Chance for HYPS, UChicago, Columbia, Duke, etc.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Okay, so I'm applying to HYPS, UChicago, Columbia, Duke, Rice, and a couple of safeties.</p>

<p>Demographics: Asian male, grad-school educated parents, high income, no financial aid stuff.</p>

<p>State: Texas</p>

<p>School info: Public, Class of 2012, Highly Competitive sends maybe 1 or 2 kids to Ivies, about 3-5 others go to schools like Rice</p>

<p>Major: Biochem, Biomed Engineering, Pre-Med</p>

<p>Academics:
- 4.0 Unweighted GPA
- 5.473 Weighted (Scale of 6, I believe it is called?)
- Ranked 8th out of 671</p>

<p>Test Scores:
- PSAT: 231, have received no information on commendation, semifinaling, finaling, etc.
- No ACT
- SAT: 730 CR, 800 M, 800 W; one sitting, best score.
- SAT II: 790 Chem, 770 US History, 740 Biology (likely not being reported), unsure if I should take another in October
- AP English Lang., APUSH, AP Chem - 5</p>

<p>Senior Year Courseload:
- AP Gov't, AP Econ
- AP Physics II
- AP Calculus BC
- AP French IV
- AP English Lit. & Comp.
- Some other courses I'm forced to take by the state of Texas</p>

<p>EC:</p>

<p>Music:
- Houston Youth Symphony since Freshman year. Top Orchestra since Sophomore year.
- High School Orchestra President
- Helped run Summer Clinics for cellists (2 hrs a week for 8 weeks)</p>

<p>Swimming:
- Swam for school Freshman and Sophomore year, stopped afterwards because I'm only allowed 7 classes a day and wanted to take other stuff
- Freshman Relay Record Holder
- Regional Finalist Sophomore Year
- Sectional Qualifier</p>

<p>Around the School:
- NHS Tutoring, 2 hours a week for about 30 weeks
- Recycling Committee, about 3 hours a week for 30 weeks (I pick up stuff and take it to receptacles; it's a dirty job.)</p>

<p>French:
- French National Honor Society
- Placed 10th in the National French Test
- Texas French Symposium (there's a myriad of tests here):
10th Grade - 4th in Grammar, 2nd in Vocab, 2nd in Civilization (culture), 6th in Listening
11th Grade - 2nd in Grammar, 3rd in Vocab, 2nd in Civilization</p>

<p>Volunteering:
I've volunteered at a lot of swim meets, picked up recycling, tutored my peers, and, this past summer, have taught etudes. Throughout high school, I'd say I have about 150 hours.</p>

<p>I do realize that many of the schools mentioned above are crapshoots. I'd just be extremely grateful if anybody could tell me what I'm shooting this crapshoot with. Is it a 17th century flintlock? Am I using a sniper rifle? A howitzer?</p>

<p>Thank you for your time, and feel free to ask me to chance you if you like.</p>

2

<p>… le bump</p>

3

<p>Decent ECs in music and french; however, since you are applying as a prospective science major, the fact that you neither have major science awards nor research is not good. You have decent standardized test scores (coincidentally same one sitting SAT score as me, with almost same distribution). There is no need to retake your SAT iis. What worries me is not your stats but that your ECs do not have a science focus.
HYPS- High Reaches
U Chicago- Low Reach
Columbia- Mid Reach
Duke- Low Reach
Rice- High Match
chance me back?</p>

4

<p>You have a great shot. I think your lack of science ECs may hurt you, as the poster above said, but I think that with your academics/tests you have a good shot to get into UChicago, Duke and Rice and maybe a HYPSC</p>

5

<p>Academics are okay. It’s somewhat concerning that you’re not in that top few which normally gets into a top ivy and, being an asian male with no hooks, it will be significantly tougher for schools like HYPS without that top student that many of these schools want. Did you take the most rigorous course schedule possible? You’ve reached a degree of success in music which shows accomplishment and commitment. However, it’s not a positive sign that you weren’t committed to swimming. But it’s better to stick with more rigorous courses than swimming. In school, it doesn’t seem like you have much leadership. Also you haven’t shown much commitment through your volunteering. It’s not bad, but it’s probably not up to HYPSC standards (especially as an Asian Male). U chicago, Duke, and rice are more within range, but I still don’t see a strong application come through. You still have essays to put forth which can be a game changer, so good luck.</p>

6

<p>Yeah I sort of worried that my resume demonstrated a fear of commitment. Ha. And yeah, junior year and this year, I’m opting out of swimming for the school to take AP Courses. Last year it was Chemistry, and this year it’s Physics. On the other hand, I’ve been doing pretty well in the sport. I’m a little below the level at which kids get hooks for athletics, but I don’t think that college-level Varsity swimming is for me. </p>

<p>My essay so far has mostly been about how I’ve tried to do things that don’t focus on science; basically, improving my weaker areas. For instance, I’m on my school’s Writing team (I suppose that’s the best term for it) but I haven’t been to any competitions since the person in charge, for the past two years, has had lots of seniors on the team and they’ve gotten priorities. I just forgot to list that, and I’ll probably have to incorporate that into my essay.</p>

<p>Also, is there anything I should do in terms of volunteering? I mean, it’s sort of late right now, but problems have solutions.</p>

<p>Thanks a ton guys (or gals)! And TheIllusionist, I’ll get to looking at your thread as soon as I’m done with this reply.</p>

7

<p>This is a bump!</p>