Chance a much improved student? NYU, USC, Reed, UC's

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Alrighty, I haven't done one of these since junior year, when most of my stats were just speculation. Now that everything's concrete, let's dive straight in.</p>

<p>Major: English/Poly Sci</p>

<p>Academics:
GPA: 2.9 (UW)/3.2 (W) [Weakest part of my app, obviously]
School: Competitive Magnet (Public), Tech program</p>

<p>Tests:
SAT 1: 2300 (800CR/750M/750W)
SAT 2: 770 Math 2c, 760 US History, 750 Literature</p>

<p>AP's:
05/2010: AP U.S History - (5)
05/2010: AP English Language & Composition - (4)*
05/2010: AP English Literature & Composition - (4) *
05/2010: AP Psychology - (4) *
05/2010: AP Economics: Macroeconomics - (4)*
05/2010: AP Economics: Microeconomics - (3) *
05/2010: AP U.S. Government & Politics - (3)*
05/2009: AP European History - (4)
05/2008: AP Physics B - (3)*</p>

<p>Here's my "hook", if any.
Going to a competitive magnet school, I knew my GPA would be lower.
So, in addition to advanced coursework at school, I also independently studied for several AP subjects (marked by *). Highlights my ability/affinity for independent study. I also think it at least shows some sort of personal initiative.</p>

<p>Awards/Honors:</p>

<ul>
<li>National Merit Semi-Finalist</li>
<li>AP Scholar with Distinction </li>
<li>Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do </li>
<li>Orange County Academic Decathlon 2010: Silver Medalist, 5th place Team
Medals: Math (1st); Super Quiz (2nd); Art (3rd); Essay, Economics, Speech (4th); Music (5th)<br></li>
<li>Southern California Chess League Long Beach Tournament - 1st Place Unranked (9th grade)</li>
<li>Honor Roll (9-12th grade)</li>
</ul>

<p>Letter of recommendations:
1. English teacher I have had for 2 years, my favorite teacher, will talk about my strong writing ability. (great)
2. AP US History Teacher (decent)
3. Counselor (good)
4. Internship Mentor, Professor at UCLA. (generic)
5. Personal mentor, ex-USC writing lecturer and pending professor (great)</p>

<p>Personal statements:
1. Pretty good main essay, talked about going to school in a different environment
2. Explained my independent AP study regimen</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:
(* denotes leadership)</p>

<p>*Academic Decathlon; 11th-12th grade; 6 hrs/wk; 36 wks/yr
- Varsity Team Captain
- Team placed First in Division II and Fifth Overall
- I personally placed Silver (2nd Overall), winning 8 medals, promoted to board </p>

<p>*Environmental Club (Community Service); 10th-12th grade; 2 hrs/wk; 25 wks/yr
- Volunteer; Publicity Commissioner</p>

<p>Tae Kwon Do (Athletics); 6th-12th grade; 5 hrs/wk; 30 wks/yr
- six years of martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do
- Black belt 1st degree
- Gold medalist at the Golden State Classic Tae Kwon Do Competition. </p>

<p>*Troy Odyssey Productions (Video Yearbook); 12th grade; 3 hrs/wk; 25 wks/yr
- Filmed school events: dances, games, and rallies
- produced several short films/documentaries.
- Director, Footage editor, videographer, screenwriter </p>

<ul>
<li>Youth Expression Forum (Debate); 12th grade; 2 hrs/wk; 25 wk </li>
<li>Co-president,</li>
</ul>

<p>UCLA School of Dentistry Volunteer; Summer 2010; 15 hrs/wk; 6 wks/yr</p>

<p>Internship/ Summer Programs:</p>

<p>UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Internship; Summer 2010; 25 hrs/wk; 8 wks/year.
I was one of two high school students admitted to a selective undergraduate lab team for a Molecular Pharmacology study at David Geffen. Headed by UCLA Associate Professor Dr. Jing Liang, our project studied the relationship between the GABAA receptor and alcoholism through chronic intermittent ethanol treatment on mice. My role in the lab team covered every aspect of project: creating the solution, injecting the mice through gavage-feeding, recording data, and observing the results of multiple tests – elevated plus maze, LORR (loss of righting reflex), and Pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures (PTZ). The results of our study, which detailed ethyl alcohol’s effect on GABAA subunit Alpha-4 receptor synapses in the brain, were presented at the SFN Neuroscience 2010 Conference in San Diego this November.</p>

<p>Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Teen Volunteer Program; Summer 2007; 4 hrs/wk; 6 wks/yr.
During the summer of my freshman year, I took part in Cedars-Sinai's teen volunteer program, assisting in both clinical and clerical duties in the Neurosurgery department.</p>

<p>Additional Info:
- Low income fam (< 40,000/yr)
- Asian American (Chinese/Taiwanese)</p>

<p>Applying to:</p>

<p>USC
NYU Gallatin
Reed
Babson
Boston U
Claremont McKenna
Fordham U
Loyola Marymount
Pepperdine U
Pomona College
University of Chicago
Columbia U</p>

<p>UC's: UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCR, UCSB</p>

<p>Pratt Institute: Creative Writing</p>

<p>Thanks! Will chance back if you link.</p>

2

<p>I can’t really say much for other schools, because I don’t know much about them…but as far as NYU goes, I feel like you have a fairly good chance, especially with your choice of Gallatin. </p>

<p>The one thing that would worry me is your gpa, but NYU focuses a lot more on test scores than that anyways. I had a 2200 SAT and got in, so I don’t think you’re in bad shape there. </p>

<p>Also, Gallatin is known to be harder to get into than CAS, but that is because they are really looking for students that are going to take initiative in their coursework and are capable of independent study. From what you’ve written, it seems like they are looking for a student just like you. If they see that you’ve done a good chunk of your education through independent study, as well as your success with AP tests and SATs, they will probably be more inclined to a) give allowance for your gpa and b) accept you. I can’t say this would be true with other NYU schools, but I definitely think you have a good chance of getting into Gallatin.</p>

3

<p>Your SAT scores are amazing, and at some schools like NYU, they will “cover up” for your low GPA. However, your ECs seem to lack focus and I don’t really see a strong passion from them. Was their a certain passion/interest you tried to enhance particulary in your app? If yes, you probably have a shot at all those schools. If not, count out Columbia.</p>

<p>Please chance back! <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1062868-chance-swede-wharton-harvard-yale-etc.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1062868-chance-swede-wharton-harvard-yale-etc.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>bumppppppppppp</p>

5

<p>bumpity bump</p>

6

<p>I think you have a shot at NYU. </p>

<p>UC schools focus very strongly on gpa so you may only get into the lower tier schools in spite of your stellar SAT scores. </p>

<p>I would probably call USC a reach as well although if the rest of your app is really great, you might be able to make up for the low scores</p>