Hey guys, I’m going to be starting my common App when it gets released in a week, and would really appreciate your help in deciding what schools are realistic for me.
Biographical Info:
I am a half white, half asian male (I have an indian last name) . I am unsure what race to apply as. From Virginia.Stats:
GPA: 4.15 Weighted (Probably around 3.8 unweighted)
- I have a handful of middle school classes that bring down my GPA a lot, but I have heard that colleges don’t really factor those in and look more at the overall transcript, specifically the grades in the most difficult classes. I have taken 5 APS so far (and am going to take 6 more in senior year) and gotten all A’s in them (2 A-'s)
SAT: 2340 (Superscored) 1580 (1600 scale, which Chicago and some others I’m applying to use)
CR: 800 M: 780 W: 760
SAT II’s: US History: 760 , I took the Lit SAT II but due to what I assume is a bubbling error I got a ridiculously low score (sorry if this sounds arrogant but it wasn’t like a 600 “low score”, and I felt super comfortable taking it) and I will retake lit in the fall.
AP Scores:
AP World: 5
AP US: 5
AP Lang: 5
AP Psych: 5
AP Physics 1: 4 (The average score for my school was 2, but I don’t know if that matters)
Rank: My school doesn’t display rank or give it out to colleges, but I would reckon I’m top 5%
Senior Schedule:
BC Calc
AP Enviro
AP Economics
AP Compartive/ US Gov
AP Lit
AP Spanish
Journalism
Extracurriculars (with relative order of importance):
- I am the editor-in-chief of my school’s newsmagazine, which has won numerous state and some national awards. I have also won individual journalism awards for my own writing, including first place at the Virginia Journalism Teacher’s Association Editorial Competition. Journalism is a huge passion of mind and editor-in-chief is a very large responsibility.
- I interned for a congressional campaign for a year.
- I am a senior officer at my schools Model UN team, have won some awards in that,
- I was one of two people at my school accepted into a county wide leadership program that also included a 3 week internship with the local government (mine was in the office of elections, which thankfully fit my overarching political focus I wanted to convey in my application well)
- This year I was a part of a club called “project enlightenment” in which I dressed up in colonial attire and went to schools and historic sites teaching kids about history.
Summer Programs I’ve been a part of:
- I’ve been to one week programs at georgetown and NYU learning about international relations (my intended major, at least for now)
- I got accepted and attended Boy’s State of Virginia this summer and was elected Delegate
My schools:
Uchicago (top choice) (Early action)
Brown
UVA (Early Action)
UPenn
Columbia (Possible early decision)
Northwestern
John’s Hopkins
Georgetown
Wesleyan
Williams (my mom attended)
NYU (safety)
Boston College (safety)
What do you think? I’m trying to find a couple more safeties but ideally I want to get into at least one from the top hakf of the list.