I'll be applying to colleges in the fall. What are my chances for the schools on my list?

Question

Hi! I'm a rising senior who just finished creating her college list. I want to apply to Harvard, Georgetown, Claremont McKenna, UC Berkeley, Wesleyan, Brown, Columbia, the University of Richmond, St. John's University, NYU, American, and CSI. I KNOW I can get into St. John's, American, and CSI, but I was wondering if I have a chance at the other schools on my list. Here are my credentials:

CLASSES, GRADES, AND RANK:

I'm in the PSA program, which is the most advanced curriculum my school offers aside from a handful of AP courses that students are only eligible for their junior and senior years. I've maintained an UW GPA of 4.0 and been ranked #1 since the first quarter of freshman year. I took all of the AP classes offered to juniors at my school and plan to do the same next year by taking AP English Lit, AP Calc AB, AP Bio, Religion 12, and either one or two dual-enrollment classes.

TEST SCORES:

SAT I: 2100 (620 M, 720 CR, 760 W) — One sitting
SAT IIs: 630 (Italian) and 640 (Literature)
ACT: 30 — It was my first time taking it and I took it without preparation. I plan to retake it in the fall.

ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP:

Varsity soccer (9,10,11,12)
Art club (9,10,11,12)
Algebra + biology tutor (9)
NHS (10,11,12) + Treasurer (11,12)
Mu Alpha Theta (11,12)
Medical care lectures at the local hospital (10)
Mock trial team (11,12)

I might also intern at the Manhattan branch of the NY Supreme Court this summer.

Mamawidsom · Accepted Answer

You are obviously a bright and engaged student.  The problem is that so are the thousands of other students who will be applying to these schools.  Your SAT II subject test scores and your ACT are a little low for the most elite universities.  You probably don't have your AP test scores yet, but it will be really important for you to have gotten 5s on those tests.  Otherwise it will look like your high school grades too easily.   Is is possible for you to get in? Sure, but your chances are about 4-10%.

If you are looking for advice, select five of the "reach" schools based on how well those schools fit who you are as a person and a student.  You cannot possibly be equally well suited for Claremont and Columbia -- they are so completely different that one is probably not a great choice.   Admissions officers are trying to find the students who are most likely to be happy, healthy and actively involved in the campus culture -- not just plug along in the classes.  What do you know about the "personality" of each of these schools?  The way they teach?  Class size?  Majors offered, etc.?  Will you fit is with the types of students that go to that school or will you feel out of place? What elements will support who you are as a student? Do you want to be at a big, highly competitive school that has lots to offer but no personalize attention and the probability that you'll have to find off-campus housing after freshman year?  Do you want to live in a moderate climate or brave the northeastern winters?   How much time do you want to spend traveling home?  Are you okay being stranded in Chicago on the way back home at Christmas?

Omar · Answer

I agree with making a diverse list, because all schools judge with different standards. Ultimately it all depends. You can try using schoolinks.com to talk to people from the schools you want to go to and see what they want.

Anonymous · Answer

Make a list of a few reach, match and safety schools to appy to. BE REALISTIC. And apply to at least one in each category.

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I'll be applying to colleges in the fall. What are my chances for the schools on my list?

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