Chance! Am I making the right choice for Reach/Match/Safety Colleges?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>Would just like a general opinion on whether I'm making the right choices of colleges to apply to. And if I've made bad choices, where should I look to? Somehow I suspect I'm in over my head. </p>

<p>International Student (Singapore)
Field of study: Chemical Engineering
Reach? Stanford, Berkeley
Match? UCLA, Caltech
Safety? Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>SAT1 - CR/M/W - 710/780/710 = 2200
SAT2 - Math2/Physics/Chem - 2400</p>

<p>GCE A' Levels:
Grade A for: (H1) Project Work, General Paper, Economics; (H2) Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
Distinction: H3 Modern Physics
Merit: H3 Physical Chemistry</p>

<p>I have no idea how to comparatively convert this to GPA, but I daresay I'm at least top 20% of my high school (the school doesn't provide rankings)</p>

<p>EC:
Not much TBH...mostly research
Singapore Chemistry Olympiad - Silver
Research projects in '04 and '05 on plants, '06 on plasma radiation physics, '07 on laser diodes and another in '07 on spectroscopy of dust particles. All projects went up to country's science fair level, nothing international.
Have served 2 years of National Service as a Lieutenant in the Navy, if it's any use =X</p>

<p>Last of all do you think I should retake my SATs? I'm rather unhappy with 2200 and want to aim for at least 2300.</p>

<p>So, what do you all think? Your comments will be much appreciated =D</p>

2

<p>To tell the trush, I don’t think you have a chance at Stanford Berkeley and Caltech. First, Chemical Engineering is a hard field to get accpeted into. EC are nowhere near good enough. and you are international (huge pool). sorry</p>

3

<p>Disagree with ^^. You have a good shot at Stanford. Retake the SAT’s and go for the 2300. How about Washington UniversitySt. Louis??
Michigan is your safety, my reach:) Good Luck.</p>

4

<p>OP, what’s your UW GPA?</p>

<p>Berkeley’s average UW GPA is 3.93. I’m sure you’ll need higher than that if you want to get onto Chem Eng’g.</p>

<p>Your SATs for Berkeley Chem Eng’g is low. I’d retake SATs if I were you.</p>

5

<p>Okay I’ve got the point on SATs, I’ll need to retake and score higher for them.</p>

<p>Correct me if I’m wrong, but I used this conversion to convert my A’ Levels to a GPA scale:
<a href=“http://www.cie.org.uk/docs/recognition/Calculating%20GPAs%20for%20IGCSE.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cie.org.uk/docs/recognition/Calculating%20GPAs%20for%20IGCSE.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>and i got 3.86, mostly due to my mother tongue language getting a C (3.7)… should I not declare it to boost my grades?</p>

6

<p>^ Oh, so you took A-Levels. That should give you more points when your grades are converted into UC GPA. I would suggest that you apply to Berkeley then.</p>

7

<p>Oh okay nice…</p>

<p>Would Caltech be considered a good match? I’m putting it on first priority as I like its location =)</p>

<p>And thanks for all the replies so far</p>

8

<p>I do feel you have a great shot at Berkeley and Caltech, particularly because of your great science ECs and SAT scores. :slight_smile: Getting into Stanford might be a little tough. If I may ask, by any chance, were you from that school in bishan?</p>

9

<p>With a 2200 and only top 20% at your school…Caltech is a reach</p>

10

<p>You have the categories incorrect. Stanford and Caltech are much harder to get into than Berkeley and Caltech which take just about the same stats.</p>

<p>The top schools want you to be top of your class. They will ask your school where you stand. Unless your school is exceptional, Stanford and Caltech look for the very top students.</p>

11

<p>@kwaldner: yes. pm me who u are? =P
@Redroses: Do you mean Stanford & Caltech / Berkeley and UCLA?</p>

<p>As for the % in school, like I say the school doesn’t actually report it (it’s just my estimate), so how would that work for the application?</p>

12

<p>You don’t have to report your ranking in your high school because American colleges know the Singapore education system and will simply look at your A level grades and maybe prelim grades.</p>

13

<p>idt caltech is a match. mad competitive and kinda like the mit of the west
add some safety/target schools but ur other schools are pretty accurately placed</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1005943-chance-senior-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1005943-chance-senior-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

14

<p>Stanford and Caltech are reaches. I think Berkeley is a match though.</p>