deinfluence/influence my college list as an ex tryhard

about me:
low income
african-american
first gen
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
Weighted GPA: 4.23
rank: 90/582
AP scores: 1 4, 3 3s, the other two i didn't pass LOL
1200 sat, shooting for a 1400 by october
intended major: psychology and musicology (music w/ academic focus) or music cognition
low income majority (81%) high school

extracurriculars:

- rest founder - organization focusing on preventing burnout and poor mental health for musicians (31 articles published, 50+ interns and 750 followers)
- mental health alliance - president
- orchestra - president
- varsity orchestra viola section leader
- community college orch member
- psychology club founder + president
- PALs (peer assistant leadership); works with elementary school children 1 on 1 struggling with academic, social, or emotional issues
- whataburger trainer
- superintendent student leadership committee (5 kids per hs)
- principal's advisory council secretary (selected by the principal)
- pediatric neurologist shadow (20 hours)
- class president; freshman, sophomore & junior year (dropped due to mental health)

honors:
stanford cni-x & cni-x+ participant
student spotlight (given to 1 student every 3ish months)
ap scholar
college board first gen recognition award
snhs, nhs, tri-m

college list
ucla
university of washington seattle
northwestern
ucsb
duke
yale
U.T
brown
vanderbilt
ucsc
cal poly homboldt
cu boulder
university of oregon
u minnesota
texas state
U of H

additional info:
has struggled with executive dysfunction and extreme brain fog my entire high school career, and has gotten recommended by counselors, my dual credit high school psychology professor, and a licensed psychologist to get tested for ADHD, but i don't have the finances nor support to get therapy/clinical help, hence the decrease in grades junior year and lack of growth extracurricularly due to overwhelm.

fingers crossed i get a 4.0 first semester senior year to make up for it 💔 but pleasee lmk as a first gen idk how this works and as the title suggests i didn't know i'd be hit so hard by my mental health so i don't know what's realistic or not. thanks!!!

Posted Jul 10, 2026, 7:29 PM UTC

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