<p>I think you have realistic goals. U of C is a reach for you, but you should still try because they love to see when pple have a passion for something, like you obviously do with physics, and a lot can depend on how you express yourself in the essay. I’m a current student but I got waitlisted initially when I applied RD. I had a similar SAT score
(2320) and a 3.6 gpa from an elite public school. The way that I distinguished myself was by doing research with a professor, founding clubs, and writing a giant history paper that won some awards. But most of that I did in senior year, including getting my gpa up. Just stay focused and use your last year in HS to do something to make yourself stand out and put emphasis on the individual. Good luck!</p>