Beginning to evaluate myself... MIT, Cornell, Harvey Mudd

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello everyone, I'm a junior in highschool, and I've just begun to think about college. I'm sort of analyzing myself and trying to determine what my chances are at certain universities and what I should do in the meantime to help myself get accepted.</p>

<p>The schools that I am interested in are:</p>

<p>MIT, Harvey Mudd, Cornell, UC Berkely, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford</p>

<p>I've been browsing through these boards and have seen some pretty awe-inspiring credentials. I have never felt so stupid ;)</p>

<p>Anyways, here are mine:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.5 adjusted, 4.0 unajusted (this year only, but I have gotten consistent A's except for one B freshmen year, but, I had no AP courses previously)</p>

<p>I haven't taken the SAT's yet, but I got a 224 selection index on my psats, which my counselor assures me means that I will most likely be a National Merit Semifinalist (cutoff has hovered around 216 or so for the past several years, and doesn't shift much), and she says I will most likely be a finalist. That's what she says.</p>

<p>I got a 77 critical reading, 74 writing skills, and 73 math (I was mad about that, I only missed two questions, stupid mistakes!)</p>

<p>Anyways, I hopefully will be able to raise the math score on my SATs.</p>

<p>I was one of 3 students selected from my junior class to participate in the achievement awards in writing, 2005.</p>

<p>I am an avid runner, swimmer, and cycler, and will begin competing in triathalons soon My other sport hobby is my unicycle, which I ride all the time. Oh, and I am on the bowling team, I go bowling every weekend, compete every once in a while.</p>

<p>I volunteered at a skatepark the summer before last for 4 weeks,
I worked at the Beckman Center for Genetic Research at Stanford University last summer, 80 hrs
(I was a computer assistant, pretty lowly job, but prestigious place to work)</p>

<p>I devote lots of my time to computer engineering, which I am teaching myself at home (no courses offered at school)</p>

<p>Um, I was student of the year in 5th grade, won the spelling bee... 30 hours of chemistry tutoring this year.</p>

<p>Right now I am in pre-calculus, which is a very easy class. I plan to take calculus AB over the summer and then calculus BC next year as a senior...</p>

<p>So yeah, that's everything I can think of. I have another job offer to work at the engineering department at Stanford this coming summer, should I go do that? I don't know exactly what I would be doing there. Any summer recommedations? I really want to get a cool internship or some sort hopefully.</p>

<p>Anyways, I hope to build my credentails. Right now that aren't that impressive, but I'm looking for suggestions on what to do, as well as: Am I in the right ballpark for college? Or should I lower my expectations?</p>

<p>Also, could anyone explain what the RSI thing is that everyone is talking about? I appreciate it</p>

2

<p>just get involved some clubs that interest you and keep up the grades and you'll get in anywhere. . . what do you want to major in?</p>

3

<p>Your EC's are a little weak...how good are you at those sports? Try to get a better research position this summer.</p>

<p>I think you missed the application date for RSI...no offense but you probably wouldn't have gotten in anyways, unless you've done USAMO or something of the sort. If you're still curious and want to check it out, there's an enormous thread in the high school forum about it.</p>

4

<p>Student of the year in 5th grade? Are you going to put that on your college application? Should I put that I was salutatorian in 5th grade?</p>

5

<p>You have a good shot at Harvey Mudd, UCB, and probably CM, which are more numbers based; the others, especially Stanford, will be harder to get in to. You might want to look in to applying to CalTech as well.</p>

6

<p>yeah, i had a feeling MIT was a long shot (or even more than that). My EC's suck, I agree. I'm going to try to up the ante a bit. I am reasonably good at those sports but not at a star level.</p>

<p>CalTech? Are you serious? I thought it is harder to get into than every other school I've mentioned.</p>

<p>lol @ the student of the year responses.</p>

7

<p>and lol at you for including it.</p>

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<p>"CalTech? Are you serious? I thought it is harder to get into than every other school I've mentioned."</p>

<p>once you get to schools at HYPSMC you really cant honestly claim that one is harder to get into than the other. theyre all close to impossible, and if you do, you probably deserved it. but anyways, if youre applying to MIT and Stanford, why not apply to Caltech? Mit techiness in stanford california (sorta, norcal vs. socal). but still caltech is super awesome, if its for you apply. but i recommend visiting, its a very different place. i had a friends brother show me around. the people are really nice and laidback despite their super super super high IQs and ultra nerdiness. people were playing smash brothers and others were watching beverly hills cop 2 while i was there. but they also are really really really nerdy, and have a really weird dinner system. its kinda cool, but kinda weird. but visit and find out if its for you.
caltech is pretty cool though. i wont deny the fact that in my room, next to my picasso and ratm posters i have 2 caltech posters that i got in the mail. i ended up not applying but i still love the school.
so. apply to caltech!! do it for me!!!! im kidding, if you do, do it for yourself, you probably already knew that.
good luck!</p>