Let's Finalize This!

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Well, let’s start with the stats</p>

<p>GPA
10-12: 4.46W
10-12: 3.77UW</p>

<p>Total Academic: 4.31W
Total Academic: 3.81UW</p>

<p>SAT
Verbal: 670
Math: 690
Writing: 670
Total: 2030</p>

<p>Subject Tests:
math 2c: 710 (I will be retaking it)
bio: 730
us history: 800</p>

<p>ACT: 31</p>

<p>Completed APs
Euro - 5
Spanish Lang - 3
Calc AB - 5
Bio - 5
English Lang - 5
USH - 5</p>

<p>APs for Senior Year
Physics
Stats
US Gov’t/Comparative Gov’t
Macro/Microecon
English Lit</p>

<p>ECs:
Speech and Debate: I’ve competed the past 3 years. Been to debate camp twice. Regionally Competitive (i.e. advanced to elimination rounds at regional draw tournaments). I will be captain this year.
Mock Trial: Started last year but I will be captain this year
Political Discussion Club: Will be President this year</p>

<p>And to much lesser extent
NHS
CSF (California Scholarship Federation)
Model UN: I will be president, but I might dissolve it due to lack of participation and the other clubs I am more interested in</p>

<p>I also took an official class at Northwestern for 6 weeks this summer (not a broad summer “enrichment” program, but an IR class w/ finals etc), but I don’t know how that integrates in to admission.</p>

<p>My community service is pretty lackluster though.</p>

<p>I am unsure what I want to do in college; so I’d prefer one with broad interests. However, I am very likely going to major in a social science but I wouldn’t exclude the natural sciences. Economics, Middle Eastern Studies, History, Poli-Sci, and International Relations seem pretty interesting. On the natural sciences side I am partial towards evolutionary biology and sort of intrigued by quantum mechanics.
I am pretty sure I won’t major in any of the humanities though.</p>

<p>Some other requirements:
Good College Town with more to do there than on campus
Decent Weather (i.e no Cornell or U Minn-Twin Cities)
A good amount of International Students (I love learning about their cultures)
Ethnic Diversity
A smaller frat scene
No excess alcohol</p>

<p>I live in California; but I’d prefer to be in a different environment (particularly different from Southern California).</p>

<p>I am indifferent on class size.
I’d like some socioeconomic diversity but it’s not that significant.</p>

<p>Here are some schools I’ve looked in to, but I am probably overconfident in choosing:
UCLA
UC Berkeley
UCSD
Northwestern
UVA
Georgetown
U Penn
Brown</p>

<p>As for a safety school, what ought be the admission rate? I’m thinking UC Santa Cruz.
Any late additions to add/remove? Any safeties or MATCH privates?</p>

2

<p>UCSC sounds like a good safety.<br>
what kind of studies do you want to pursue?? that plays an important role in deciding your college list.</p>

3

<p>Hmm, well you’re def lookin good for some of those! UCLA is actually ranked #2 in the country for socio-economic diversity, so that’s a good option as far as that’s concerned, though it is in SoCal which you said you weren’t thrilled about. So next I’d probably say is UCB, it’s an incredibly diverse place and after many, many visits there, I truly believe you will find any race, color and creed that you’re looking for. I wouldnt say many of the others are incredibly diverse, in fact I’d say they’re rather uniform in socio-economic areas. UVA has a fairly big greek scene (I heard around 25-30%, when I went to the admitted day thing there), Brown and NW have poor weather, particularly in the winter, and UCSD is probably the least exciting if you’re from So Cal. Have you checked out UNC-Chapel Hill or U-Washington? If not, you may want to. You have a great shot at UW and a chance at UNC, and they seem to fit what you’re looking for.</p>

<p>I think NW, Georgetown, UVA, Penn and Brown are all mid-range reaches for you. I was admitted via likely-letter to UVA last year with the same ACT but significantly stronger ECs and leadership positions…also had higher uw GPA. But I think if you write a convincing essay, you have a shot there. I would add some match schools if I were you. Not sure your religious background, but Boston College would be a good one, esp. for social sciences. Also look into Oregon (safety, but you might want one of those, and they’ll probably offer you a great merit aid package…I was offered an enormous scholarship+2 honors programs, and as I mentioned, I was a good candidate in the stats range, but not extraordinary or anything).</p>

<p>So anyway, that’s my $.02! If you had to narrow it down, I’d take out a few of the reaches, leave in the UCs, and add UW or BC or something like that for a match. And then, as I mentioned, Oregon or a similar school for a safety. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

4

<p>I’ve never heard of Oregon before. Is it the University of Oregon or Oregon College?
Would CU be a good choice also?
Other than that would this list be ideal:
UC Berkeley
UCLA
UCSD
UCSC
Northwestern
Georgetown
Brown
Boston College
University of Washington-Seattle
UNC-Chapel Hill</p>

<p>Should I remove more of the mid-range reaches and should i keep UCSD?</p>

5

<p>I have heard that you can apply to four UC schools on one application, so you should keep all four. It isn’t a good time to talk about Houston right now, but Rice does sound like a great school for you. George Washington University might be good. I would consider it really safe for you, and it has everything that you are interested in. You could move in any direction there.</p>

6

<p>So, what would be a recommended number of colleges to apply?
My sister told me to apply to 8. And anything 12 is probably too much I’m thinking.</p>