Chance a URM for Columbia, Harvard, Brown

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So, I've caught collegeobsession-itis by hanging around these forums, and I've been moved to make a chance thread. Here it is:</p>

<p>Chance for:</p>

<p>Columbia
Harvard
Brown
Princeton
Stanford
Pomona
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin</p>

<p>Attend a very competitive private school in Philadelphia; we send 20+ kids from each 100-student graduating class to Ivies (or Ivy-level).</p>

<p>Gender: Male
Race: African-American
GPA: 3.9 UW; 4.9 W
Class Rank: 8/100
SAT I: 650 M, 700 CR, 750 W; 2100 composite
SAT II: Yet to take. Going to take Spanish, Latin, Literature and Math II</p>

<p>*Notes on curriculum:
* I've taken all AP classes during Junior year; all classes during senior year will be AP; I've taken 6 courses all throughout high school, while the normal course load is 5 (extra foreign language)</p>

<p>EC's:
Editor-in-chief of newspaper (member for four years), Editor of literary magazine (member for four years), member of Varsity debate team, president of Political Action Club, founding member of Spanish club, Baseball (1 year JV, 1 year Varsity), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (2 years), Muy Thai (2 years)</p>

<p>Interests, focuses:
Creative writing (mainly poetry), Journalism</p>

<p>Summer:
3-week credit-earning creative writing program at Rhodes College (Grade: A), 3-week intensive poetry program at Columbia University, internships at two different local newspapers, internship at WHYY (Philadelphia's radio/TV branch of National Public Radio), job as a server at a local diner (3 years straight).</p>

<p>Essays:
Straight balling. So far, one about choosing to do Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, even though my parents and friends tried to dissuade me (wanted me to continue playing baseball, because I had a true passion for it. One about the way creative writing workshops have shaped my writing and my life (corny).</p>

<p>*Teacher Recs:
* Will be really good. One from English teacher who is like a second mother, one from Biology teacher whom I get along with very well.</p>

<p>So?</p>

2

<p>Certainly in the running for all and you’re sure to get into some. Another 50 or so SAT points would make you a much better bet if not a shoo in at the top schools.</p>

3

<p>You should be able to get in to most of those. I found this student who has similar stats to you and applied to some of the same schools: [■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - Allen](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/profile.php?user=46#profile]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/profile.php?user=46#profile) This is how he fared:</p>

<p>Cornell University - Accepted
Amherst College - Accepted
Williams College - Accepted
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Accepted
Princeton University - Accepted
Harvard University - Rejected
Stanford University - Attending</p>

4

<p>Thanks for weighing-in, hmom5. Truly appreciate it. I know my SATs are a bit low; the scores from my March test are about to come out, so I’ll see if I did a bit better.</p>

<p>Oh, my other essay is about building an electric guitar, teaching myself to play and recording some music. The music is just for myself and a couple of friends, and admittedly, I’m not an outstanding guitarist, but it’s something that I really enjoy.</p>

5

<p>Hmm, that’s interesting, cnaut. Thanks for the info and the opinion. Still nervous, though, haha - doubt that will stop until I’m in some place.</p>

<p>BTW: In my original post, there should be a closed parenthesis after “(wanted me to continue playing baseball” - without that punctuation, the sentence makes little to know sense.</p>

6

<p>Are you considering NCAA or Club sports? What division do you think you can play at?</p>

7

<p>Club sports. There aren’t, to my knowledge, any Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Muy Thai “teams” in the NCAA; however, Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and Stanford all have BJJ clubs that participate in intercollegiate competition.</p>

<p>Any more opinions? I have a lot of work (essays, poetry) under consideration at literary magazines right now, so it’d be great if something came of that. I missed the deadline for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - beyond frustrating.</p>

8

<p>i think you should try the act in june</p>

<p>my sat scores were pretty much like yours, but my act score fared much better
i got a 33 on it, when i only got a 2050 on the sat</p>

<p>but i think you have a good shot with them alll, if you were asian, it would be another story.
good luck nonetheless</p>

9

<p>I get my SAT scores back tomorrow; if they’re not where they ought to be, then I’ll strongly consider the ACTs. Thanks, gregb.</p>

10

<p>considering the credentials I posted above, are there any safety-level schools that people would suggest? I’m having a hard time coming up with that list.</p>

<p>Would really appreciate the help.</p>

11

<p>March SAT scores:</p>

<p>2210</p>

<p>M: 650
CR: 790
W:770</p>

<p>Damn math section.</p>

12

<p>any reason to take the SATs again, taking into account my interests (writing; the humanities in general) and the fact that I have an 4.0 throughout high school in math?</p>