big dreams...small chance?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey...I'd really like to know my chances at some of my dream schools. I put a lot of time into an in depth profile and I'd really appreciate it if you gave me insight on it. thanks!</p>

<p>Schools of interest: Stanford SCEA, HYP, UPenn, Duke, Columbia.
(I was also hoping someone might be able to advise me on some match schools for me to look into :D)</p>

<p>Academics:
GPA: 4.0 UW 4.71 W
Class Rank: 1 of 354, shared among 0
PSAT: 223 (Hopefully qualifying for Semi-finalist)
SAT: 2180 (770 M, 710 CR, 700 W) <---not so happy about that haha</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Position on the Community Board as Teen Representative Liaison (2 years)
National Honor Society (2 years)
Spanish National Honor Society (2 years)
Amnesty International - Treasurer (1 year)</p>

<p>Piano w/ High School and National Guild Recognition (8 years)
National Art Honor Society - Founder and President (1 year)
County selective Gifted and Talented Art Program (4 years)</p>

<p>Recreational League Soccer (7 years)
Pick-Up Soccer (2 years)
Ping Pong Club (2 years)</p>

<p>NASA Scholars Internship (Summer '07)
Johns Hopkins Internship (1 year)
Captain of Johns Hopkins Robotics Challenge Team (2 years)
Co-Captain of Loyola College Computer Programming Team (1 year)</p>

<p>Details:
Over the year, I've put a lot of work in as the Teen Representative to our community's board. It's a position I really take pride in. My role includes sponsoring and hosting events for the community, representing the Village Board and the city association, serving as a liaison for high school students, and attending monthly meetings with the 7 adult members of the Board. I just got reelected for next year's term and my manager has congratulated me for "doing the best job in 11 years".</p>

<p>I recently became dedicated to soccer over the past year (though I've been playing for quite a few years) and I've put a lot of time into practicing and playing. My initial goal was to play varsity next year for my school but due to my Johns Hopkins internship, I'll be having schedule conflicts. I do plan to become active in college intramural opportunities though.</p>

<p>Really, a lot of my time has been committed to music and the arts. I've played piano many years, committing 6 hours a week to practice, and am playing at the collegiate preparatory level right now. I'm also a student in the County Gifted and Talented art program which accepts the best students in art across the high schools in my county. I put in 6 hours on Saturdays to work with a class of 25 or so. This year, I founded a chapter of National Art Honor Society at my school, and I'm hoping to bring an interest in art to my school. There are already 30 members and, over the course of next year, we'll be hosting a coffeehouse, art gallery, and raising donations for the art department.</p>

<p>I'm interning at NASA this summer for a highly selective Scholars program which selects 20 students in Maryland based on qualifications. I plan to use this experience as an introduction to an engineering major, as my interests lie in engineering and biomedical sciences. </p>

<p>I also plan to mentor with a researcher at Johns Hopkins during my senior year. The field of study hasn't been decided yet but I think it'll be in medical research or genetic engineering. It's a great opportunity I'm looking forward to.</p>

<p>It's been hard to go into depth about the points in my EC's. I really appreciate it if you actually read all that. I tried not to sound cocky or anything because I'm really a modest person believe me and this whole thing has been difficult haha. Well, here's my volunteer service.....</p>

<p>Volunteering/Work:
-I've constructed events as Teen Rep on Halloween for children and raised money for donations to various organizations. I've hosted our community Multicultural Day, and other events on Earth Day and 4th of July. I spend about 2 hours a week planning with my manager and two other representatives to produce a project at the end of every other month. Events last about 4 to 5 hours.</p>

<p>-I volunteer at a local kindergarten teaching young children Spanish and foreign languages. We make projects for them like hand puppets and teach them every month. </p>

<p>-I tutor at my school for both regular courses and Spanish on behalf of NHS and SNHS.</p>

<p>-I worked at a fast food restaurant in a mall over the summer of 2006 to gain job experience.</p>

<p>Awards/Recognition:
Rensselaer Medal for Distinguishing Students in Mathematics and Science
Washington Post Top Achievers
Piano High School Recognition
National Guild Piano-Playing Member Award (Preparatory for Collegiate Class)
National Merit Semi-Finalist (unsure yet)
AP Scholar with Distinction (unsure yet)
Student of the Month</p>

<p>Senior Year Courses:
English 12 AP
Photography 2
Calculus BC AP
Psychology AP
Spanish 5 AP
Mentor/Internship GT
Chemistry AP</p>

<p>Profile:
Asian American
Male
Maryland
Average Public School (ranked 1246 in country, about 10 seniors this year are going to some of the top 15 schools)</p>

<p>Woe is me for I am Asian haha.</p>

<p>I would really love getting accepted EA into Stanford but I'm prepared for disappointment. Duke is my second choice and the Ivies are always appealing. I'm looking for a medium to large sized prestigious school in urban or suburban settings where I can enjoy my college experience yet learn too. I'm avoiding backbreaking, quirky schools like MIT haha. One of my safety schools is Maryland College Park right now though I still have to look into those more. I'd appreciate any advice on match and safety schools!</p>

<p>I know my SAT scores are pretty low. I wish they were higher but I've already taken the SAT twice. Is it worth taking a third time? I plan to try the ACT in a few months. I've taken the Biology SAT II and the scores will be released soon. I'm taking the Math 2 SAT II and Chemistry SAT II in the fall.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot if you've read my app!!</p>

2

<p>A few kids from my HS have gotten into UPenn recently and they definately didn't have apps as impressive as that. The SAT scores aren't going to knock anyone off their feet, but they're pretty good, and with everything else I'd say at least one of those schools has got to accept you.</p>

3

<p>Wow,</p>

<p>I read the whole thing and I am very very impressed. Don't worry to much about the SAT retake it if you like but my opinion is that your ec's and awards will help your app better. You have a great chance at all of those schools and can you pm me about the NASA program thing I am very interested in it.</p>

4

<p>Your internships are very impressive. As is your community service work.</p>

<p>BUT you're from Maryland. And you're a boy. Which just puts you in a bad position.</p>

<p>Obviously you've got a great shot, but nowhere is a slam dunk. If you're lucky you'll get one to two of those. Although I think Duke may be less of a reach.</p>

<p>I say this because college admissions are disgusting. And because I saw, this year, kids from Maryland who got into Harvard with similar scores, GPA, ECs, etc. who got into Harvard/Yale/Princeton get rejected by Stanford.</p>

5

<p>thanks a lot for the advice! any other comments would be much appreciated :]</p>

6

<p>Another thing,</p>

<p>I say keep up the pace your going at. I think you will definitely get into one of the HYP. Also for Columbia I think you have an amazing shot at it. The 2 kids in my high school that are both going to Columbia have lower stats than you.. So you pretty much got this.</p>

7

<p>Your ECs are undoubtedly outstanding...especially those qualified by 'national'...the fact that you started a chapter of NAHS looks very nice as well--actually I'm looking into NAHS myself too.Are you planning on SATIIs as well?</p>

<p>You're profile is very strong. Your rank and ECs overwhelm any doubt about your SAT score and you are highly likely to be accepted by at least one ivy.</p>

<p>btw, what sort of art are you doing? digital, traditional?</p>

8

<p>Im a boy from MD, and I got into some top schools with highed SATs, but lower rank. You can get in anywhere if you write great essays; your stats are nice and you have good E.C.'s. What maryland school do you go to, curiously?</p>

9

<p>well Ceeli I like to do traditional art typically. I don't do digital unless its a little fun with editting on photoshop haha</p>

<p>darkrulerII, that's great that you got into top schools! I can't really say which school exactly I go to...I'm afraid thats a little too specific for my comfort but I'll say I don't live in Baltimore :&lt;/p>

10

<p>bump...... :[</p>

11

<p>Thats cool. Anyways, like I said, you can get in anywhere. I know it sounds cliched and all, but believe in yourself and your work, and you'll do fine. Good luck!</p>

12

<p>You would have safeties/matches for all but your ethnicity lowers that and your SAT scores aren't too good so I don't know...</p>

13

<p>um update......I just received my Bio E SAT II score...and I got a 740. Does anyone think that will hurt my chances at my schools of choice? I'm pretty much satisfied with the score but I would like an opinion...</p>

14

<p>it shouldn't hurt you by any means. thats a solid score.</p>

15

<p>alright then...it does seem like CC'ers tend to overemphasize those test scores...</p>

<p>bump on any other chance recommendations :[</p>

16

<p>bump n grind.................</p>

17

<p>stanford? mmm. i say your ECs are kinda discursive and all over the place. if you can find a focus and express that in your essays, they might be able to hide the SAT. i say 60% shot (in other words, more likely in than not)</p>

18

<p>thanks! yeah I understand that some of my EC's seem a bit extraneous. My true passion is art and I think I'll write about that. I'm in the national and spanish honor societies for schools sake and volunteer services. A lot of people in our school are in them. I play soccer as for a hobby...and I'm interested in biology and engineering so I'm trying to show colleges that it makes sense that I would choose my internships at NASA and Johns Hopkins...not sure how to though...I don't want them to get the idea that I'm going around resume stacking. Should I cut out minor interests that I have (like Ping Pong Club) ?</p>

19

<p>um another question? Do colleges like Stanford weight the Math and Critical Reading sections over the Writing? just wondering...</p>

20

<p>no. top schools generally treat the three sections equally. some small LACs still value math & cr significantly over writing</p>