High ACT/SAT/Grades, average EC's, essays?

Nick89
Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:30:34 +0000

Hi I’m considering applying to colleges like Northwestern and some Ivy League schools, what do you think my chances of getting in are like with these credentials:

ACT: 35 (35+ on all sub sections)
SAT: 2310 (750+ on each)
SAT II’s in Am hist, lit and math II pending
GPA:3.99… (top 5 in class)
National Merit Scholar commendation (did not do as well for some reason on PSAT as all other tests ): )

School has relatively poor course offerings, only 4 AP courses. I took AP Calc as soph and got 5 on AP test, am taking other 3 offered this year (Bio, Hist, Eng) and may do extra work on own to take AP Physics as well.

I’m pretty confident that will help me get at least considered, but I’m not very confident about my EC’s which include

Music (clarinet, some fairly minor awards)
4 yrs varsity tennis with some all area honors, competititve tournament player
Volunteering as tutor/mentor for middle school student approx.100 hours
a few clubs at school like honors society, language club

Also, while through school and testing I have always been reassured that my writing skills are excellent, I don’t feel like the essays I’ve done so far have been particularly inspired. (Any advice on “why do you want to go here, and this particular school” essay by the way?)

Any advice/opinions would be great, thanks!