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I live in Istanbul, Turkey, and I'm half-American (citizenship + American mother). Last year, which would have been my

sophomore year in high school, I dropped out of the Istanbul International Community School. It's a very small school that's

very much with the times concerning education programs (all the way from PYP & MYP to DYP & IB), but the student & teacher

body has not adapted well and thus creates an unchallenging, uninteresting experience of being funneled into higher

education. Combined with the tuition, which is ~$18,000 a year, I just didn't think that I was getting the proper value for

my time or money.

There were two other schools that I could have gone to, but both were very similar to IICS (and one was practically a clone),

much smaller, and worse in most aspects. So I ended up sitting around at home for about a year. Not that I was idling. In

fact, I probably learned a lot more than I could have, had I stayed in school. Psychology and psychiatry, architecture, 3D

modeling and level design on the computer, photography, and quite a few other subjects.

Anyway, that's all I have to say to justify my decision. I took the first two sections of the GED on the 30th of September.

The other sections (Math, Science, and Social Studies) are scheduled for the 26th of this month. I took the SAT I on

Saturday, and I'm expecting 720-790V and 590-630M. Hell, I might get lucky and get an 800V.

So, here is my current list of colleges that I'm applying to, in order of preference:

Evergreen State College - Washington - Spring 2005 (I have until December 1st to apply)
Beloit College - Wisconsin - Fall 2005
Cornell College - Iowa - Fall 2005

You might see that I'm leaning towards the slightly unconventional. I chose these three with the help of Loren Pope's two

books (Schools That Change Lives & Beyond The Ivy League) and the YDN's Insider Guide To Colleges.

One thing I need help with is Safety Schools. My single choice for a Safety is a relatively unknown technical school that's

supposedly good in the field I'm interested in, video game design, but I'm unsure about the possibility of being "locked in"

to a particular industry.

Safeties:

University of Advancing Technology - Arizona - Summer or Fall 2005

Again, I'd like to mention that I'm actually serious about video game design and it's not just a childish whim; but I'm

uncomfortable with a career limited to the games industry. I know that majors don't influence career options that much, but

you can't be too sure with such an unconventional choice of a major.

If I go to one of my top choices, major (though the term is very loosely (if at all) defined at these schools) and/or career

prospects could be: Clinical Psychology, Education, Public or Health Administration, English/related fields.

What I'd like to know from you guys:

1. The probability of admittance to my top choices
2. Some safety schools where I'm likely to fit in and would have more options than computer-related fields.


Thanks!

EDIT: This might have been better in "What are my chances?", but I get a server error when I try to create a conversation there. Mods, feel free to move it.