Are there any good schools out there for me? (will chance back)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, so anyways, I'm a senior in high school and I ever since freshman year I have really wanted to go to a good college. My goal was a college that was ranked as one of the top 20 most selective schools in the country. However, I've had some bad illnesses that have hindered my chances. What are my chances for one of the 20 most selective colleges?</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
5 classes total/2 Honors
First Semester: 1 B (English Honors)
Second Semester: straight A's</p>

<p>Sophomore:
1 AP and Two Honors out of 5 academic classes
I added Human Geo AP as a 2nd semester class
Straight A's both semesters.
I also participated in the science fair, which counts as a class, but I entered the program too late to add it to my schedule. The class is also honors weighted. </p>

<p>Junior:
3 APs and 1 Honors out of 5 academic classes. I also took a Junior college class first semester and self-studied for the AP Comp. Gov. Exam.
First semester: straight A's
Second Semester: 1 B (pre-calc Honors). I missed about 1/3 of my days of school due to illnesses. </p>

<p>9-11 GPA: 4.6
10-11 GPA: 4.7</p>

<p>Senior Year:
AP Calc BC
AP English Lit.
AP Physics C
AP Environmental Science
AP Government/AP Econ (1 class)</p>

<p>SAT: Will not take
ACT: 32 (third try)
SAT Subject: 770 US History 710 Bio E
AP:
5-Biology
5-European History
5-Comparative Government
5-US History
4-Human Geo
4-English Language</p>

<p>Extracurriculers:
Golf (4 year Varsity Co-Captain; 2007 Co-MVP; I have made the league qualifying tournament every year, but have been eliminated in the first round; My team has made the post-season the last two years, but we have not advanced)
SCPGA Jr. Golf Tour: i have played 4 SCPGA Jr. Golf tour events and plan to play 2-3 more. My best finish is t-16 and I hope to get 1 or 2 top 10 finishes.
Key Club (10-12): I served as recording secretary of my school last year and now hold the #5 position in Key Club International
about 230 community service hours
MUN: two year member (11-12) of MUN. its a class and club. I won an outstanding award at a small conference
Junior State of America (11-12): Co-secretary and regional expansion agent as a junior, co-historian as a senior.
Spanish Honors Society (10-12)
Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors Society (11-12)
Science Team (11-12): I'm currently treasurer. I competed in Ocean Bowl last year (5th at regionals) and was on the non-competitive science bowl team. I plan on doing Ocean Bowl, Science Bowl (competitive team) and science olympiad this year.
Science Fair: participated in my school and the Intel regional (not the big one) science fairs as a junior.
Academic Decathlon (12-new club)-appointed fundraising chair
Last summer I volunteered at a camp for autistic children, the summer before I went to a week-long golf camp and the summer before I did summer school.
CSF Member since freshman year
High Honor Roll every semester
AP Scholar W/Distinction. </p>

<p>Im from CA and part Mexican. </p>

<p>I feel like my stats are really, really weak and I'm wondering if my sights are set too high when I'm thinking about applying to some ivys (Cornell, Columbia, D-mouth), and schools like UCLA, USC, and Swarthmore. </p>

<p>My safeties are American and Santa Clara University? Are those two competitive for safeties?</p>

<p>Please be honest.
Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Is this a joke? You really think your stats are weak? Sorry, I find that hard to believe. You’re an URM, with near perfect grades in rigorous courses. You could maybe bump your ACT a point or two, but I’m not sure that’s even necessary. You have a good chance everywhere.</p>

3

<p>no, but I wish it was. I come from an EXTREMELY competitive high school and I don’t even think I’m ranked top 10%. My grade has like 10 students with perfect 5.0s and a bunch with 4.8, 4.9 GPAs and way better extracurricular activities. (like statewide awards). Thanks for the encouragement, but for my school, my stats aren’t top notch.</p>

4

<p>Here’s a little bit of encouragement.</p>

<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Frequently Asked Questions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/faq.html#28]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/faq.html#28)</p>

<p>Are a student’s chances of admission hurt if there are other applicants from his or her school or community?</p>

<p>*No. There are no quotas for individual schools, communities, states, or countries. A student’s application is compared rigorously with others from around the globe. *</p>

<p>I’m confident other Ivies think the same.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

5

<p>“My grade has like 10 students with perfect 5.0s and a bunch with 4.8, 4.9 GPAs and way better extracurricular activities. (like statewide awards). Thanks for the encouragement, but for my school, my stats aren’t top notch.”</p>

<p>Are all these other students members of an URM group? It makes a big difference. THe question is not whether you are top in your school, or even if you have the top stats for the college you apply to. The question is whether you stand a good chance of getting in, and being Hispanic really helps. You’d have average chances at these schools even without that hook, but with the hook I believe you will almost certainly get into at least one Ivy.</p>

<p>I could be wrong, but that’s my 2 cents.</p>

6

<p>I think you’ll definitely get into several of the top 20 schools. You really do have excellent grades and I don’t think you should be too worried. </p>

<p>“THe question is not whether you are top in your school, or even if you have the top stats for the college you apply to. The question is whether you stand a good chance of getting in, and being Hispanic really helps.”</p>

<p>Um…that makes no sense? The question IS whether you stand a good chance of getting in, and BEING top at your school and good stats, scores, essays, etc. HELP that chance. </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775406-being-recruited-but-chance-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775406-being-recruited-but-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>Don’t worry. You will get into UCLA and USC for sure. I don’t know that much about Swarthmore. I think you will get into Cornell and either Columbia or Brown. You could get into all 3 ivy’s but I don’t want to go that far and have you get disappointed if the cards don’t fall for you. Honestly if you apply ED to an Ivy I can’t see you getting rejected unless it’s because you are from a pretty competitive state when it comes to admissions.</p>

<p>Chance back at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/776353-i-might-well-take-chance.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/776353-i-might-well-take-chance.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>I should clarify that I’m only 25% mexican and my last name isn’t mexican at all so its not like I’m a full-on URM. Honestly, most people don’t even think I look Mexican at all.</p>

9

<p>I don’t understand then. Will you be putting yourself down as mexican on the applications or not? We assumed you were because you mentioned it.</p>

10

<p>Yes, I will put myself down as hispanic, but the thing is a lot of it depends on the last name. Like for example, student A (me) puts down Hispanic and student B puts down hispanic and has a hispanic last name. Student B is considered a significantly more unique URM then me. It helps, but I don’t think it will be huge because of my last name. I hope I’m wrong though.</p>

11

<p>"Um…that makes no sense? The question IS whether you stand a good chance of getting in, and BEING top at your school and good stats, scores, essays, etc. HELP that chance. "</p>

<p>Um, no, actually what you put here makes no sense. Especially with that question mark after the introductory clause. Are you stating that what I wrote makes no sense, or are you asking me if something else makes no sense?</p>

<p>I’ll asume the former.</p>

<p>To clarify my post, although I think it is already pretty clear - in college admissions you are compared to a pool of applicants with similar demographics. Asians are compared with Asians, URMs with URMs, etc. Yes, you are compared with other students in your school insofar as they come from the same geographical area and school. But that comparison is far less important than the comparison to people of your ethnic group. That’s just the way it is. Also, let me point out, the OP has a total of 2 Bs in his high school career, in what appears to be a very rigorous schedule. If you think a URM with a grand total of 2 more Bs than the top ORM in his school doesn’t have a better chance, I don’t know what to tell you.</p>

12

<p>Hi Everyone. I realize I haven’t been very clear. First of all I am mexican but only 25% and I don’t look Mexican nor do I have a Mexican sounding last name. However, I am putting it as one of my ethnicities. Could you chance me for the following schools? (again, I will chance back)
Columbia (ED)
Swarthmore
USC
Santa Clara University
American University
Washington University in St. Louis
Northwestern
Also, could you tell me where i could improve my chances?
Thanks!</p>

13

<p>It doesn’t matter whether you look a certain way or your name is a certain thing. They are not going to ask you to send a photo so they can see if you “look Mexican”, and many people who are 100% Mexican don’t have a Mexican name (think remarriage and adoption). So if you can legally use the distinction, use it. It makes a big difference - in your case it could mean the difference between getting into your top schools and not getting in.</p>