Bulding World's First - Chances at Stanford?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So heres the question: What are my chances at Stanford University??</p>

<p>SAT: 2170 (Math-780 CR-700 W-690)
SAT II (Math II- 800 Math I- 750 Chem- 760 Physics- 700 US History - 670)
AP: Already Taken- AP World (3) AP US (4) AP Chem (5) Currently taking: AP Gov, AP Physics, AP Latin, AP Calc
GPA: 3.83W (hopefully my EC's and course load make up for it)</p>

<p>EC's</p>

<p>I have worked in the ER during summers since after 9th grade (175+ hours)
I worked at a retail computer store since I was 12 (650+ hours)
I worked at a systems builder for two years where I build computers for the German Air Force, NASA, and NASCAR
I am technical director at my school which essentially means I run all the lights for every event that occurs in out auditorium (1100+ hours) For our recent production of Phantom of the Opera, I one-upped the Broadway show, by designing and building a ridable, remote controlled gondola for the underwater scene.
I started my own business where i bough broken Xbox 360s off eBay, fixed them, then resold them on eBay. Fixed several hundred during the course of middle and high school.This business is now a registered LLC, and I act as its legal CEO.
I always have a project, and have worked on every water and land vehicle except hovercrafts and cars: yep, snowmobiles, jet skis, mopeds, you name it. My current project is building the worlds first full scale electric replica of the Bat Man motorcycle. Its currently over 11 feet long. I post videos of it on my YouTube channel which has recently been partnered with YouTube. (in case you want to watch: TheModificatioNation's channel - YouTube)
I played JV and Varsity soccer and lacrosse. (Start in soccer, not as good in lacrosse haha)</p>

<p>During the summer I went to visit Stanford and walked in to the admissions office where I asked to speak to the representative of my area. We spoke for about 10-15 minutes, and I got her email address. We have emailed back and forth a few times, about my application and my Bat Man motorcycle.</p>

<p>My Counselor says my Recs are really good and that theres a theme through my application which is restated in my Recs, so he says hats good. I got an outside letter of Rec from someone who I sold one of the Xbox 360s to, and who has been a supporter of me for several years, he says it was the best, and easiest letter hes ever written.</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm rambling. If there's anything else you'd like to know please ask and ill tell you. This is truly the school for me, and if there are any tips or tricks you could give me, im all ears.
Applying REA by the way.
Hooks:
BatPod, CEO of a business</p>

2

<p>You’re extremely well qualified, and I think your application has no chance of getting lost in the piles of similar-sounding students. How many other candidates will have built computers for the German Air Force and NASCAR?</p>

<p>The only concern I might have is that you already have one foot in the business world. Would you really be willing to involve yourself in campus activities like tech theater, or will you be too busy commuting to Silicon Valley and points beyond? Make sure you emphasize the things you want to do FOR Stanford while you’re at Stanford.</p>

3

<p>Well in my essay I talked about how I was going use my knowledge gained from the motorcycle to be a member of thier electric car development team.</p>

4

<p>Your test scores are good, and your ECs are impressive. However a 3.83 weighted GPA seems very low. It doesn’t matter how great your ECs are if you are lacking academically. That won’t make up for a bad weighted GPA. What is your unweighted GPA? Also, Stanford doesn’t look at freshman year, so this could help or hurt you.</p>

<p>What exactly is your class rank? It doesn’t seem like you’re the top 10% with that weighted GPA. I believe around 95% of those accepted to Stanford were in the top 10% of their class. And I can guarantee you that the small amount of those admitted that weren’t in the top 10% were probably URM, recruited athletes, etc. </p>

<p>I know you would be an ideal student based on the passion you display in your ECs, and intelligence based on test scores. But this can only do so much if you have a low GPA, and bad class rank/percentile</p>

5

<p>yeah i think you have an amazing shot</p>

6

<p>I think you have actually brought Stanford down to Match level. That is an achievement in of itself haha</p>

7

<p>lol why is everyone saying “you have an amazing shot” and Stanford is “Match level”. No reason to say this separate from a few impressive ECs. Your test scores are good but fairly average of those that are accepted. We still don’t know about class rank/percentile, but GPA alone should indicate that Stanford will be a reach for the OP regardless. A 3.83 weighted GPA. Don’t overlook this, because Stanford certainly won’t</p>

8

<p>Agree with SAT128. Still a reach, SAT a bit low, GPA will hurt you.</p>

9

<p>My high school is a very competitive private school. My school doesnt rank, but they do provide a GPA distribution chart, and I may be well in the top 10 or 15 percent. Thanks alot for all the replies. Any more suggestions?</p>

10

<p>This guy worked for the german air force. I dont care what your tests scores are that is impressive.</p>

11

<p>I acknowledge that ECs are very impressive but, unfortunately, academic records are subprime (by Stanford standards) so it’s still a reach, albeit reachable.</p>

<p>Cornell, however, should be brought to match status.</p>

12

<p>“This guy worked for the german air force. I dont care what your tests scores are that is impressive.”</p>

<p>Well let’s be honest here, when the OP says “I build computers for the German Air Force, NASA, and NASCAR” what exactly does that mean? It doesn’t matter how naturally brilliant the OP is in engineering, it sounds like he may have just been someone that ‘helped’ with the construction process. I imagine the designing and most of the major elements were not of his doing? It’s sounds similar to a lab assistant helping a PhD with an experiment, but not really having much to do with the planning or major elements of its execution. </p>

<p>I mean someone who has not yet even taken high school AP Physics, AP Calculus, or any sort of engineering courses can’t actually be as critically involved in such advanced designing/construction as it may sound. Right?</p>

<p>The other stuff is still good of course. The ER is basically volunteering/shadowing, then you have the paid work of the retail store, technical director (lighting, etc), and business involving fixing xbox 360s. The JV and Varsity soccer and lacrosse is good as well. I mean overall these ECs are really great, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s all extraordinary. But I think the OP would have some really excellent chances at schools like Cornell as Catria said, as long as the OP is correct in saying that he is in the upper group of his school.</p>