<p>So… how does it look? I’m out of state but how well could financial aid cover me? I’d really like to go here, it’s a definite option besides UMich, Columbia and UChicago</p>
<p>The downward trend junior year is certainly a negative, but the rigor of your curriculum is a positive which tends to explain and counter the downward GPA trend.
On the APs, it’s great that you have all 4s and 5s in the six you’ve taken, but in the eyes of an AdCom there’s a big difference between 4 and 5. The 32 ACT is solid, but a predominance of 5s on the APs would give you a bit of a boost. Any Subject Test scores?
On ECs, I think it’s good that you’ve done one varsity sport all four years, but “a multitude of clubs” usually doesn’t impress, as AdComs care more about depth of commitment (usually as demonstrated by leadership roles) than by “the list.”<br>
Applying RD, you are a competitive candidate, which really means it’ll be a complete crap shoot for you, just like it is for an overwhelming number of applicants.</p>
<p>I hate to be blunt, but with those stats, none of those schools are really “definite options” they are all pretty much reaches (I guess except for Michigan) with Columbia being a far reach. If you’re #68 in your class, where are the kids who are #1-67 applying? Today, there really don’t exist people that are shoe-ins, even 5 years ago when I was applying, that wasn’t the case. Being that far down the food chain, it definitely does matter who your competition is from your school. At least for Northwestern, there were probably about 20-25 kids that applied from my class of 150, and only 3 got in and a bunch waitlisted. We didn’t rank, but people had a general idea of where they’d fall. Given that, if you’re #68 and there are a decent number of kids 1-67 applying to Uchicago, Columbia, and Northwestern, you definitely have a long way to go to make it so that you get the big acceptance letter. </p>
<p>granted you ECs are general and vague, but based on numbers alone, nothing stands out that licenses you to use the word ‘option’ so loosely about schools like Columbia, who, in 2010, had a 9% admit rate. </p>
<p>maybe you need to do some more research besides just name-shopping.</p>
<p>Again, trying not to be blunt, but rather, realistic. I thought I was good enough for Columbia too. Technically i think I was when they put me on the extended waiting list, but by then it was August and I was set on NU. I see a little bit of my naivety in you, so i’m just trying to be helpful. </p>