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I've posted this before at the 'Chances' forum, but realized I have posted on the wrong forum, so here it is.

I am an Asian male student from Canada (Vancouver, BC)
Currently attending grade 10, local public school (I did get accepted to a #5-Provincially-Ranked Private school, but didn't go).
School does not rank, but I am certain I am in the top 3%, if not 1st. (Out of 280)
GPA: 3.7
Honours: School doesn't offer ANY honours or accelerated courses except in math which I took. So, instead of taking honours courses, I am taking courses a year ahead.
My school is horrible academically, offers NO AP COURSES! I do not know how it is ranked 9th in the province...

This year I took:
English 10
French 10
Math 11H
P.E. 10
Businesss Management 12
Band 10
Chemistry 11
Biology 11
Physics 11
Social Studies 10
Math 12H

SAT: Never took the real SAT, however, fairly accurate practice tests indicate that I should be getting:

approximately...
Math 750
Verbal 650

Haven't really studied SAT's so I still have a few more years to get my score up, so I can actually go and take it.

I have no idea about the SAT II's but I think I can get near 800's in Math, Chem, Bio, Korean. I dunno about writing, but I think I could squeeze myself in the 700's..

EC:

By application time;

Track and Field school team member 4 seasons
Norwesters T&F club member for 3 season
Volunteer at an educational institute as a T.A.
(100 hours)

Volunteer at a free ISP for seniors as a help desk support operator (200hours)

Comptia A+ Computer Technician Certificate holder

Comptia Network+ Network Technician Certificate holder

Microsoft Certified Systems Analyst in Windows 2003 (MCSA)

Leader and second guitarist of a trans-metal band (2 albums)
Member of school jazz band 4 years
Rock and Jazz guitar/bass player 5 years.
Grade 11 Representitive in Student Council
Student Council President

Awards:

5th finish 100m at the Vancouver & Districts meet
Biology 11, Business Management 12, English 10 subject awards.
Top 25% in U of Waterloo Cayley math contest
Top Scholar award Grade 10 at school.
[Projected] 3rd finish 100m at the BC Highschool Provincial Championships with a time of approx 11.30

AP:

AP Chemistry
AP MacroEconomics
AP Biology
AP Calculus
AP European History

As for school choices, (Major Biochemistry)

***********
Super-Reach
***********

MIT

======
Reach

Duke
Cornell
Amherst
Northwestern
Swarthmore
======

Match

Carleton
Emory
McGill
Illinois State (?)
======
Safety

Georgia Tech
U of Waterloo
Michigan State - Ann Arbor
U of Western Ontario


What do you guys think of my list? I'm probably mistaking some of my matches which are actually reaches or vice-versa. Please correct me, thank you.

PS. I prefer liberal arts colleges over research colleges, and do not need, and probably can't get any financial aid, I like colleges close to nature, but not necessarily rural.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Monday, July 12, 2004 - 12:40 pm: Edit

It's really hard to say without firm SAT I and SAT II scores to consider. You have a nice list of schools for your interests, but with the exception of the Canadian schools, I don't see any real safeties on the list at present - just matches and reaches. If you're interested in LAC's, some safeties you might want to consider: St. Olaf (in same town as Carleton, less selective, but excellent for sciences, Hope College in Michagan, Lawrence University in Wisconsin, Dickinson in Pa., Lafayette in PA., Rhodes in Tenn., Reed in Oregon (top notch for bio). Some other possible match LAC's: Bates, Colgate, Colby, Grinnell, Kenyon, Haverford. Good luck.

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Monday, July 12, 2004 - 12:48 pm: Edit

Michigan State is not in Ann Arbor. Michigan State is in East Lansing and it is a safety. The school in Ann Arbor is the University of Michigan, and that one is not a safety, it is more of a reach. I would not apply to Michigan State but I would certainly apply to Michigan-Ann Arbor.

And I am not familiar with Illinois State. Don't you mean the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign?

I also recommend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Johns Hopkins, Pomona and Oberlin.

You have a great list there. Good luck to you.

By Jrcho88 (Jrcho88) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 02:19 am: Edit

Thanks for helping out a confused kid. I am very confident of my future SAT I Scores since I will be taking the new SAT, which looks awesome. The 2 most retarded portions of the test are taken out, and as for writing, most schools require SAT II: Writing anyway, so might as well face it in the SAT I. I plan to take the new SAT on March 2005, trying to take advantage of what may possibly be an easier test, I would be in my Junior year. I will take again if my scores are under 2200 in March.

And, I was unsure of the school names, but here is the revised list.
***********
Super-Reach
***********

MIT

======
Reach

Duke
Cornell
Amherst
Northwestern
Swarthmore
U of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Johns Hopkins
Pomona
======

Match

Carleton
Emory
McGill (canada)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (does this belong to the Reaches?)
======
Safety

Georgia Tech
U of Waterloo (canada)
U of Western Ontario (canada)

What I probably will do is apply to 4 Reaches, 3 Matches and 2/3 Safeties; however, I still have my grade 10 summer, the entire junior and senior years left. Nothing is obviously set in stone for me. I just want to get going in the right direction.

Thanks for all your help so far

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 06:41 pm: Edit

Carleton is a reach, Georgia Tech is a match and Wisconsin is a safety.

The rest seems accurate.

By Harpgirl27 (Harpgirl27) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 06:57 pm: Edit

If you're from Vancouver, why aren't you looking at UBC?

By Jrcho88 (Jrcho88) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 01:56 am: Edit

Oh, I am looking at UBC, but I did not feel the need to post for advices on my choice for that school since I probably know more about UBC than most people here who are in the states.

Alexandre, don't you think I am over-valuing myself? What do I need to improve on in to move Carleton down to the matches and G.T. to the safeties?

Note, I still have a lot of time for some serious change in the way my application will look like.

By Harpgirl27 (Harpgirl27) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 01:43 pm: Edit

There are two Carletons, aren't there? One in Minnesota, and one in Canada? Make sure you two are thinking of the same one.

Noelle
McGill class of '08

By Jrcho88 (Jrcho88) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 03:55 pm: Edit

I am talking about the one in minnesota, and that. probably is a reach, but the one in ottawa may be a match for me, but I've never looked into that school.
Thanks for your input

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 05:17 pm: Edit

There isn't much a person can do to make Carleton a "match". It is a very selective university. Inproving your Verbal score on the SAT to a 700+ will improve your chances, but it will still me a moderate reach. Great school though, so it is worth applying to.