Where should I apply to University?

[Knotch_Blade]

I'm an English citizen, living in the US. I'm white/caucasian. I'm also a junior.

 

GPA: 3.61 UW (4.0) 4.83 W (5.0)

Class Rank: 47/719

 

Junior Year: AP English Language/Comp, AP Spanish 4, AP US History, Pre Cal Honors/DualCredit, Business Information Management, Orchestra, Physics Honors.

 

Senior Year (prospective): AP English Literature, AP Spanish 5, AP Euro, AP Govt., AP Econ., AP Calc BC, Orchestra, AP Bio II.

 

PSAT is 201.

 

Averaging 700s in all subjects on practice SATs.

 

SAT in March.

 

ECs:

JV Soccer, 9,10 [stopped because our head coach retired]

Chamber Orchestra, 9-12

Eagle Scout

Sea Scout Ship Leader

National Honor Society 10-12

Spanish NHS 11-12

Key Club 11-12

Math/Spanish/Science Tutor 9-12

Board member of 501c3 charity

Semi-professional video game player (lols?)

Attended genetics internship with Dr. Craig J Venter [human genome]

Asian Culture Club 10-12

 

Primary interests in Genetics/Microbiology.

 

Desired colleges (greatest to least)

Rice Uni/Reed College, Baylor/UT Austin, somewhere else?

 

I'm having a lot of trouble deciding/knowing where I should apply, because both of my parents went to college in the UK.

 

Potential hook (?): My dad went to a Polytechnic college in the UK (received Bachelor's). My mom went to a cc for nursing (associates). Does this make me a first generation university student?

 

Anything else?

 

Thanks :)

 

----EDIT-----

Regions I'd like to study in:

Texas, SW, West Coast, Northwest.

 

My UW GPA should be going up a lot, I had a really bad year last year because of my parent's divorcing. But this my grades are improving a lot (my class rank should go up, a lot of people aren't taking the courses I am).

 

My school is really competitive.

 

I don't understand the whole concept of "reaches".

 

Baylor, Reed, Rice and UT Austin are all schools I like.

 

Oh, and as for college experiences... I'm not one for huge sports teams, I'm kind of a recluse. My friends note me for really witty humor and über liberal viewpoints. I plan on maintaining my current relationship in college, and have no interest drinking.

 

I guess. I'm not really going to be a "frat boy" I'm not looking for a party school. I really love genetics, and I want to focus on my school work with a smaller group of friends.

 

Oh, and I refuse to go to an ultra religious school or a really conservative school. Because of my personal opinions, which is why I'm incredibly drawn to Reed. :)

[Guest Rob]

Well, do you know what you want to do later in life?

[Kirbyallstar]

 

Asian Culture Club 10-12

 

 

You would be asian.

[RpgGamer]

you're too smart for college.

 

LenticularJ could help you out, he's from Texas, and is semi familiar with the college scene

[Knotch_Blade]

Oh. I was hoping to study microbiology/genetics. Preferably get my master/PHD and then move on to research. :)

 

And, Asian Culture Club is a club founded by a good friend of mine to discourage prejudice. Basically, we learn other cultures. :)

 

@RPG, what do you mean "too smart for college"? :P

[tripsis]

Check out CollegeBoard.com. You may be able to find a few schools that interest you (you can find schools based on major, geographical location and other factors that interest you). I would also recommend speaking to a College Advisor at your high school if you have one.

[Guest Rob]

I think he's saying you should be going to university, not college. And, do you plan on going to college in the US, or abroad?

[Knotch_Blade]

Oh, I've been interchanging college/university. :)

 

And, I don't mind where I study. Just not somewhere too cold. I hate the cold. :P

[Guest Rob]

I've heard universities in Ireland are quite good, and a fair bit cheaper then out west. Plus, the lectures would be so much better if the professor had a cool accent. Sorry, I don't know much about post-secondary schools so I can't help much, but the link that Tripsis posted looks quite useful.

[tripsis]

Oh, I've been interchanging college/university. :)

Yeah in the US college and university are used interchangeably. In other countries they can mean different levels of study so it confuses some people :lol:

[Knotch_Blade]

My english teacher next year is scottish. I'm looking forward to the England v. Scotland arguments. :)

[Guest Rob]

I thought hell freezes over at -274°C?

(I wonder if anyone will get that nerdy joke.)

[Knotch_Blade]

Haha! That's great. :D

 

And, if I'd get into an Ivy League, I'd definitely apply. :)

[noble_aloof]

Almost anywhere you want really. I'm also a junior (at a prep school of 250 grade size that doesn't release class rank) and my sophomore PSAT of 192 was one of the top 10 in my class (told to me by guidance). my class rank (GPA) is presumably top 30% which violently contrasts with my top 2.5% that my psat score suggests.

 

If that was your sophomore PSAT score- you are incredibly brillant and if your SAT scores match your PSAT index you could probably expect to get into 2 or 3 ivy leagues or stanford. if only you were considered a minority (other than indian) you would have the best schools eating out of the palm of your hand.

[stevepole]

I say figure out what you want to study, start making list of states/ cities you'd be content to live for at least 4 years, then find all major colleges in those places, request information/ explore the in and outs of their websites. There are tons of colleges out there, it all really depends on what you want out of your college experience. With that resume, you're likely to get into most major schools. Some of the more prestigious schools might prove to be tougher but that comes with the territory.

[Skull]

You have a [cabbage] ton of time left still, you really don't need to worry about it yet. Besides, you have the grades and EC's. You'll be fine.

 

On the other hand I'm a senior and I'm way behind. Lol.

[tripsis]

You have a [cabbage] ton of time left still, you really don't need to worry about it yet. Besides, you have the grades and EC's. You'll be fine.

 

On the other hand I'm a senior and I'm way behind. Lol.

On the contrary, junior year is the perfect time to start worrying about it. You should start applying to universities around October and November of your senior year. That means that junior year needs to be dedicated to researching and visiting schools.

[Pinkbullet3]

I can't exactly TELL you (honestly, no one here can tell you where to apply. Just do your own research because you're going to college; we're not telling you where to go)... but I can give you some tips.

 

1. Start eyeing prospective teachers for teacher recommendations.

 

ALL the other students will be asking the same teachers for teacher recommendations in the fall of your senior year, so I HIGHLY SUGGEST you ask your favorite teachers for rec's at the beginning of next summer (around when you finish junior year).

 

Just try to avoid the crowd. Your teacher will be able to get your recommendation in with EASE. Unfortunately, I didn't do this, but I highly suggest doing everything early. Early early early.

 

2. Start looking for scholarships.

 

3. Keep your prospective schools list organized, and keep track of when all the deadlines are.

 

4. Apply to as many schools as you think you will need; heck, apply to all the Ivies if you want. Even though application fees are costly, you'd rather spend the $80 at a chance to get into a good school than not getting the chance at all (yes, I know you will be doing this next year, but meh).

 

And as Tripsis said, just visit as many schools as you can to see what fits you.

 

I suppose, you should tell us where you DON'T want to go (i.e. west coast, east coast, midwest?). Maybe we can narrow some suggestions if you do want us to.

 

Good luck on them AP tests too.

 

 

Perhaps more to come.

 

~ Fleshman at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

 

:thumbup:

[KittyKat]

Realistically speaking, unless you seriously work on your UW GPA, Rice is like a reach at best and Reed is about a high match / match. Baylor, on the other hand is probably a low match for you. Good luck!

[KittyKat]

Almost anywhere you want really. I'm also a junior (at a prep school of 250 grade size that doesn't release class rank) and my sophomore PSAT of 192 was one of the top 10 in my class (told to me by guidance). my class rank (GPA) is presumably top 30% which violently contrasts with my top 2.5% that my psat score suggests.

 

If that was your sophomore PSAT score- you are incredibly brillant and if your SAT scores match your PSAT index you could probably expect to get into 2 or 3 ivy leagues or stanford. if only you were considered a minority (other than indian) you would have the best schools eating out of the palm of your hand.

You demonstrate a dead-on understanding of college applications/chances.

[Knotch_Blade]

Regions I'd like to study in:

Texas, SW, West Coast, Northwest.

 

My UW GPA should be going up a lot, I had a really bad year last year because of my parent's divorcing. But this my grades are improving a lot (my class rank should go up, a lot of people aren't taking the courses I am).

 

My school is really competitive.

 

I don't understand the whole concept of "reaches".

 

Baylor, Reed, Rice and UT Austin are all schools I like.

 

Oh, and as for college experiences... I'm not one for huge sports teams, I'm kind of a recluse. My friends note me for really witty humor and über liberal viewpoints. I plan on maintaining my current relationship in college, and have no interest drinking.

 

I guess. I'm not really going to be a "frat boy" I'm not looking for a party school. I really love genetics, and I want to focus on my school work with a smaller group of friends.

 

Oh, and I refuse to go to an ultra religious school or a really conservative school. Because of my personal opinions, which is why I'm incredibly drawn to Reed. :)

[KittyKat]

Estimated percent chance of acceptance:

 

Low Safety: 95-100

Safety: 80-95

High Safety: 75-80

 

Low Match: 65-75

Match: 45-65

High Match: 35-45

 

Low Reach: 20-35

Reach: 5-20

High Reach: <5

[Zygimantas]

Damn, all that hard work and hard classes just to get into a good school? I do not have that determination.

[das1330]

Haha! That's great. :D

 

And, if I'd get into an Ivy League, I'd definitely apply. :)

 

 

Your scores and extracurricular activities are a little too low for ivy contention, but you are a shoe-in for all of the schools you posted, with the possible exception of Rice (where you still have a chance). For schools with a more academic orientation; the University of Chicago is a good place to look.

 

Almost anywhere you want really. I'm also a junior (at a prep school of 250 grade size that doesn't release class rank) and my sophomore PSAT of 192 was one of the top 10 in my class (told to me by guidance). my class rank (GPA) is presumably top 30% which violently contrasts with my top 2.5% that my psat score suggests.

 

If that was your sophomore PSAT score- you are incredibly brillant and if your SAT scores match your PSAT index y could probably expect to get into 2 or 3 ivy leagues or stanford. if only you were considered a minority (other than indian) you would have the best schools eating out of the palm of your hand.

 

A 201 PSAT is not terribly high; to have any significant benefit from the score you must be a national merit scholar. Similarly for SAT scores to be a significant help your score must be 2360+; the 75th percentile for most such schools falls in the 2350 range or so such that without a perfect score it does not help you much.

[KittyKat]

Haha! That's great. :D

 

And, if I'd get into an Ivy League, I'd definitely apply. :)

 

 

Your scores and extracurricular activities are a little too low for ivy contention, but you are a shoe-in for all of the schools you posted, with the possible exception of Rice (where you still have a chance). For schools with a more academic orientation; the University of Chicago is a good place to look.

 

Almost anywhere you want really. I'm also a junior (at a prep school of 250 grade size that doesn't release class rank) and my sophomore PSAT of 192 was one of the top 10 in my class (told to me by guidance). my class rank (GPA) is presumably top 30% which violently contrasts with my top 2.5% that my psat score suggests.

 

If that was your sophomore PSAT score- you are incredibly brillant and if your SAT scores match your PSAT index y could probably expect to get into 2 or 3 ivy leagues or stanford. if only you were considered a minority (other than indian) you would have the best schools eating out of the palm of your hand.

 

A 201 PSAT is not terribly high; to have any significant benefit from the score you must be a national merit scholar. Similarly for SAT scores to be a significant help your score must be 2360+; the 75th percentile for most such schools falls in the 2350 range or so such that without a perfect score it does not help you much.

I'm confused to why you suggested UChicago being that GPA-wise it's a reach at best.