After looking at other threads i feel totally discouraged... But chance me anyway?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Hi! So this is my first post and I really hope you guys can help me!</p>

<p>I will be applying to colleges in the next few months and I was wondering if you could chance me for my reach schools!
They include: Harvard, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Stanford (Early Action), Yale, Brown, U of Penn, and Cornell.</p>

<p>These are the AP/Honors classes I have taken:
Biology Honors, English Language AP, Biology AP, US History AP, AP French, AP Calculus AB, AP Economics, Government Honors</p>

<p>I have had a 4.0 for my whole life and weighted I have about a 4.5 I think.
My school does not rank but I know I am at least in the top 10%.</p>

<p>I am a California resident.
I am Persian.
I am a male.</p>

<p>These are my extracurriculars:
I have been volunteering/interning at the hospital for 3 years and I am a shift leader (300+ hours)
Next week I will start shadowing my uncle in the emergency room God willing.
I have been doing Speech and Debate for 4 years and attended the State Tournament last year. (I am also the Chair for one of the events)
I have been doing piano for 10 years and will be taking the Level Advanced Certificate of Merit test this February God willing.
I was on JV Volleyball for my Freshman and Sophomore years.
I peer tutor at my school in Biology (AP and honors), French (1,2,3,4, and AP), and in all math levels until Calculus AB.
Got 2nd Place at the Synopsys Science Fair</p>

<p>Clubs:
California Scholarship Federation (9,10,11,12)
French Club (9,10)
Science Club (11,12)
Accent Club (play music for the elderly) (12)
Chance Against Cancer (Vice President) (12)</p>

<p>Other:
Attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine at UCLA for 10 days</p>

<p>Will get 2 awesome letters of rec from Biology AP and English AP teachers</p>

<p>SAT: 2030 (Retaking next month, hope to get at least 2150)
AP: English - 3
US History - 4
Biology - 5
SAT II: Biology M - 800
Will be taking Math 2c and French w/Listening in November God willing. Hope to do well</p>

<p>Thank you so much! I really appreciate all the help! Also if you can, let me know if all the schools I am applying to have good undergraduate Biology programs because that is what I would like to major in!</p>

2

<p>Would probably want SAT’s over 2300 and even then would put chances at about 8-10%.</p>

3

<p>I don’t think you really need a 2300+ to get in.</p>

4

<p>You think a 2300 would put this applicant as 8-10% chance of getting in??? 2300+ have something like 13% acceptance rate I believe and he would not fall below it. If he actually had a 2300 or above I think he would have a great shot. Even now, he has a chance.</p>

5

<p>I have known applicants with 2300-2400 SATs, outstanding rank/ records who ultimately attended truly creme-de la-creme schools (Harvard, Oxford, Williams and on and on) who were outright rejected at S. (in some cases legacies). 13%…maybe.</p>

6

<p>You’re really not competitive for these places without at least a 2250. Frankly, I think you listed too many reach schools to apply to. Def. look for safeties and matches.</p>

7

<p>“You’re really not competitive for these places without at least a 2250”</p>

<p>Not true…</p>

<p>As a current student at Stanford, I can tell you that I’ve met many people without high SAT scores. I myself don’t have a 2250.</p>

<p>What matters is how passionate you are about the things you love to do, not your numbers.</p>

8

<p>^Well, to be honest with prospective applicants, if your numbers are in the lower quartiles of the Common Data Set ranges for a most-selective school, you generally will need one or more hooks to be admitted. Hooks include URM status, first generation to college status, recruited athlete, extraordinary artistic talent, or “developmental” potential (parents are, or may become, significant donors). Residing in a state underrepresented in the student body can be a tipping factor, since these colleges prefer to have students from all 50 states in attendance.</p>

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<p>thank you very much everyone for your insightful responses! at54321, in what ways do you think I can show whoever will be reading my application that I have passions? Like in the places volunteer/ECs or in my essays? Thank you everyone once again!</p>

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<p>Also, it helps to declare that you intend to major in German, Greek, etc. as these large schools need to keep their undersubscribed departments occupied (but its got to be plausible).</p>

11

<p>I respectfully but vehemently disagree with ivydoc about trying to “game” your application by stating an intention to major in an area in which you have no plans to major. Not only is that dishonest, but it is entirely unnecessary at Stanford and its peer schools, and would be highly transparent to experienced admissions personnel in any case. </p>

<p>The best strategy is also the most forthright one: to make your application resonate as a cohesive whole, by highlighting the consistent development of your interests and talents over the years, and then describing how you would continue to develop, and share, those interests and talents with the college community.</p>

12

<p>I know three current Stanford students, all alum of my school, who have less than 2200, and in one case, less than 2100.</p>

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<p>I know three current Stanford students, all alum of my school, who have less than 2200, and in one case, less than 2100. </p>

<p>I have to believe that’s the exception not the rule for all unhooked applicants who were accepted recently.</p>

14

<p>Your club and sports records are not as impressive as they could be because you did not sustain a lot of the activities for more than a year or two, or they’re recent add-ons.</p>

<p>What looks much better is your hospital volunteering and shift manager status. I would play that up. Only don’t mention the fact you have a relative working in the hospital, or it will seem you got the opportunity due to connections and not your stellar qualities. The debate involvement and piano look good too. Is the tutoring a lot of hours? If so, then that’s nice also. I am not familiar with that science fair, so don’t know how amazing that is or isn’t. If it’s a big deal, then that’s another plus for you.</p>

<p>I agree that your SAT’s are a problem without something really super to counterbalance. Unfortunately, your AP scores are a little low too.
In sum, you are a mixed bag. Applying early to S might hurt your chances because of the stronger applicant pool.</p>

<p>However, I think you do have a chance. My guess is it could come down to the essays. Work very hard on them and make sure your fabulous personality shines through!</p>

15

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<p>2300 is the 75th% at Stanford. Dad2, no need to stress kids out by telling them they need over a 2300 when 3 out of every 4 students have less than that. Sheesh.</p>

16

<p>Yes, but those students are 1) children of major (current or potential) donors, 2) nationally ranked athletes, 3) URM’s, 4) the occasional president’s daughter or celebrity.</p>

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<p>"Yes, but those students are 1) children of major (current or potential) donors, 2) nationally ranked athletes, 3) URM’s, 4) the occasional president’s daughter or celebrity. "</p>

<p>1) I am the child of a middle class family.
2) I am not nationally ranked in any sports.
3) I am Asian male, who applied for Engineering.
4) I am not a celebrity in any way.
5) I participated in almost no clubs while in high school.
6) I DO have a unique passion, which I devote a lot of time to at home and wrote about in my essays.</p>

<p>People have this perception that every person at Stanford is some crazy genius. Stanford prides itself on having a diverse student population. These geniuses certainly exist, but not everyone here is one…</p>

<p>It is true, however, that every person I’ve met has had some special story or passion, something unique to them. </p>

<p>OP, the best advice I can give you to is to be truthful in your essays. Write about what you love to do, and good luck!</p>

18

<p>You look great on paper and appear to be very passionate about science/pre-med (?) which means that not having strong sports involvement seems a small factor of importance. I would work to your SAT’s up a bit, but honestly I think you are a strong applicant at the majority of your reaches. Your essays will be crucial so make sure you get some good feedback and help with edits. Good luck! Don’t let the threads scare you too much. Put in your stats and use it to compare with those that have been admitted – think you’ll be happily surprised to see you are already “in” at least a couple of your reaches.</p>

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<p>People at Stanford (and graduates) are definitley not all “crazy geniuses”: you’d have to go to Swarthmore, CalTech or MIT for that. They are mostly bright, regular solid citizens with very competitive high school records (like Duke, a top 10 university). Given the “crazy” popularity of the place, however, a 7% admission rate permits rampant capriciousness on a case-by-case basis (except for scions, super athletes, celebrity spawn, etc.).</p>

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<p>There are indeed <em>loads</em> of crazy geniuses here at Stanford, but of course not everyone. (Not everyone at the schools listed by Dad2 are crazy geniuses either, obviously, though there are plenty of extraordinarily talented students at all of these places, and many others.) Also, the admissions process here at Stanford is not “capricious” or “random”, though disappointed applicants or their parents/friends work very hard on these boards to have you believe that. The admissions office at Stanford, and at all most selective schools, has definite reasons for each admissions decision it makes. The fact that they get many more applicants who could succeed at their colleges than they can admit doesn’t render their decision process capricious or random, but casting the decisions that way seems to reduce the sting for those who are not admitted. It’s amazing how much energy some disappointed parents devote to sour-grapes posting in these forums, long after their kids have gotten over it themselves!</p>