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Hey there all you college acceptance wizzes, I could really use some help. I know the stigma of not putting all your dreams in one school, but with Stanford I just couldn't help it. I visited and just feel in love...I looked at the calander and I have just under 5 months before my early desicion application is due and I could really use some advice. Here are my stats:

White Male (we all know it matters)
4.0 Unweighted GPA with 4 AP's (2 more on the way with one class at the local unoversity)
Valadictorian
32 ACT
SAT 2's: 690-Writting (Hoping to raise) 700-Chem. (Probably leave) 710-Math iic (Try to raise)
SAT-TBA

Member of:
-Forensics Team (4-years)-(3 time state qualifier with a 9th place finish in humor, national qualifier in debate, first alternate in debate and humor)
-Theatre (4 years)-2 one act leads, 6 main stage leads
-Swim Team (4 years)-3 year letterman, 2 year captain
-STUCO (4 years)-Student Body Historian and Treasurer
-Interact (Service Club) (3 years)-2 year president, Vice President
-Thepians (4 years)-Tresurer
-Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra-4 years-Trumpet

I volunteer at the local United way, a local theatre, and with Big Brothers/Big Sisters (I'm a brother if you didn't guess)

I sit/have sat on the following boards:
-District Gifted and Talented Advisory Board
-Community Foundation Grant Committe
-Cache Bank and Trust Junior Board of Directors

I went to HOBY and a Rotary sponsored youth camp last year and plan to return to thr rotary camp as a counsoler this year.

I have worked for all 3 summers of my high school years and have held my current job since March.

I am also working on a summer research project with a student from Colorado State University.

If you were me what would you do to help your chances, what do you think are my chances.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME!!!!
JGriffith

By Sarbear (Sarbear) on Thursday, June 05, 2003 - 06:25 pm: Edit

Your "TO DO" list:

1. Raise you SAT II scores... a lot
2. Take WAY MORE AP courses
3. Raise your ACT
4. Do very well on your SAT (Good Luck!!)

By Hannajvb (Hannajvb) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 01:20 pm: Edit

It's curious that you already know that you are valedictorian...still a year left, right?

By Interesteddad (Interesteddad) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 03:54 pm: Edit

I'd say that your chances would be about the same as the average applicant's. You would probably make the first cut and get in the "lottery".

The odds are very low without a "hook" as most of the addmissions decisions are based on filling specific "slots" and you really have to give them some reason to consider you instead of the three or four other equally qualified applicants for every slot.

Offhand, you best shot at a viable "hook" to differentiate yourself may be the drama activities. Of course, there might be stiff competition for the drama slots, too...like in the year at Harvard when Natalie Portman applied. I'm pretty sure that a starring role in Star Wars will usually trump a lead in a high-school production!

By Serene (Serene) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:29 pm: Edit

Sarbear: i don't think s/he needs "WAY MORE" AP courses. I'll say, take most of the AP your school offers. My school only offers 4 and I took 2 of them (the two I didn't take were AP Art and AP Music Theory).

By Sarbear (Sarbear) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 12:56 am: Edit

I guess I have a really skewed frame of reference. My school offers 24 AP courses, so many people take 12+ AP plus IB courses. It's a magnets school though. So Jgriffith04 - not WAY MORE AP classes. Sorry!

By Amylase (Amylase) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 03:46 am: Edit

Sarbear, what's your school?