Are chance threads allowed?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>This is a thread I also posted in the "Chance me" forum, but because the forum gets s o much traffic it got buried after only one response. I haven't seen any forum rules prohibiting chance threads in this section, although I apollogize if I'm breeching conduct without realizing it. </p>

<p>I know that this is going to be a rather long post but I'd be very appreciative if anyone here could give me pointers on what to expect and how to improve my application. I've just finished my junior year of HS.</p>

<p>Basics about myself:</p>

<p>Male
White
Texas
Will be applying for financial aid (I qualify as economically disadvantaged if that'll help me out any)</p>

<p>Subject of interest</p>

<p>Mathematics and theoretical physics, with a possible minor in philosophy</p>

<p>Schools I've attended</p>

<p>Grades 9 and 10 were spent at a 5A (750 students in my graduating class) public school that is commended by the state for academic excellence. I left ranked as somewhere around 35 in my class of roughly 750.</p>

<p>Grades 11 and 12 have been/ will be spent at a private institution that is very competetive and selective (every college admissions officer I've talked to has recognised it and given it high regards) called the Texas Academy for Mathematics and Science. All the classes at this school are taken as regular college classes at the University of North Texas and thus are at AP level of difficulty.</p>

<p>Testing</p>

<p>Here's where I need help deciding what to do. I took the SAT to get into the private school I'm enrolled in currently and will take it again, but I'm not sure which subject tests I should take. I'm thinking Physics and Math obviously, but what should the third one be?</p>

<p>PSAT: 218 (still waiting to hear if I'm a semifinalist)
SAT: 2080 (Freshman year)</p>

<p>Courses Completed (by end of junior year)</p>

<p>High School lvl:</p>

<p>English (honors) - 2 years - A
History (Honors then AP World) - 2 years - A (did not take the AP test)
Math (honors) - 3 years worth - A
Chemistry (honors) - 1 year - A
Biology (honors) - 1 year - A
Physics (honors)- 1 year - A
Spanish - 3 years worth - A/A/B
Principles of Engineering - 1 year - A
Band - 1 year - A
Athletics - 1 year - A (duh)</p>

<p>GPA: 100.3</p>

<p>College lvl:</p>

<p>English Honors - A
Biology Honors - B
Chemistry - B/C
Pre Calculus/Calculus - A
Real Analysis I - A
Physics Research - A</p>

<p>GPA: 3.51</p>

<p>Courses I will complete during my senior year</p>

<p>Calculus II and III (includes multivariable and vector)
Physics (General Mechanics with Calculus)
Abstract Algebra (junior level course)
Real Analysis II
Ancient Philosophy
World Literature
US History
Poli Sci</p>

<p>Research</p>

<p>Since October of my junior year I've worked in a condensed matter research lab with a professor within UNT's physics department. I'll most likely continue the work during the fall and may (hopefully) be able to coauthor a paper with said professor.</p>

<p>Additionally I will be spending 2.5 months this summer (junior/senior year) working in a lab of the same field at UC Berkeley.</p>

<p>Other ECs</p>

<p>Eagle Scout (BSA member for almost 10 years)
UNT Dean's Honors List (Grades 11 - present)
National Honors Society member (Grade 12 obviously)
I will work as a math tutor through UNT's Math Department (Grade 12)
UIL (interscholastic) Mathematics and Sciences competitions (Grades 8 - 10)
Mu Alpha Theta (10 - present)
Event Coordinator for my school's Speech and Debate (and FBLA) club
Junior Statesmen of America Member (grades 11 - present)
Track and Field long distance running (working on a sub-40 minute 10K)</p>

<p>Letters of Recommendation</p>

<p>All the following are proefessors who'd be willing to write recomendation letters if I asked:</p>

<p>My Calculus/ Pre-Calculus professor who is an alumni of Stanford (undergrad) and Princeton (Graduate)</p>

<p>My Real Analysis professor</p>

<p>The head of UNT's Mathematics Department, who will be my Abstract Algebra professor</p>

<p>The professor within the physics department that I've been dong research with, who is an alumni of Princeton (undergrad) and Berkeley (graduate)</p>

<p>The professor at Berkeley that I'll be working with this summer</p>

<p>Legacies</p>

<p>None</p>

<p>Thank you for taking the time to read through this. I'd be very grateful for any help you could offer me that'd improve my application as well as give me realistic odds of making it into my target schools.</p>

<p>Thank you again.</p>

2

<p>Hi.</p>

<p>I'm going to be honest here, only because that's the only thing that would help. Feel free to disregard anything I say if you don't think it's right.
The Good
Moving to the Texas Academy
Research
Recs from Physics and Math people</p>

<p>The Bad
35th in class of 750? Not very spectacular.
Lack of Science or Math prestigious awards/extracurriculars
3.51 GPA? Princeton is probably gonna be tougher than UNT.</p>

<p>I hope you don't consider Princeton a "target" school, as you mention in your penultimate line.</p>

<p>Ways to improve:
Participate in more academic competitions.
Get straight A's first semester next year
Find a high temperature superconductor</p>

<p>I think you have a good shot anyway. As I read it, I didn't think "obvious this person will get in.", but I did not feel the opposite either. </p>

<p>Also, take whatever SAT II you want. Whatever else you take won't really matter.</p>

3

<p>Advice
Take your third SAT II in the humanities (English, history, language, etc.). Branch out and try to get involved in some EC's that stand out a bit more. Eagle Scout is good, but the rest are rather generic. </p>

<p>Thoughts on your resume
Your class rank at the old school won't hurt you. Princeton doesn't count your first anyway, and I don't consider 35/750 too shabby. Research is always a plus, but it's becoming more and more common. Your courses are great. I don't know how much UNT's Real Analysis course covers, but at the very least I imagine it's similar to the single variable analysis course that freshmen take here. To be taking that your junior year is very impressive. The thing that hurts you is your low GPA, even though you are taking college courses. Do you know your class rank at TAMS?</p>

<p>It's very hard to predict chances, but I think yours are above average. Best of luck.</p>

4

<p>Thank you both for your input TheMoment and Weasel. I realise that I'm far from guaranteed a position and thank you for giving me honest answers.</p>

<p>TAMS is not ranked...</p>

5

<p>I think your EC's are pretty good. Take the third SAT II in the humanities definitely. Are you first generation to college? If so, definitely bring that out in an essay. Also- I would recommend that you play out some details of the tutoring in the essay. You don't have typical "leadership" EC's, so you need to be explicit about your leadership skills as they come through the EC's. Overall, I think you are a competitive candidate. Good luck. But make sure you have some safeties you love.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the advice Pipmom.</p>

7

<p>show a lot of personality in your essays.. that's what's gonna get their attention</p>

<p>you have a good shot but try to stand out through your essays</p>

8

<p>I'll do my best to do that Luciana.</p>