<p>Ok, here’s the dealio…I feel like I’m a very complex case of very good things going for me coupled with some problems. I have a vague idea of schools but I wonder if I’m selling myself short. At the same time, I wonder if I’m truly applying at the schools where <em>I</em> belong. Ok…so here’s my stats, and then I’ll give you some schools that I am applying to. Rate my chances and tell me where else I should be looking, because I can’t decide!</p>
<p>GPA–89
Decile-8 (10 is best)
Class rank–Second fifth…I think.
Classes:
AP English
AP Government/Honors Economics
AP Environmental Science
Topics in Mathematics (basically a blow off math course)
Latin II
Russian V (college level)
Orchestra </p>
<p>My GPA is 89 because:
-Math, which in 10th and 11th grade actually averaged out to 74 and 75 as my final school mark! Let’s just say that all of the intelligence went to the verbal side of my brain. If there is such a thing as a math disabilty, I probably have it.</p>
<p>BTW, My science grades were always in the 90’s and 80’s. My biology averaged to a 90 and my chemistry to an 85, which got me into AP Environmental in senior year, but I was never accellerated in math and science.</p>
<p>HOWEVER,
The AP factor!!
I was in APP (AP preparation, for kids who will be taking AP’s at a higher level) World History in 9th grade, APP English throughout high school, and in 10th grade, I was one of maybe 40 or 50 gifted kids in my huge school to take the AP exam in World History. I got a 5. In AP American History (11th grade) I got a 4 </p>
<p>SAT
1270
verbal-690
math-580</p>
<p>SAT II’s
World History-730
Writing-720
Math I-520 (oooooh yeaaaah)</p>
<p>Needless to say, Physics was a world that I did not enter.</p>
<p>OK, moving on.</p>
<p>The extracurricuclars/Job/personal activities/awards cornucopia of doom
9th grade
Biology club-member, got my dad, a scientist, to speak about his research with cancer
Orchestra-2nd violin, NYSSMA “outstanding” designation @ solo festival
Auditioned for fall play
National Russian Essay Contest-bronze medal
Statewide Rusisan olympiada-silver medal
New York state young writer’s institute-did not get in (only 25 kids get in), but was alternate
10th
Speech and Debate club, JV OI, third place trophy
Orchestra-2nd violin
auditioned for fall play
National Russian Essay Contest-silver medal
11th
Speech and debate club-Varsity OI
Exchange with School in St. Petersburg, Russia for two weeks-also went to Moscow, Latvia (ATTENTION: this is where I got in a little trouble with alcohol, as Russia is a very lenient country. My school is NOT lenient, however. Let’s just say that now, whenever it says “have you ever been suspended” on applications, I have to put “yes.” THIS DOES NOT MATTER FOR SUNY SCHOOLS, though.)
Statewide Russian Olympiada-Gold medal, finalist for trip to Russia offered as grand prize
National Russian Essay Exam-silver medal
National Latin exam-silver medal
Front page editorial in school newspaper
Junior Achievement volunteer work-teaching second graders about business.
Orchestra-2nd violin
Summer before senior year
-Job at dr’s office for a month filing papers, being receptionist, etc.
-Volunteer work at Whisker’s Animal Benevolent Society cleaning cages, floors, feeding cats, assimilating abandoned and abused cats to positive human contact
12th grade
-Speech and debate, Varsity OI, club secretary
-The exchange program with Russia, except that this time I hosted a student
-Orchestra-1st violin
-Walk for Diabetes
-Continued volunteer work at Whiskers
-National Russian Essay Contest (score not yet known)</p>
<p>So you’re probably wondering: why am I not going to be a Russian major? Because there happen to be more opportunities in my school to excell in Russian because my school has a strong foreign language department. If there were as many opportunities that my school offered in the English department, I would take them. I have of course auditioned for plays, written for the newspaper, and done speech and debate.
OK.</p>
<p>My essay is about how I lost 40 pounds by viewing the weight loss not as hard work, but as something I enjoy pursuing. It’s very inspirational. hehe.</p>
<p>Schools I have applied to:
SUNY Binghamton
SUNY Geneseo-also requires parent recommendation. Mine were excellent. for this school, they had the essay topic “what used to scare you when you were little that now makes you laugh” so I wrote about my fear as a young girl of the toilet seats that don’t entirely cover the rim of the toilet
SUNY Purchase (I’m fairly sure I would have to shoot the dean to not get into this school)</p>
<p>Will apply:
Vassar. They require two essays, one of which is an essay written for a class. My essays written for classes are quite excellent.
I consider Vassar my first choice school</p>
<p>Teacher recommendations:
my APP English teacher in 11th grade
My latin teacher, the a zany German lady known as Frau who always has a witty comment and told me that every student she has ever written a reccomendation for ended up at their top choice school.</p>
<p>Where else should I be looking?
How about Emerson College?
Any other ideas, people?</p>