<p>Even though most of these schools are crap shoots, I just want to know what the weak points in my app are.</p>
<p>Intended major: Political science and/or African American Studies</p>
<p>Schools:
Harvard (EA)
Yale
Princeton
Stanford
Columbia
Northwestern
WashU
UCLA
UC Berkeley </p>
<p>AA Male in CA...</p>
<p>UW GPA: 3.98
W GPA: 4.55
Rank: 3/489</p>
<p>SAT: 800 CR, 760 M, 800 W (this is the superscore….my highest single sitting is a 2290)</p>
<p>SATII: 760 Spanish, 740 Math II, 710 Literature (yeah, I know they’re low…should I retake?)</p>
<p>APs: HGAP (5), European History (5), WHAP (5), Environmental Science (5), Calculus AB (5), APUSH (5), English Lang (5), Spanish Lang (5), Comp Sci (5)</p>
<p>This year I’m taking all AP’s (Art History, US Govt/Comp Govt, Macro/Micro Econ, English Lang, Stats, Physics C, Psych, and Spanish Lit)</p>
<p>ECs:
-NAACP Youth Chapter, President (4 years)- my biggest commitment- I organize SAT tutoring sessions, college tours, and fundraisers to help disadvantaged youth to get into college and break the cycle of poverty, and every year we hold a local Image Awards Ceremony to honor students in the region who have overcome obstacles to excel in academics, arts, and/or athletics
-Congressman’s Council- I meet with my local congressman every month as part of a select group of students who are supposed to be the liaisons between the government and my generation. We organize mock elections to get teens involved in politics, and we do a LOT of service projects as well.
-Forensics Team, 4 years (VP last year, President this year), I’m in charge of editing pieces, updating the roster, and assisting the novice debaters. I use my free period to personally coach the novices.
-Church Youth Group- part of an administrative team that organizes Youth Nights, contacts guest ministers to speak at special programs
-Choir- I do sing with my church choir, but I’m also part of two traveling choirs. Both are national caliber and required auditions and a music proficiency test
-DECA- no leadership, but I placed 3rd at nationals in my event….</p>
<p>Awards:
-Nothing major….National Merit/National Achievement semis, Nat’l AP Scholar (as a junior).
-Community service awards! Most of them are regional, but I did get one national award this summer
-Lots of regional speech awards, two awards from NFL nationals
-First Place at Regional History Fair</p>
<p>Community Service:
-Habitat for Humanity for three years…I basically build houses for people
-Other than that most of my service is done through the NAACP </p>
<p>Work/Summer Activities:
-Interned at a law firm this past summer
-lots of traveling with my choirs
-hanging out and reading politics/economics/history books :)</p>
<p>Subjective:
-My English teacher said my supplemental essay for Harvard was “insightful and thought-provoking….” My common app essay is decent, I think. Everyone has liked it so far, but my supp is definitely stronger (which is why I’ll probably retrofit it for other supplements.)
-Recs should be strong- they came from teachers who I know really well
-I'm middle-class, first generation to go to school in America (but both my parents have doctorates from foreign schools)</p>
<p>Also, can anyone suggest some safeties?</p>