Should I revise my list?

chaquefois · 10-06-2012, 09:42 PM

I'll try to keep this short.

THE SCHOOLS: Chapel Hill (in state), UVA, UChicago, Yale, Northwestern, Rochester, CMU, UPenn, Brown, Duke (in state), IU.

ACADEMICS: Switched after sophomore year, so two different schools, both well respected ("best in region" type) public schools.
Top 10% of class. 3.8 UW, 4.7 W GPA.

5s on 6 AP exams. 35 ACT. No subject tests yet, took lit & math 2 today. They were okay, probably not great. NMSF

EXTRACURRICULARS/AWARDS:
NSLI-Y - probably the biggest thing on my app. Full US State Department scholarship to study in Russia for 7 weeks. National award, maybe 20% acceptance rate.

Girl Scouts - 9 years. Bronze & Silver Awards, working on a Gold Award.

Taekwondo - 4 years. Black belt by December.

Youth and Government - 2 years. It's a mock state congress. Bill I wrote was selected for debate. VP of my school's club.

A mix of volunteering - Key Club, NHS, Girl Scouts, Teen Advisory Council at my library, etc.

A few creative writing awards, local level.

One of those college summer programs for high school students.

So... do you think my set of schools is okay? I think some are stretches, but okay with that as long as I've got a safety and several matches.

Catria · 10-06-2012, 10:29 PM

UNC: Low match (maybe safety)
Yale: Reach
UChicago: Reach
Duke: Reach
UVA: Low match
Northwestern: Reach
Brown: Reach
UPenn: Reach
CMU: Low match
Rochester: Safety
UIUC: Safety

collegebound202 · 10-06-2012, 10:53 PM

Yeah you're fine. I see some safeties and low matches in your list. Good luck with everything and if you have the time chance me too!

chaquefois · 10-07-2012, 12:21 AM

Actually not UIUC, but Indiana University (intended as a safety). That breakdown is what I was thinking, but having someone else confirm it is nice. Thanks!

chaquefois · 10-07-2012, 11:02 AM

Looking for a few more opinons... bump.

Catria · 10-07-2012, 11:06 AM

Sorry, I mixed up IU and UIUC... but that doesn't change my rating for either one.

sally305 · 10-07-2012, 11:17 AM

I think you will get into Northwestern, Duke and Brown, and possibly Chicago and Penn. You might luck out and get into Yale. You have the great stats these schools are looking for, but also well-defined and unusual interests. Good luck.

muckdogs07 · 10-07-2012, 12:42 PM

This list is fine with a nice balance between safeties, matches and reaches.

Do you speak Russian? That would stand out if that is the case.

Yale -- high reach due to grades just in top 10% (they want vals or sals)

Penn/Brown -- low reach with the class rank issue potentially holding you back

Chicago -- assuming really good essays match, otherwise low reach

Northwestern VA OOS, CMU, Duke (in-state) = matches (as an alum I know that Duke loves to get the smart NC kids)

UNC, Rochester, IU = safeties

chaquefois · 10-07-2012, 09:03 PM

Eh... I can kinda speak Russian. I had four hours of class a day with teachers who spoke no English while I was there (plus living with a Russian family = constant immersion). But It was only 6 weeks and I knew maybe 3 words when I got there... so I can get around, order at a cafe, ask/answer questions, tell simple stories, etc, but I'm far from fluent.

Thanks, sally305 and muckdogs07!

chaquefois · 10-07-2012, 11:23 PM

Does it change if I say my intended major is cognitive science? My app's a bit light on sciences.

I've taken one science a year, all honors except for APES. My school requires the honors version and a corresponding research methods course before all the other AP sciences, so being a transfer student and all... they never fit in my schedule. I also have AP Psych, H Sociology, and a philosophy of the mind course. Perfect ACT science though...