Am I Shooting Too High?

<p>Credentials:
S. Asian Male/Rising Senior/NY
UWGPA: 3.7369
WGPA: 3.8043
Graduation: Summer '08</p>

<p>11th Grade:
AP Biology
AP English Language
AP US History
Physics
Pre-Calc</p>

<p>12th Grade:
AP Psychology
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B
AP Macroeconomics
AP Literature</p>

<p>Standardized Tests:
PSAT: 1910 (10th Gr); 1960 (11th Gr)
SAT: 2200 / CR:670, MATH:760, WRITING 770 (Re-Taking)
SAT IIs: US History-730, Biology E-710, Math IC-660</p>

<p>Extra-Curricular Activities:
North Shore University Hospital Junior Volunteer: 150 Hours+
Shelter Rock Public Library: Teen tutor for senior citizens
DECA 10-12
Freshman Focus Peer Connectors 11-12
Chuch: Youth Leader/Director for 3 Years
India: Helped build a church in Kerala (Koothattukulam)
Family and Children's Association Volunteer
New York Blood Center Volunteer
Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition Participant (Maybe)</p>

<p>Recommendations:
AP US Teacher (Columbia Univ.)
Physics Teacher (Hofstra)
Family and Children's Association Director (Maybe)</p>

<p>Interested in biomedical engineering --> medicine.</p>

<p>Chances at:
Stony Brook Honors
Binghamton University
New York University
University of Michigan
Boston University
Boston College
Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
Drexel University
University of Pennsylvania
Washington University
Cornell University
Brown University
University of Chicago
Princeton University
Johns Hopkins University
Columbia University
Lehigh University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Rochester
George Washington University</p>

<p>You don't need to chance me for every school I listed here.
All comments/criticisms welcome. </p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>I don't think Chicago offers BME... I know they have premed and biochem and bio, but we don't offer engineering classes... is that okay by you? (I have to be honest, I don't even know what BME is and how it compares to regular bio).</p>

<p>We do, however, offer biophysics, or nanotechnology, or we say we do. Check out for sure: <a href="http://www.bsd.uchicago.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.bsd.uchicago.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>It seems like you've chosen other schools on your list by their strength in engineering. I'm a big fan of Stony Brook/ Bing, which are good safeties, and if I were you, I would cut out Lehigh, RPI, U of R, GWU, and Drexel, unless you feel they offer something much better than the SUNY schools.</p>

<p>The only schools on your list that pop out as being reaches are Princeton, Columbia, Brown, and possibly Cornell. If I were you, I would apply E.D. to Columbia rather than any of the other Ivies because Columbia's early acceptance rate is much higher and as such e.d. will be more beneficial. Johns Hopkins is a slight reach, but not much. Stony Brook looks terrible as far as student reviews..seems like you could do better.</p>

<p>But of course you shouldn't apply ED to Columbia unless that is your absolute #1 since it is binding.</p>

<p>unalove:
I guess I could deal with no BME, if I did get accepted into UChicago...With my credentials, would you say that there's a possibility for acceptance?</p>

<p>Pgillon & gub: How about Early Action to Columbia? I know there would be less of a chance to get in than if I did ED, but would I still have a shot?</p>

<p>Thoughts of others are welcome as well. Thanks to all who have replied already. =]</p>

<p>for top schools, mediocre test scores, mediocre GPA, below average ECs</p>

<p>reject by University of Pennsylvania
Washington University
Cornell University
Brown University
University of Chicago
Princeton University
Johns Hopkins University
Columbia University</p>

<p>in at the rest</p>

<p>firefox:
Thanks for the comment. Would applying to those top schools with ED or EA better my chances to get in? Or would there be no difference...</p>

<p>More thoughts/comments welcome. Thanks.</p>

<p>Columbia does not offer Early Action. Chicago does, and it's non-exclusive and non-binding, as long as the other schools you are apply to early are okay with it.</p>

<p>I hesitate to give direct chance predictions, because, let's face it, we are not admissions officers, not even at the school that I know best (UChicago). What I will tell you is that you're in the running at all the schools you're considering.</p>

<p>Maybe one thing: I think I know what high school you attend, and if you do, they have horrible grade inflation. Do you have a class rank?</p>

<p>I attend Herricks High School. They don't have class rank. I think they have bad grade inflation too. Why?</p>

<p>Columbia says that ED students have the same chances as RD...
So idk what Pgillon is talking about.</p>

<p>Columbia's ED acceptance rate: 39%
Non-ED acceptance rate: 10%</p>

<p>It's a big advantage to apply ED.</p>

<p>Wow, I think I'm gonna try and apply to Columbia ED.
Someone else recommended I try Cornell too. I don't know if that's worth it. Is it?</p>

<p>Thanks for the comments guys. Any other thoughts welcome.</p>

<p>ED helps, but not as much as you think it does</p>

<p>Gotcha.</p>

<p>How're my ECs? Are they too weak? Will they get me into most of these colleges?</p>

<p>I was curious about class rank because it's not clear how difficult it was to attain your GPA, and class rank is a good indicator of how you are performing relative to your classmates.</p>

<p>I think your EC's are fine-- you've done a lot of volunteering and peer leadership, which shows that you're committed and you give back to the community. Just keep on doing whatever you're doing.</p>

<p>Oh okay. Well, our valedictorians, salutatorians, and other top students usually manage to get 4.1 or 4.2 Weighted GPAs, so there isn't much grade inflation.</p>

<p>Is it worth applying to colleges like Washington University and Johns Hopkins? Do I have realistic chances to get into them?</p>

<p>take math IIC
did you get any awards?</p>

<p>I'm gonna try and take Math IIC after I take the SAT I again in October.
And I haven't really got any awards...Will that hurt my chances a lot?</p>

<p>yeah, because then you don't stand out that much, but good community service stuff.
You'll get in if you're extremely lucky for the ivies (less luck needed for cornell)</p>

<p>you'll probably get into the rest</p>

<p>Decent gpa, decent tests, decent ecs</p>

<p>I pretty much agree with firefox's predictions</p>