Is this a balanced list? (AKA what are my chances?)

Chance Me / Match Me
1

As a senior, I am completely worried that my list isn’t balanced enough and that I don’t have a good amount of safeties, matches, and reaches. Will someone be willing to give me their opinion. These are the schools I plan on applying to:

CUNY Queens College
Syracuse University
Skidmore College
Brandeis University
Wesleyan University
SUNY Binghamton University
Hamilton College
Vanderbilt University (If I become a Posse finalist)
Brown University (I’m going to take a chance for PLME- I know it’s a long shot)
Dartmouth College

And here is most of my information if it helps:

Weighted GPA: 4.8

Unweighted: 4.0

Rank: Doesn’t Rank; Top 10%

SAT: 1830 (610 W, 590 CR, 630 M)

SAT ll: 640 Math l, 610 U.S. History, 580 Biology E, 530 World History
(I don’t plan on submitting the scores below 600, only Biology for Brown’s PLME)

AP’s : English Language & Composition (4), World History (4), U.S. History (4)
(I am currently enrolled in AP Calculus AB & AP Chemistry)

Extracurriculars:
Elizabeth’s Dance Image (Ballet, Tap, & Jazz Dancer for 11 years)
- My dance class and I also perform at senior centers during the holidays for the elderly.
Girls Write Now Writing Program (3 years)
(Being apart of my writing program lead me to performing and having my work read aloud at the 2014 United Nations Day of the Girl Event & I also got to partner with Fusion TV and help write an episode for a show on their network called “Come Here & Say That”)
National American Miss Pageantry (during the summer- 6 years)
(Through this pageant I have placed and or won in the following areas of competition: photogenic, actress, spokesmodel, best thank you note, spirit of america, & academic achievement. Note- this pageant emphasizes confidence and empowering young ladies. It is not what you see on Toddlers & Tiaras)
SING Dancer (3 years)
(This is a big show that my school puts on every year, it’s quite similar to a play)
Hispanos Unidos (2 years)
(This is Spanish Club)- To represent Hispanic culture I performed a dance at my school’s Multicultural Fair

Work/Volunteering:

  • Over 75+ hours at my doctor’s office (For the past 2 years, I’ve been volunteering every Thursday)

Awards:
AP Scholar
National American Miss New York Jr. Teen & Teen Academic Achievement Winner
Principal’s List

Essays: common app 9/10, supplements 8/10

Teacher Recommendation: #1 9/10 and #2 9/10

Counselor Rec: 7-8/10 (almost all of the students in my school have no relationship with our counselor so I don’t think this will be very reliable)

Additional Rec: Peer Recommendation (for Dartmouth) 9/10

Interview: N/A

Other
• State (if domestic applicant): NY
• Country (if international applicant): N/A
• School Type: Public
• Ethnicity: African-American (Black; Caribbean)
• Gender: Female
• Income Bracket: Low
• Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM

I do not plan on submitting my SAT scores for Brandeis, Hamilton, & Wesleyan (since those are test-optional). I am going to submit my AP scores for those schools instead. So, overall, is this considered a good list? I don’t want to apply to too many schools that are out of my league. I’m hoping that I can get accepted into at least half of the schools on my list. Is that realistic? If not, does anyone have any schools they would like to recommend that’s more in my range? Thank you!

2

PLME is very competitive but they will consider you for Brown even if you don’t get considered for the program.Do yo plan to continue with dance? Are you so good that the schools are likely to see that as an additional hook?

3

With those test scores (roughly at the 80th percentile, while applicants to Ivies will typically be at the 98th percentile or thereabouts), it’s only a slight exaggeration to say that you’d need to be a heavily recruited athlete, a quadruple URM, or Malia Obama to get into Brown or Dartmouth. I’d suggest you add some more realistic reaches to your list.

4

Besides Brown, Dartmouth, and Vanderbilt, do you think the rest of my list is fine?

5

Brown, Vandy, Dartmouth - far reach
Wesleyan, Hamilton - reach
Skidmore, Brandeis, Syracuse match
CUNY/SUNY safety

6

Hamilton is not a test optional school. It’s test flexible. They’ll want to see a quantitative test–AP, IB or SAT subject-among submitted scores if you don’t send SAT or ACT results. I take them at their word that if you send all scores, they’ll select the best ones.

7

Brandeis is ONLY a match (and a high match at that) if you don’t submit your SAT scores. They are way below-the-line for Brandeis.

8

Did you get POSSE?
I’m a finalist for Vandy so just wondering.

9

I think you have a great gpa, good rigor, some great hooks and should look for more test optional reaches. For instance, how about bowdoin? I dunno,IMO, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were admitted to your reaches.