I’m new to this forum and a California HS sophomore just beginning to do preliminary college research. Obviously, this could change after high school, but my passion is for appellate law. I would likely major in political science, and maybe double in that with a math or physics. I’ve so far gotten A’s in all my classes and am tied with a bunch of other people for 3rd in my class of 800; of course this will change, but I can almost certainly stay in the top 5%. I have yet to take the ACT or the SAT (I intend to take both).
I’d like to ask you all what reach schools, match schools, and safety schools would be. Since I’m very new to this and haven’t really had any friends or family go through the application process, I don’t really know where I would fall on the spectrum of competitiveness. Additionally, if there’s any advice you care to share, it’s much appreciated. Thank you all!
For the moment, UChicago is at the top of my list due to what it sounds like the school social and academics culture is like. Please, please feel free to elaborate on that with your experiences.
PROSPECTIVE COLLEGE LIST (feel free to suggest!)
U. Chicago
Yale
Stanford
Northwestern
Princeton
U. Pennsylvania
Harvard
Brown
Georgetown
UC Berkeley
Duke
UC San Diego
American University
Anything from Gr11-12 is prospective, but I tried to project out as best I could to give you a full picture.
COURSELOAD
Gr9-
H. Algebra 2
H. Chemistry
English 9
POD (a mandatory course for freshmen)
Journalism 1
PE
Summer Community College: Psychology 1, Cultural Anthropology
Gr10-
H. Math Analysis
AP Biology
H. English 10
AP European History
Italian 1
PE
Gr11 (projected)
AP Calculus AB+BC
AP Physics C (M&EM)
AP English Language
AP U.S. History
Italian 2
AP Music Theory
Gr12 (projected)
AP Statistics
AP Environmental Science
AP English Literature
AP Government and Politics
Italian 3 (if offered and possible, AP Italian)
AP Computer Science Principles
SCORES
PSAT during Gr9: 1400
PSAT during Gr10: 1440
EXTRACURRICULARS:
Gr9-12 Long Term Strategic Planning (school governance) committee member
Gr9-12 Peer tutoring/paid peer tutoring
Gr9 Debate
-Clerk (officer, team somewhat defunct)
Gr9-12 California YMCA Youth and Government
-9: delegation Cabinet member (position abolished thereafter); statewide Forum (freshman program) Court Chief Justice
-10: member of Appellate Court program area UNLESS accepted into Supreme Court
-11: If accepted into Supreme Court, then that again + running for statewide Chief Justice, otherwise delegation office
-12: Supreme Court, hopefully either Chief Justice or delegation President
Gr9-12 Moot Court Team
9: Member, won 8th/24 in argument and 11th/24 in justicing at the local tournament we hosted
10: Secretary, competing at a local competition we’re hosting and probably one at Princeton
11: Argumentation/argument development officer, competing locally and nationally
12: Team Captain, competing locally and nationally
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