<p>SAT: 2290
ACT: 33
SAT 2: math 2 750, spanish 760, chem 750
No extracurriculars
teacher recommendations honestly probably mediocre
my essays are usually good</p>
<p>You could match at most state schools and could have been a good candidate for prestigious schools but with no extracurricular you should stick to state schools or those that offer you merit aid based on your impressive sat and act</p>
<p>I also have a lowish gpa: 3.5, but that may increase a little next year (I am a rising senior).</p>
<p>You need to raise that GPA to at least a 3.7 or higher for.merit aid at a lot of schools. </p>
<p>What if I said I didn’t need financial aid? (at least not urgently)</p>
<p>Then at most state schools you could get in but you really need extra curricular or others with exceptional scores and extracurricular will beat you out. Do you do any type of community service or outside school activity? Not even one club?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, not even one that I attended once… of course I have “extenuating circumstances,” but I will not mention those on my application as they put me in a bad light. (They are my own fault.) I don’t want to go to state school though, I am hoping to go to a private liberal arts college (too high expectations?).</p>
<p>You really need extra curricular they’re important. You should go for public good institutions that with your scores will get you aid. Can you join clubs next year? Try to get involved?</p>
<p>Damn! I know, I should have started doing something as a freshman. I’m kind of afraid of joining something as a senior. Plus, I think it would be really obvious that I’m only doing to to pad my application and not because it’s something I genuinely enjoy.</p>
<p>Well I was in your situation but junior year I joined French honor society (cuz I like French class and stuff) biomedical club and English honor society but I do most of my work at my church… is there anything you do outside of school? You can still join clubs and in your essay you can morph your extenuating circumstance into a tribulation you overcame. Schools like to see development in students </p>
<p>State universities don’t care much about ECs. What state are you in? What do you want to study?</p>
<p>U Toronto or McGill perhaps… if you can afford either.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in an UC or a CSU, maybe give us your GPA w/o freshman year…</p>
<p>@shockwave457 yes, I was planning to write about my problems :
the thing about clubs in my school is that they are very disorganized. they usually consist of a group of friends, and if you arent in that group then you dont do much, since there arent many organized activities, and you dont know whats going on. sports teams are far more organized but competitive… I might join track next year to embarrass myself.</p>
<p>I’m not Canadian… I also don’t live in california, so UC schools are out. 
The year that ruined my gpa was actually sophomore year not freshman year :(</p>
<p>yeah, I will think about everything. i’m still dead set on going to a private college though.</p>
<p>Do you live on the east coast? There are some eastern private liberal arts colleges that would love your scores. Not too sure how accepting they will be with the extracurriculars, however.</p>
<p>No, I’m from The Midwest… but a lot of the private liberal arts colleges I’m looking into are on the east coast. </p>
<p>Track will not help your resume if you are a rising senior because the applications are due in Nov/December for early round and Jan 1 or so. Track is a spring sport.</p>
<p>Do a fall activity like cross country. Or do something like Drill Team or speech team, join the fall play or even build sets. You should also be doing something this summer that is service related. You likely have a food pantry or soup kitchen in your vicinity. Call them up Monday and see if they need help.</p>
<p>Without knowing exactly what you are going into, you could try looking at places like Hamilton and Colgate. Doing some ECs in the fall and volunteering over the summer will definitely help you a lot. </p>
<p>What are you doing this summer?</p>