<p>I go to a small school that focuses mainly on the arts. However, the academics are not tip-top, but I am trying not to let colleges know that.</p>
<p>My GPA is 4.0 unweighted and 4.2 weighted. That is as high as it will ever get, seeing as we only had one AP and one honors class this year. They do not even offer a fourth science.
I am ranked 1/123 simply because I am one of the only academically inclined students in the school.
I had the highest SAT score by some 400 points, and if I do well on the AP test, it will be the result of self-study alone.
However, I love the school because I am deeply involved in the performing arts (theater and music), and we have the best around. Also, the school has a great student environment.</p>
<p>Is there any way that colleges will be able to see this? Will they like me more for being a self-starter or less for not “challenging myself”?</p>
<p>I am thinking of applying to both performing arts and highly selective academic schools because I have not decided what I am going to pursue yet. Some of the schools I am considering are in the realm of Stanford, UC Berkeley, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, etc. for non-arts or UCLA, NYU, Oberlin, etc. for arts.</p>