pretty close to finalizing my list

jarsilver
Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:19:49 +0000

I need to know whether the schools I’m looking at are too high of a reach for me, and whether I should look at more safeties/matches

white male, public school, western MA

GPA: 3.89 UW (school doesn’t weight grades)
Rank: school doesn’t rank, but I know I’m in the top 5% (of 215 students) and my GC might hint to this on my counselor recommendation
SAT: 2330 (730CR 800M 800W)
SATII: US Hist 770, French 760

Courseload:
-every honors class available
-3 APs junior year (US History 5, English Lang 5, French Lang 4) and 3 senior year (English Lit, Microecon, Physics B). can’t take every single AP because of block schueduling, very few students have ever taken more than 3 in one year.
-I’m also taking a 200 level government class at Smith College (one of the top LACs) called “Congress and the Legislative Process”

EC/Community service (I have more, but it’s not that impressive):
-Gay-Straight Alliance (President)
-City Youth Commission co-chair (member since 10th grade, co-chair since 11th)
-Co-producer/programmer of radio show on a community-run radio station. this also involves volunteer work because it is an all-volunteer station that requires programmers to help out.
-NHS (requires 20 hours of comm service)
-Member of high school Amnesty International chapter, Academic Team (been in quiz bowl tournaments and high school TV quiz show), United Synagogue Youth
-Counselor-in-training at local arts camp
-Volunteer teaching assistant at local summer school
-Piano for 10+ years, jazz band (grades 10-12)

Awards:
-National Merit commended student
-AP Scholar
-High Honor Roll (highest academic distinction at my HS)
-Holy Cross book award
-Laureat, Grand Concours (national French contest, regional winner)
-National History Day regional winner for documentary about Sojourner Truth

my essay is pretty unique/interesting. my recs I think will be very good, I got one from my math teacher and one from my APUSH teacher.

definite schools:
Bard EA, immediate decision plan
Brown
Yale
Wesleyan
Vassar
Swarthmore
Oberlin
Brandeis
Skidmore

maybe schools (I’ll probably add 2-3 of these):
Tufts
NYU
Bowdoin
U Chicago
Bowdoin
Reed

am I shooting too high? any other suggestions of schools I should look at?

thanks a lot, I’ll chance you back if you want.