Environmental Earth System Science at Stanford

[mesocyclone]

I'm seriously considering pursuing a PhD in Environmental Earth System Science at Stanford. I'm presently a senior Atmospheric Science major at UC Davis, so I've already completed the standard physics/calculus/dynamics courses for the degree program. Until recently, I wasn't really thinking about grad school at an extremely selective university, but after starting to peruse the departmental websites and such I've fallen for the program at Stanford. We all hear how difficult it can be to earn admission to an advanced degree program at a place like Stanford, so I guess what I'm wondering is how realistic a shot I might really have in this field.

Like I mentioned, I have a pretty strong math/physics/meteorological background and am currently involved in research on climate impacts with a faculty member (similar to what I would like to pursue at Stanford). I've been actively involved in several ways with the Atmospheric Science department, organizing student events (including the construction and successful launch of a stratospheric photography probe, which was a collaborative effort between faculty and students), and I'm President of the university chapter of the American Meteorological Society. I've won a couple of university science writing awards, though have not yet published formally in any peer-reviewed journal. I anticipate very good letters of recommendation from three professors in the department (all of whom I know quite well).

My overall GPA is 3.86, and my major GPA is 3.82. I've yet to take the GRE (but plan to within the month), though I've heard that those scores are more of a formality at many institutions than a serious deciding factor in admissions.

Any thoughts or any suggestions as to what I might want to pursue in these last couple of months before I apply?

Thanks!