Ch-ants Me

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I posted one in the Columbia thread earlier, but would like feedback for other colleges as well.</p>

<p>Stats</p>

<p>I hear that my school is competitive, but it's not ranked anywhere I see. It's a private religious school from a wealthy community.</p>

<p>did not take SAT I
* ACT: 32
* SAT IIs: Math II (790), Literature (580), Physics (Jan 2009) -- i don't know any physics, the curve was just irresistible. I think i can get 700+.
* GPA:3.98 UW [out of 4.0], 4.25 weighted. I went above and beyond courseload offerings at my school. No one has attempted this courseload before.
[5 years lab science, 4 1/2 years math, 5 years english, 4 1/2 years social science, 3 years language (max offered), and taken in context of 8 mandatory semesters of religion classes]
*Rank: top 4% class of 175. maybe better, but definitely not worse because I got ELC.</p>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<ul>
<li>Essays: Commonapp one was about my upbringing. It was about voice (and hearing) and I related it to my family. I wrote Yale's about Scooby-Doo (it wasn't bad, trust me!). But all in all, they each had quite unique essay topics. I wrote them fairly quickly to be honest, but I don't know what else I'd incorporate into them.</li>
<li>Teacher Recs: One I believe was quite amazing. The other I never saw, but I would expect it to be quite well done since he has a history of writing these recommendations, and offered to write mine before I asked.</li>
<li>Counselor Rec: I'm expecting it to be rather bland. I never consult her.</li>
<li>Hook (if any): Both of my parents are entirely deaf. I am an immigrant (I moved here when I was 3 though haha), first gen American, my dad didn't go to college, I know Hindi, sign language, and English.</li>
</ul>

<p>Extracurriculars: Utterly horrible in my opinion. I never realized how bad they were until I saw this forum and see people that could run for Jesus (sorry if I offend anyone)</p>

<p>These are the ones I listed:</p>

<p>Mock Trial (11, 12)- I did three roles. Prosecution Lawyer, Defense Expert Witness, and Court Clerk. I also wrote my commonapp essay about it because I want to go into law.
Baseball (11, 12)- 2nd baseman, right fielder
Math Tutor: (10,11, 12)- 600 massive hours, but a rather bland extracurricular.
Volunteer at school for deaf (100 hours-ish) senior year
Mexico Mission Service (11) trip was cancelled this year unfortunately. I really wanted to go. (and it would have buffed my admissions a little)
Student Assocation (Student Emphasis Coordinator)- I did nothing, but I'm hoping colleges don't know that. All I did was encourage people to come to trivial SA activities. I was quite honest in the small space allotted, but of course I did not make it sound negative.
Chess Club (9, 10) - I regret putting this down incredibly, but it was a space-filler.</p>

<p>Location/Person:</p>

<ul>
<li>State or Country: California</li>
<li>School Type: Private</li>
<li>Ethnicity: Indian (the one with the dot unfortunately)</li>
<li>Gender:Male</li>
</ul>

<p>Other Notes:</p>

<p>I've done credited Summer School at Yale. Earned a grade of B+ and B in classes respectively (whoo grade inflation)
Also have done SS at UCSD (got an A)
Noncredited programs at Georgetown (IR and American politics)</p>

<p>I've dormed at colleges for about a total of 15 weeks, which I consider a long time, but I don't know, people here intimidate me.</p>

<p>My school does not offer APs, unfortunately, and I haven't taken any tests. I feel screwed in that area. I put in additional information that I was planning to take the tests in March, but I don't think that will help me any.</p>

<p>Anyways, that's about it. Chances are greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>If I made a mistake, please feel free to correct me and I'll do my best to learn from it.</p>

<p>Schools:</p>

<p>Columbia, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, NYU, Boston College, Brandeis, UCB, UCLA, UCSD</p>

<p>Thank you, thank you, and thank you.</p>

2

<p>good shot at all, i dont like the odds at the ivies except maybe columbia and brown (they are reaches for everyone), but i think your fine else where. For the ivies as long as u write about your upbringing in a great way like your parental situation, my guess is they will love it and let you in</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/623727-chances-would-appreciated-chances-back.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/623727-chances-would-appreciated-chances-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

3

<p>thank you, i chanced back :) </p>

<p>other opinions are invited!</p>

4

<p>bumpity bump.</p>

5

<p>You shouldn't worry about not having any APs. Colleges will understand that your school does not offer any. Your essays, if written well, should be very powerful as well. ECs, while not amazing, accentuate your interests and unique situation.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the feedback.</p>

<p>As far as my extracurrics and essays, my biggest hope is that they connect my essay on voice with Mock Trial, Student Emphasis, and my volunteer work at the school for the deaf.</p>

7

<p>bump :D ;D :D</p>

8

<p>I think you have a chance, though honestly, I think the 32 might be a tad low for an Indian applicant from a competitive private in Cali. I would retake to try and get around a 34.</p>

<p>I would definitely try to retake the lit SAT 2 as well. Also I would be careful with physics. I curve is lenient because the test is actually kind of hard and seriously time pressuring. I got a 5 on AP physics B but a 660 on the SAT 2 :(</p>

<p>As of now I would say Yale and the other ivies are a reach.</p>

<p>UCB is a high match</p>

<p>Brandeis and BC are matches</p>

9

<p>well these are outstanding stats but remember that IVYs like columbia should always be reaches for anybody
apply to 2 safeties, 3-4 targets, 2-3 reaches
but i think you can get into USB, UCLA, UCSB, and BC and Brandeis without a whole lot of trouble, those ECs are excellent regardless of others on this site and you have good chances for the nations top privates, like Northwestern, Duke, Rice, and JH
still you should apply to at least two of the IVYs, just try to make yourself standout in your essay because when you have 10000 applications with stats like these, thats all you look for</p>

10

<p>Thanks for the advice. I'll study hard for AP physics.</p>

<p>I'm hoping that my essay topics will stand out too.</p>

11

<p>bump, still looking for more opinions. I know it's rather pathetic, but it alleviates some of the anxiety come admission time.</p>

12

<p>bump 10char</p>

13

<p>B u M p 10char</p>

14

<p>bump 10char</p>

15

<p>You have a good shot at BC, Brandeis (although you are going to have to explain why you didn't go to a jewish school to them) the UC's. NYU should be about 40 percent chance of acceptance, and I wouldn't count on the Ivies. Still, you have a lot of options.</p>

<p>Also, chance me at <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/635063-small-town-junior-looking-advice-chances-big-name-schools.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/635063-small-town-junior-looking-advice-chances-big-name-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

16

<p>Perhaps OHKID's "jewish" remark was offered as humor,but it could be taken as anti-semetic. Brandeis is a non-sectarian school that embraces students from all types of schools and backgrounds based on merit. This is highlighted by its illustrious alumni--e.g. nobel and pulitzer prize winners, international leaders and those accomplished in business, academia and the arts --so many of whom are not of Jewish backgrounds. The school has no religious affiliation, although it was founded and is well-funded signigicantly by the Jewish community. Its diversity is attested to by numerous posts on this website and its statistics speak for themselves. In contrast, OHKID neglects to point out that BC is a sectarian, Catholic, institution--although I trust it does not screen its applicants for their religious backgrounds either.</p>