Chance an Ivy hopeful!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a female junior at a competitive high school from California and, after visiting CC periodically for several months, have decided to make my very own chance post. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.8 W/4.0 UW</p>

<p>Hardest courseload possible (5 weighted honors/AP classes and Journalism)</p>

<p>AP scores: French Language (5), European History (5); will be taking English Language and US History this year and am expecting 4's or 5's</p>

<p>SAT I: 2180 (760 W, 740 CR, 680 M); will be retaking in June and plan on getting 2250+</p>

<p>SAT II: Will be taking USH and Math 2 in May, expecting 700+ in both</p>

<p>ECs (# years is how many I will have spent in each by the time I apply)
- Best Buddies (3 years, Peer Buddy, Secretary, and most likely President next year)
- French Club (4 years, Secretary (soph), Activities Coordinator (Jr), President (next year))
- School newspaper (3 years, staff writer, editor next year)
- School swim team (4 years, varsity next year (only juniors and seniors are eligible for varsity)
- Club swim team (3 years, varsity)
- Volunteer at nursing home (3 years)
** I realize I don't have groundbreaking ECs like other Ivy applicants have/have had, but I am genuinely passionate about all my ECs and have always done what I love, and hopefully, that'll come across in my applications/essays.</p>

<p>Senior year courseload: AP Calc BC, AP English Lit, AP Spanish, AP Government/Economics, AP Bio, Journalism (mandatory for all staff writers on the school newspaper)</p>

<p>Awards: HOBY (Hugh O'Brian Youth) conference ambassador; President's Volunteer Service Award, Prudential Spirit of Community award honoree, Harvard Book Award, random swim awards (ie Most Improved), most likely National Merit Semifinalist (scored in 98th percentile in PSAT)</p>

<p>200+ community service hours by the time I apply</p>

<p>Please chance me for:
- Yale
- Princeton
- Stanford
- Duke
- Brown
- UC Berkeley
- UCLA
- UCSD</p>

<p>Thanks so much for any comments/advice, and I'll chance back if you guys have any chances threads :)</p>

2

<p>GPA’s very solid, SATs are right around the median range for your ivys + stanford. I’d say you’re a match for Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD. Good list of medium ECs means that you’ll have to demonstrate something striking or passionate about your personality/character in your essay, but aside from that you have as good a chance as any other collegiate for your ivys/stanford. (And I’m not too sure 98 percentile PSAT scores get semi-finalist status…correct me if I’m wrong?)</p>

3

<p>I was basing my PSAT predictions on previous years’ qualifiers – I’ve had friends who scored 95th percentile get it – but it changes every year, so 98th percentile is not guaranteed semi-finalist status, yeah.
Thanks for the chance!</p>

4

<p>You are in the UCs</p>

<p>For the ivies and stanford try to boost your SAT up, and the national merit semifinalist depends on your state you GPA/EC are good so you probably will get into Brown and Duke but the other 3 could swing either way.</p>

5

<p>Thanks!
And bump :)</p>

6

<p>Without a significant hook everything from Berkeley up is a reach. I suggest you work on your SAT scores.</p>

7

<p>Definitely a strong applicant! With great essays and recommendations, your chances look as good as any well-qualified applicant. Good Luck! :)</p>

8

<p>I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you - after going through the admissions process myself, believe me when I say that no one knows. You’re certainly qualified. Big deal. So are thousands upon thousands of others. Don’t let these people cause you to think that you’re in for sure. I don’t want you to suffer disappointment.</p>

<p>That being said, no matter where you end up next year, you should be proud in your accomplishments alone. You’re a strong student and you know it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you do end up getting accepted to one or all of those colleges. The point is, stop looking to these people to validate your intelligence and efforts.</p>

<p>The best of luck to you!</p>

9

<p>Yale, Princeton, and Stanford are schools for which I’d recommend a lot of cohesiveness in extracurriculars - I know they don’t blow people away at first glance, but the whole presentation is arguably more crucial than the extras themselves. Your grades are fantastic, and all I’d recommend in test scores is trying to broaden your scope by taking lit and maybe a science? it’s up to you, of course. The other important thing is finding your hook - something unique about you that it’s REALLY unlikely a lot of other applicants will have. Tinker with the stuff above, but the foundation is absolutely there. You have a great shot, as far as I’m concerned (and I have spoken to a lot of ivy league admissions officers in a non-academic setting where they haven’t sugarcoated things, so I’m not just talking out of my ass :slight_smile: )</p>

<p>Please chance back
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/901579-chances-tier-i-thread-done-correctly-time.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/901579-chances-tier-i-thread-done-correctly-time.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>You seem to be going in the right direction. I think what I’m beginning to realize through this whole process is that there are plenty of 4.0, good SAT scoring, good extracurricular individuals such as you and me (your SATs are better than mine ;-)). What I think really makes the difference are the essay, the inerview, and, most of all, chance. There are so many intangibles that you simply cannot account for. Good luck, you’re certainly qualified. </p>

<p>Now let me completely contradict myself and ask that you chance me back:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/900372-chance-me-h-y.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/900372-chance-me-h-y.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;