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I'm going to be a senior next year, and I'm trying to, like everyone else on this board, create a solid list of colleges to apply to. These are my stats:

White male from small town (8,000-) in California Central Valley.

Rank 1 out of 237
GPA: 4.3 weighted (its rising, jazz band brings it down), 4.0 unweighted
most rigorous courseload available at my school
SAT: 1440 (730 M, 710 V)
SAT II: Math IC: 730, Writing: 710, and Lit:640 (retaking, bad experience, proctor said ten minutes when we had 20) I'm also planning on taking IIC.

I took AP Lit and AP Chem this year, and took the AP Hist. test (not a class offered at my school), I'm taking AP Physics, AP Calc., AP Lang., AP Spanish IV, Civics/Economics, and Honors Humanities or AP Psychology. I plan to maintain straight A's.

Some EC's:
-Eagle Scout
-Interact Club (2 year president, 1 year director of community service, currently District govenor)
-Music (play 6 instruments, commendable at 2)
-local symphony, city band, county honor band 3 yrs (probably 4), all-state band, jazz band, etc.
-Tennis team(2 years, will be 3)
-Fencing (took a class at a local college, like it a lot, might pursue in college)
-French Club (President 2 yrs.)
-California Scholarship Federation (President, life member)
-Acadecmic Decathlon (honors starter 3 yrs., prob. 4) (first freshman on starting team in my school's history)
-Westside Challenge (academic decathlon pre-competition)- placed 5th, 6th, and last year 2nd overall
-School Drum major (sophomore year)
-Band Council (President Sophomore year)
-Visual and Performing Arts Club (3 yrs, will be four)
-Knowledge Bowl- captain of the two year champion team
-Camp Royal- Rotary Youth Leaderchip Camp
-Drama- two school plays (will be three) starred in one
-Tutor- algebra
-Special Olympics Club member (vice president sophomore year)
-University of the Pacific summer music Camp
-Golden Bear Junior Leadership Training (Boy Scouts)
-Senior Patrol Leader in Boy Scout troop
-USA Drum Major Camp (numerous ribbons)
-DeMolay member(youth group sponsored by the Masonic Lodge)
-6th grade science camp counselor (1 yr., will be two)
-Escalon City Youth Advisory Counsil- Mayor Pro-Tem, Director of Distant Activities
-Attended 6 Interact district conferences
-Gone to mexico 2 times with Interact Club to put up playground equipment in neglected schools and give donate books and sports equipment to the children
-Over 650 hours of community service, hope to make 800 by the time applications are due


Awards:
-Eagle Scout
-Academic Awards in: Band, World History, US History, Biology, Humanities I, Spanish II, Humanities II, Spanish III, and Tigonometry
-Golden Cougar Award (to a freshman in band)
-Govenor's scholarship
-Scholar Athlete award (2 yrs., tennis)
-Medals in United States Academic Decathlon competition

I know that my awards are lacking a little, but I plan on fixing that (ideas would be GREAT!). I'm also planning on starting two new clubs at my school next year. Amnesty International and a Political Club (still need to decide on Republican or Democratic). As far as the essays will go, I'm a pretty good writer, and I'm confident that mine will be creative.

I'm very interested in majoring in something like International Relations, or a language like Greek, French, or Italian. Suggestions on how I can improve my ECs and Awards to get into Cornell are more than welcomed. Thanks.

By Bjclamhair (Bjclamhair) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 11:11 pm: Edit

If you have enough time to type out your entire life story, I have questions. To soothe your soul, which you should have been able to do on your own, your SAT scores are above the 50th percentile for Cornell and your rank of course could be no better, but this may come to your surprise but having so many activities will probably hurt you because there is no way you can DEVOTE yourself to all of them. The term is "chronic joiner." The best thing you can do is choose the ten or so that are most important to you over the four years of HS and write them down or else they'll get the perception that I have gotten.

By Blankspace (Blankspace) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 02:50 am: Edit

Thank you. I know that I am in a lot of activities. I'm only planning on putting the ones that I'm devoted to on my app. Knowing this, what do you think my chances are? What other things could I improve?

By Ubercollegeman (Ubercollegeman) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 04:51 am: Edit

Unless you really screw up sometime between here and application time (suspension, DUI, etc ) you're in at Cornell. I wouldn't consider it a reach for you.

By Tinwhisker (Tinwhisker) on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 08:27 am: Edit

Even though your rank is great, I don't think you're in cause your SAT is around average for a white male applicant.

Chances are better than 50/50 early decision.
Probably less than 50/50 regular decision. This is assuming you are applying to the Arts and Sciences College (has all of the language and IR courses).

Visit Cornell not only to decide if it is your first choice, but to show them you are interested in the school. It will help your chances.

just my two cents-

By Jcas323 (Jcas323) on Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 11:15 am: Edit

You can't base everything on SAT's though,it seems he has a lot more to him than that anyway. Cornell looks for students that are really well balanced, and often look past the SATs. His SATs are good too.

By Blankspace (Blankspace) on Friday, July 09, 2004 - 03:22 am: Edit

thank you Jcas