Chances at Chicago - how do my ECs help me?

Adaman
Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:02:35 +0000

If you’ve started reading this, thanks.

Race: Caucasian
I go to a public high school in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Rank: School doesn’t rank, but probably in top 10%
GPA (UW): 3.83 GPA (W): 4.53

AP Classes:
AP American Government - 10th (5)
AP English Language - 11th (5)
AP World History - 11th (5)
AP Chemistry - 11th (5)
AP English Literature - 12th
AP Music Theory - 12th
AP Caclulus AB - 12th
My school offers most of the APs, so this isn’t particularly impressive.

Current schedule:
Honors Physics
AP Music Theory
AP Literature
AP Calc AB
Honors Orchestra (been taking since freshman year)
Honors French 5
Computer Programming 1 (I need a tech credit to graduate)

SAT:
Reading: 750
Math: 760
Writing: 770
Total: 2280

SAT IIs:
Chemistry: 710
Math 2: 740
World History: 790

ECs:
Miscellaneous:
Mock Trial 9th-12th
Philosophy Club (Secretary of Ethics) 12th

Violin:
Violin lessons (since 3rd grade)
Local Youth Orchestra (violin) 9th-10th
Pit Orchestra for musicals (violin – got to play electric once too ^_^) 9th-11th, deciding between cast and pit for this year

Acting:
School Improv Troupe (co-founded in 10th grade, been a member since then)
School Play 11th-12th (significant roles)
Actor in senior project plays 10th-12th
Various improv classes 10th-11th
Lead in student-run community play 11th
Actor in Traveling Shakespeare Troupe (summers before 11th and 12th grade, will be working there next summer)

Community Service:
None, really.

Job Experience:
None. I did intern with younger groups at the Shakespeare troupe, though, and will be working there next summer fulltime.

Awards:
AP Scholar with Honor
National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist (so far)
Maryland Distinguished Scholar Honorable Mention

I’ll have pretty good recs from my teachers, and an amazing rec from the woman who runs the Traveling Players Ensemble (the organization I mentioned).

My interests are chemistry/physics and theatre. I think I want to major in chemistry or physics and either minor or, if that’s not possible, double major in theatre. Not sure about how Chicago deals with that.

I’m aware that my stats place me somewhere in the range for Chicago, but I’m wondering how much you think my ECs will help me. They’re a lot more focused than some of the lists I’ve seen on CC, and I think they show my passion for theatre, but I don’t know how much that’ll help me. Should I try to write about it in my essay (the Why Chicago essay I guess, not the big one of course) to get the most out of it? Any thoughts would be appreciated :). Thanks in advance.