Too many reaches on final list?

[mw05]

<p>please comment on my final list:
do I have too many schools that offer little to no chance of acceptance?
here's my list, the way I think of it(please set me straight if i'm wrong):</p>

<p>reaches:
Yale (EA)
Brown
Cornell
Harvard
Princeton
slight reaches/matches:
Duke
Georgetown
Northwestern
Virginia
Washington U. in St. Louis
Safeties:
Wisconsin-Madison
U. of Minnesota</p>

<p>stats:
3.98 GPA uw, 8/323 rank, toughest classes at public high school, including both AP's my school offers
32 ACT (retake in 2 weeks-in time for EA- hopefully 34+)
760 Writing SATII, mid 700's on US History and Math
white male, rural MN, will study Political Science</p>

<p>ecs:
Boy Scouts-Eagle Scout, National Honor Society President, Student Council Secretary, Model Legislature Senate Majority Leader and hopefully Governor, Varsity Football, Band</p>

<p>awards:
National Merit Scholar Semifinalist, Harvard Prize Book, Leadership Scholarship, Leadership Conference at U of MN, Rotarian Student</p>

<p>other: church group, a few hundred hrs. comm. service including chair of Special Olympics, various other sports at non-varsity level</p>

<p>do i have a well-rounded list, or should I drop reaches in favor of matches, add/remove any particular school, etc.? I'm looking for a medium to large university in a big city or a really fun college town</p>

[zantedeschia]

<p>That's a lot of schools! 12? I think you have pretty good chances at them, but that's a lot of work. Narrowing down the whole list (taking a school out of each category for example) wouldn't hurt.</p>

[btbvector]

<p>I would keep going.</p>

[mw05]

<p>when you say keep going, how do you mean?</p>

[ay_caramba]

<p>cornell is more of a slight reach/match for you. as for the reaches, if you don't mind filling out all those applications and spending all that money on application fees, go for it! there's no rule that says you can only apply to so many schools. your stats are such that, while you don't have a GREAT chance at the hardest schools, you can't be completely disqualified, in fact you have a somewhat decent chance. go for it...</p>

<p>by the way, I don't see how cornell is in a "big city or a really fun college town". And what's the rationale behind applying to virginia? i mean it's a great school and all...but it seems random on your list.</p>

[btbvector]

<p>I meant that you should keep your list.</p>

[Globalist]

<p>Ay_caramba, how is applying to UVa random? MW05 is "looking for a medium to large university in a big city or a really fun college town." UVa fits the bill. Charlottesville is ranked the best city in the U.S., and it's a fun college town.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-03-29-best-cities-main_x.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-03-29-best-cities-main_x.htm&lt;/a> </p>

<p>Plus, UVa has a great Political Science program.</p>

[r2005]

<p>Erm, "mid to large school in a big city."</p>

<p>Ehhhh.. the big D is pretty small, and Durham is creepily small (emphasize the "creepy")</p>