Chance a run-of-the-mill kind of guy (please)!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>I just wanted to make a chance thread to finalize my college list :D I think I may be applying to too many reaches, so I would like opinions on where I stand for the top-tier schools that I'm applying to. All feedback is appreciated. </p>

<p>Intended Major: Physics/Comp Sci/Engineering (Electrical or Computer)
Ethnicity: Indian
Gender: Male
State: CA
School: High-ranking public, several get into high-ranking colleges (i've counted 20+ into HPYSM)</p>

<p>9th grade:
Lit (A/B)
Algebra2/Trig (B/B)
Biology (A/A)
Java (A/A)
French 1 (A/A)
PE (had to drop 1st sem due to broken arm/A)
Drama (A/A)</p>

<p>10th grade:
World Lit (A/A)
Pre-Calc H (A/A)
Chem H (A/A)
French 2 (A/A)
World History (A/A)
AP Comp Sci AB (B/A)</p>

<p>11th grade:
AP Language and Comp (A/A)
French 4 H (A/B)
AP Calc B/C (A/A)
AP Chem (A/A)
Advanced Drama (A/A)
US History (A/A)
Physics 4A: Mechanics at Community College (A)</p>

<p>12th Grade:
AP English Literature
AP Statistics
AP Biology
AP US Government/Econ
Advanced Drama Honors</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA (9-11): 3.895
Weighted GPA: School doesn't weight
Rank: School doesn't rank (I may not be in top 10 percent, though. Will this severely affect me?)</p>

<p>SAT I: 2340 (800 CR, 780 M, 760 W)</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math IIC: 800
Chemistry: 800
World History: 750</p>

<p>AP Scores:
Comp Sci A (5)
English Language and Comp (5)
Calc B/C (5)
Chemistry (5)
Physics C: Mechanics (5)</p>

<p>Clubs/Activities:</p>

<p>Astronomy Club Gr 9-12, President Gr 11, 12
Model UN 9-12, Treasurer Gr 11, President Gr 12
CSF Gr 9-12 (Have done about 100 hrs community service so far, will have done 120 by college app time)
Thespian Society (Drama Club) Gr 11-12
Link Crew (People who greet freshmen and work with them throughout year), Gr 12
Class Secretary, Gr 12
STAAR Tutoring (Tutor 2 students at school), Gr 11</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>"Grand Concours" 10th place (National French Competition)
Several Awards in MUN
PTSA Recognition Award
AP Scholar with Distinction
National Merit Semifinalist</p>

<p>Drama:</p>

<p>Mystery Dinner Theatre (lead role) Gr 11
One Act Festival (lead role in a one act scene) Gr 11
Improv Night Actor Gr 11</p>

<p>Summer:</p>

<p>Summer Intern at "Ikain.Com" (tutored students over webcam, troubleshot site) (2009)
Attended COSMOS (2010)
Interning with a guy at NASA doing original research, entering Siemens, probably Intel as well (with a slightly different project, though)(2011)</p>

<p>Chance me for:</p>

<p>Harvard
Yale
Princeton
Columbia
Cornell
UChic
Carnegie-Mellon
UC Berkeley
UCLA</p>

2

<p>Bump ;____;</p>

3

<p>I think you have really great chances at UChicago, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkley, and UCLA! HYPC are a little tricky to say anything about for sure, but you are qualified! Good luck!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1196782-chances-brown-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1196782-chances-brown-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>you claim you’re run of the mill and you have a 2340? Are you serious? Wow, I’m seriously considering reporting you. Posting such threads is an outright insult to kids who are ACTUALLY run of the mill, and need ACTUAL assistance in getting into college.</p>

5

<p>Nah, I disagree - he IS run of the mill for this website - decent scores and grades but poor ECs. For those reasons, I say you’re rejected at HYPMS and competitive at Chicago, but by no means in. In at the UCs too.</p>

6

<p>

</p>

<p>President of two clubs, clear interest in astronomy, an interest in theatre, and volunteering/tutoring.</p>

<p>You call those poor ECs?</p>

<p>Get real.</p>

7

<p>

</p>

<p>I can see you haven’t been reading College Confidential for very long. I see a handful of hobbies, but no substantial commitment or demonstrated excellence, so yes, I call those poor ECs.</p>

8

<p>The key word here is POOR. A poor list of ECs would probably consist of joining one club and doing nothing for four years. I honestly can’t take you seriously. Maybe OP’s ECs are below the CC gold standard, but so what? Many people get into HYPSM with stats similar to OP’s - just read the decision threads. It’s uncommon (even getting into HYPSM with godly stats is difficult) but it happens. You’re sitting here telling OP he has no chance at HYPSM. </p>

<p>All I had to do was look at your previous threads (“will my 3.9 GPA kill me?”) to know that you’re a prick.</p>

9

<p>And I have frequented CC for a couple of years. Most of the garbage here is ridiculous. No, you do not have to lay out your life plans during four years of high school and do extensive research in a specific field. No you do not have to show “passion” (most people here don’t know what passion is). It’s okay to dabble in various ECs that you enjoy. Not becoming an Intel finalist or winning national awards won’t damn you to a community college.</p>

<p>Anyway, that’s my rant. OP - my advice to you is to just write damn good essays. Other than that, you’ve done all you can. You’ll do well wherever you end up.</p>

10

<p>

I said that I thought he would be rejected - not that he has no chance, but rather that his chances are remote. Rather then waste more time on this same argument however, I will quote an earlier post I made on a similar thread:</p>

<p>

</p>

11

<p>Wow :o Thanks for the feedback. Will getting a Siemens award (even Semifinalist) help out substantially? What about Cornell, Columbia, and CMU as well?</p>

12

<p>You are competitive for Cornell and CMU, Columbia is a significant reach. Winning a Siemens research award would help your chances immensely.</p>

13

<p>If you’re not in the top 10% it will shoot your HYP, Columbia dreams. ECs may be fine, but you’re (south) Asian, and, coming from California, it will probably disadvantage you. While HYP acceptances might be reserved for higher ranked students in your school who I am sure have made significant achievements themselves, Cornell, Chicago, and UCs look to be within grasp. You have done varied activities (such as the drama) so on the whole good ECs. Class rank seems to be the main concern.</p>

14

<p>^That is a shame! I’ll be reporting N/A for rank on the common app, but my school will be sending a profile with the decile ranks. We calculate it by academic classes from grades 10 and up, and one B can knock you out. I know of several extremely intelligent people who got a single B which kicked them out of the top 10%.</p>

<p>Will my upward trend help me at all?</p>

15

<p>College admissions are well aware of the competitive schools that don’t rank students. Your scores are outstanding and your EC’s look interesting. Can’t wait to hear where you end up</p>

16

<p>Ba-bump-tiss…</p>

17

<p>Bump 10char</p>

18

<p>“I think you have really great chances at UChicago”</p>

<p>There is no such thing as geat chances at U Chicago.</p>

<p>I know 4 people who applied to U Chicago (last year) with 2350+ (35+), 3.95+ and multiple 800s on SAT IIs. 2 got in and 2 got waitlisted/rejected.</p>

<p>This is what I think.</p>

<p>HYP: Nobody can chance HYP and Stanford</p>

<p>Cornell, CMU: Good Chances
UCB, UCLA: Very good (or great) Chances</p>

<p>Columbia ED: Decent Chances
Chicago EA: Decent Chnaces</p>

<p>Columbia RD: Reach (RD Acceptance rate (below) 10%)
Chicago RD: Reach (RD Acceptance rate (below) 10%)</p>

<p>Good Luck to you!</p>