Chance/Help for MIT,CalTech?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Here are my stats:
I'm a Junior right now and I'd like an idea about whether or not I'm on the right track for these schools.</p>

<p>Background:
Born in China. Chinese was my first language, but I speak English better. Low-Middle Income. Skipped a grade and went to school early, so I've always been 2 years younger than most people.</p>

<p>Stats: </p>

<p>GPA:
4.41 W, 4.0 UW</p>

<p>Rank: </p>

<h1>1/400 or so</h1>

<p>AP Classes:
Human Geography(5), World History(4), Calc BC(now), Chemistry(now), US History(now), Lang and Comp(now), Computer Science(now), Psychology(planned), Biology(planned), Literature(planned), Economics(planned), Calc 3(college course). All my other courses are Honors, except for Speech and Spanish (my school doesn't offer Honors for some classes).</p>

<p>Tests/Exams:
ACT-36. (8 on the essay)
SAT II-Haven't taken yet, planning to take Math 2, Chem, and English Literature</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (including what I'll do next year):</p>

<p>Golf (4 years, 1 year Varsity)
Tennis (4 years, 2 years Varsity)
Band (4 years Concert+Marching+Pep)
Key Club (2 years)
SciMaTech (3 years, 3 years Officer position)
Science Bowl Team (2 years)
Debate Team (3 years, 2 years Varsity)
Student Government (3 years)
School Site Council (1 year)
District School Improvement Leadership Team (6 years)</p>

<p>MathCounts (3 years in Middle School, took 1st in State during 8th grade)
Platteville Math Contest (4 years)
Math Scramble (4 years)
AMC 12 (2nd place in school my freshman year, 1st place when I was a sophomore, have yet to take it yet this year)
ARML (4 years, unless scheduling conflicts arise)
HiMCM (2 years, results pending)</p>

<p>I'm a part of my District School Improvement Leadership Team, a select group of students, teachers, parents, etc. who help improve our school district. We meet a few times a year, and we discuss a lot about the school system we currently have, and what we can do to improve it. I've been on this team for 5 years now, but I'll probably stay on it next year for a total of 6 years.</p>

<p>Attended a regional conference on marine and coastal protection. Will be going to Washington DC in March to attend a conference and present plans to help improve the water quality of the Mississippi River in our region.</p>

<p>No work experience because of my age. Have done volunteer work though, but I don't have my transcript with me (my Key Club advisor keeps track of our hours).</p>

<p>I made the front page of our city/county's newspaper for my 36 ACT. Not sure if it'll have an effect, but it was pretty cool.</p>

<p>I'm looking to major in Aerospace Engineering (or possibly Mechanical Engineering, with Aerospace as a minor). I'm hoping to find a job with NASA.</p>

<p>This is all I can think of right now. Do you guys think that I'm on the right track? What else can I or should I be doing to try to get to one of these schools? I really want to go to CalTech because it's home to the Jet Propulsion Laboratories. </p>

<p>Could you chance me for the following schools?
1. CalTech
2. MIT
3. Harvey Mudd
4. UChicago
5. Columbia
6. Univ. of Pennsylvania
7. Stanford
8. Princeton</p>

<p>If you could give me some tips/help for improving my chances, that would be much appreciated! </p>

<p>Also, I was wondering if you all could give me some tips for how to study for the AMC 12, so that I can qualify for the AIME this year. I really want to get into it this year, because I feel it'd really help my college application.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>Anyone have anything to say?</p>

3

<p>Do you have any awards (national, state, regional, and/or school-level)? I don’t know the required exams for all of the schools you listed (and I don’t know when you came to the US), but I don’t see your motive behind taking SAT Lit. I suggest using the time you plan to study for that test to go volunteer and make sure that your community service hours are high. Research experience is definitely a plus but not required. Try also to take an AP or college equivalent physics course If possible, though you should have at least taken an honors course in school (some places like Caltech require a year of high school physics at the very least). On the college application, I would not bother mentioning middle school achievements. Don’t forget to apply to several safeties and a few matches. Good luck and sorry if my sentences seem choppy. I have been sleep deprived because of finals and my brain is not quite cooperative right now…</p>

4

<p>Although you do have a chance to get into MIT and CalTech, I would also to point out that there really isn’t a specific passion shining through out your resume. It looks as though you’ve just done one thing in every field you could find.</p>

5

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1448956-harvard-upenn-wharton-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1448956-harvard-upenn-wharton-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Chance me aswell!</p>

6

<p>@chewydog, I do have some school level awards, but not many state/national awards. I have taken an Honors Physics, but my school doesn’t offer AP Physics.</p>

<p>@fascist, I’m trying to get into AIME this year, which might help me with the passion part.</p>

<p>Thanks for your responses though!</p>

7

<p>There is no way that you won’t get into at least one of the schools on your list. You have nothing to worry about.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for the reassuring thoughts, Econ!</p>

9

<p>Anyone else have anything to say?</p>

10

<p>Amazing chance! Make sure those essays are good and same with the recommendations! Chance me? '<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=15268935”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=15268935&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>You are a great applicant, but unfortunately your ethnicity does not help. That’s the only factor I see weighing against you. However, I feel confident at least one of those schools will admit you.</p>

<ol>
<li>CalTech - high match

<ol>
<li>MIT - low reach</li>
<li>Harvey Mudd - match</li>
<li>UChicago - low reach</li>
<li>Columbia - low reach</li>
<li>Univ. of Pennsylvania - low reach</li>
<li>Stanford - reach</li>
<li>Princeton - reach</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>

12

<p>Try to get more solid leadership positions and start a club/organization. Assuming you have nice recommendations that reflect your personality well and your essays are nice, you will be competitive for all.</p>

<ol>
<li>CalTech-low reach</li>
<li>MIT-reach</li>
<li>Harvey Mudd-low reach</li>
<li>UChicago-low reach if your essays are amazing</li>
<li>Columbia-low reach</li>
<li>Univ. of Pennsylvania-match at CAS</li>
<li>Stanford-reach</li>
<li>Princeton-reach</li>
</ol>

13

<p>Sorry for the late reply, but I’m confused about the reaches. Does a low reach mean a better chance of getting in than a high reach? Or is it the other way around?</p>

<p>Anyhow, thanks for the responses, everyone!</p>

14

<p>Low reach is easier to get into than high reach. </p>

<p>I agree with Fascist in that there isn’t much of a passion in your application, how have you connected engineering into your life? Any internships? Those look really good because they show passion. Don’t just look like a resume junkie. </p>

<p>Keeping that in mind:</p>

<ol>
<li>CalTech - low reach</li>
<li>MIT - reach</li>
<li>Harvey Mudd - don’t know</li>
<li>UChicago - high match</li>
<li>Columbia - high match</li>
<li>Univ. of Pennsylvania - high match</li>
<li>Stanford - reach</li>
<li>Princeton - reach</li>
</ol>

<p>Remember to include safeties and match schools in case admissions doesn’t go your way.</p>

15

<p>Alright, thank you!
I will have a few safeties in mind when I do actually apply.</p>