What do I need to do?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Hi everyone,

Seeing waves of EA/D results for the 2021 class, my stress is at an all time high. My school continues to pester us to work harder at college prep, but doesn’t actually tell us what we need to be doing. (I’m a junior, class of 2018/2022)

I’m wondering what further I need to be doing to better my chances at acceptance at schools. I’m currently looking at HYP, Penn (recruited for writing), Michigan, Northwestern, Pomona, & Michigan State. Any other schools as suggestions?

I also have no idea if I’m on the right track for standardized testing. Do I need to be working harder? Should I take new subject tests? I only get one more ACT and one more SAT for free with my waivers before I need to start paying.

Some stats:

SAT: 1430/1600
PSAT: 1480/1520 (will be qualifying for national merit next year)
ACT: 32
SAT II: Math 1 (730), Chem (730), USH (700)
These are all my first attempts. I will be taking the ACT again in Feb and hopefully the SAT again in May. I’m sure I can get my ACT up
Previous AP: World (5), USH (5), Chem (4)
Current courseload: New Testament (theology), AP Physics 1, AP Lang, AP Seminar (Capstone 1), Honors Chinese 4, Honors Precalc, AP Gov, Journalism
**
Class rank: 1/162
GPA: 4 (uw), 4.3+ (w)
School: Parochial urban
Region: Midwest, West Michigan
Income bracket: ~65k, only one working parent
**
EC’s:
-I edit for two highly selective literary magazines (Genre editor for Polyphony HS, poetry reader for The Adroit Journal)
-My own creative writing has been published in some highly selective magazines (<1%)
-Policy debate (number one in city league)
-Model UN (awarded for performance by UMich)
-Principal’s Advisory Committee
-NHS
-Editor-in-Chief of school newspaper
-Seat on city’s Youth Grant Committee
-Head captain for varsity swim (will not swim in college)
-Working part time over summers
-Consistent volunteer at hospital (approx 10 hours a month)

Any insight would be really helpful. I know ivies are a shot in the dark for anyone, but anything else I should be doing, I’d like to do.

Thanks.

2

You’ll be a very competitive applicant for the schools you listed if you can raise your test scores. A 34+ on the ACT or a 1500+ on the SAT would be ideal. Other than that, keep your GPA up and continue to take a rigorous AP courseload, and develop your writing extracurricular. Get published in more magazines, maybe start a writing workshop at your school?