)
George Washington University (match)
American University (high match)
Boston University (high match)
Stanford (high reach)
NYU (reach)
U Maryland College Park (match)
Harvard (high reach)
Princeton (high reach)</p>

3

<p>None of those schools is a safety.</p>

4

<p>This person above me is correct, none of these schools are safeties.</p>

5

<p>Your SAT makes your reaches very reachy indeed.</p>

6

<p>why do you think you have a chance at the Ivies? stop</p>

7

<p>My first bit of advice is to work on your SAT scores…for the schools you’ve listed that just isn’t high enough to guarantee a spot at any. Try to improve your score by 200 points and although that seems like a hefty amount if you study and manage your time properly it is within reach.</p>

8

<p>Unless you enjoy subjecting yourself to this kind of treatment

do your own research at sites such as collegedata.com or in the “College Search” section of collegeboard.org.</p>

<p>It’s probably true that your SAT is your limiting factor, especially the math component. Your critical reading puts you in the first quartile of admitted freshmen (2009 dataset) everywhere except Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. It’s on the high side of the middle 50% at Stanford and on the low side of the middle 50% at Harvard and Princeton. </p>

<p>Your math is not in the first quartile at any of your schools. That’s what’s preventing any of these from being a “safety” in my mind. It’s on the high side of the middle 50% at Penn State, Pepperdine, and American and the low side of the middle 50% at GW, BU, NYU, and UMd. It’s in the fourth quartile (or below) at Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.</p>

<p>Of the schools that look “safest” to me (Penn State, Pepperdine, and American), only American is interested in SAT subject tests (and they only recommend them). If I were you, instead of working on the subject tests, I’d work on a retake of the SAT paying special attention to math. Most of the prep book companies make a “SAT Math Workbook” or something to that effect. The “SAT and ACT Tests & Test Preparation” forum probably has suggestions as to which ones are better than others.</p>

<p>Once you’ve pulled up that math score, check the common data sets again to see where you are and proceed accordingly.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

9

<p>JW135167, I was pretty much in the same position as you, dual enrolled at a community college even though I am still in highschool. AND</p>

<p>Even though I have the same exact HS GPA as you (3.9 - unweighted), and I am taking college classes (i will have 61 units with a 4.0 GPA when I graduate from both high school and community college in May), my SATs were much lower then yours (1870) and I still got into Pepperdine with an amazing merit based scholarship/financial aid package. So I would say that combined with your other activities gives you a pretty good chance of getting in to Pepp. Of course there is room for improvement on your SATs, but that didn’t seem to be a huge problem for me.</p>

<p>Honestly, I just think they were impressed with the fact that I was doing so well taking college courses and I’m sure they will feel the same way about you. </p>

<p>As far as the other schools, I wouldn’t really know since Pepp was the only school I applied to. However, I did almost apply to Harvard and Stanford and when I did I emailed them both about taking college classes and they said that that was something that would definitely set someone apart from the rest of the freshman applicant pool.</p>

<p>So basically, go for it! You never know till you know. :)</p>