Chance/Match a Combo STEM and Classics Nerd

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics

  • State/Location of residency: DMV
  • Type of high school: Public Charter (Ranked about 300)
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity: Female, Mixed (Chinese+White)
  • Not FLGI, athlete, etc.

Intended Major

Chemistry/Biochem and Classics/Latin

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • GPA: 4.0/4.0 UW, 4.9/5 W
  • Class Rank: 1/65
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1570 (790/780)
    • Retaking in June, just to see

Coursework
(AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes, AP/IB scores for high school; also include level of math and foreign language reached and any unusual academic electives; for transfers, describe your college courses and preparation for your intended major(s)):

20 APs total by the end of this year–17 classes, 3 self-study

  • 5s: Micro, Macro, US Gov, Chem, Calc BC, Psych, English Lang, Euro
  • 4s: Calc AB, Comp Gov (self-study), World History (in 8th grade so idk if it counts)
  • 3: Music Theory :,(
  • Pending: Physics C: Mech, Physics 1, Bio, APES, APUSH, Latin, Stats, English Lit
  • My school doesn’t offer APs senior year, but I might take Mandarin and Comp Sci Principles on my own time

Independent-studying Organic Chemistry with my AP Chem teacher, and currently taking Discrete Math.

Awards (very meh and idk which of these I’ll actually put on my application)

  • National Latin Exam 5x Gold Medal Winner, 2x Perfect Score
  • 2x MusicFest Grand Prix Winner (played at Carnegie hall once in 8th grade, had the chance to last year but didn’t because it was right before APs)
  • 4x Scioly State Champion Team Member
    • Top 10 in an event nationally freshman year (partner events)
    • Aiming for another T10 placement this year lol
  • Some random NJCL awards
  • 2 awards from National MUN Conferences
  • An award at a local HBR competition
  • At least NMSF Semifinalist

Extracurriculars

(all durations are est. by next year, and are counting middle school)

  • Scioly - 6 yrs, Team Captain (3 yrs)
  • SSP Biochem
  • Latin Club - 8 yrs
  • MUN - 3 yrs (might have a leadership role next year idk)
  • HBR - 5 yrs (9, 10, 12 - couldn’t make scheduling work this year)
  • NHS - 3 yrs, Secretary (2 yrs), Peer Tutoring Head/Leader (3yrs)
  • Peer Tutoring - 2 yrs (outside of school for money, not counting what I do for NHS)
  • Math Club - 5 yrs (could have leadership if I want next year, idk if I will though)
  • Classical Violin - 12 yrs
  • TA for Econ and Latin Teachers - 2 yrs (10+12, scheduling again)
  • Church Youth Group - 7 yrs

Essays/LORs/Other

  • Latin teacher: I’ve had her as a teacher since I was 10, and we spend quite a bit of time together outside of school for clubs and things, she knows me very well and I certainly hope she likes me.
  • Bio Teacher: Also my scioly coach, has known me since 7th grade and likes me a lot. Will have taught me for 4 classes in 3 years by application time.
    • I’m torn between Bio teacher and Chem teacher, who I’ve only known since Freshman year, and will only have taken 2 classes from, but who is helping me learn Orgo and really really likes me.
  • Counselor: Should be pretty good, she also runs NHS and knows me well outside of being my counselor.
  • Might be able to get a LOR from a research mentor at SSP?
    • Also might be able to submit my SSP paper as a science research supplement, I’m not positive.
  • Planning on submitting a music supplement for violin.
  • I have no idea how my essays will be, but I’ve already kind of started writing them, so hopefully I’ll have plenty of time to edit and work on them.

Cost Constraints / Budget
Thankfully cost is not a consideration for me, although if I manage to get merit at a school I like, or some outside scholarships, the leftover money in my college fund can go towards grad school, which I am definitely planning on attending.

Schools

My top two choices are definitely Yale and MIT, although I don’t have too much hope for those. I also really like Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, UC Berkeley, Barnard, Caltech, and Pomona, so chance estimates for any of those schools would be very helpful. Also, should I REA to Yale or EA to MIT?

I also need recs for more match/safety schools. I want schools either in Cali or in the Northeast, preferably near or in a city, although I don’t care about that too much, that are strong in Chemistry, and have some sort of Classics program.

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If you would like to refine your general list, you may want to consider this site, which is the best I’ve seen in naming schools strong in classics:

Based on your combination of academic interests, you would be especially well matched to colleges with notably flexible curricula, such as Brown, Amherst and Hamilton. Any from this group would be suitably strong in chemistry and classics.

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First, congratulations to your academic achievements - you certainly are excelling!

Certainly NMSF Semifinalist. The Scioly results tie nicely with your 6 years EC - persistence and producing results. Dito, the impressive Music Fest results tie with your lengthy Violin studies. Latin further demonstrates your varied your abilities are.

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Some schools likelier to grant you access that you may want to consider include:

  • Brandeis (MA)
  • College of the Holy Cross (MA)
  • Dickinson (PA )
  • Drew (NJ)
  • Fordham (NY)
  • Skidmore (NY)
  • Smith (MA): Women’s college
  • St. Joseph’s (PA )
  • Villanova (PA )
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I would add Emory to your list, I think. it’s not in the Northeast but it’s Northeast-y.

You are taking the SAT again? why, exactly? don’t bother. it just looks weird and too try-hard.

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I’m going to be staying at Emory for a week this summer, so I’ll definitely see if I like it! I’m retaking the SAT partially to try to improve my math score (since 780 is at or below the 25th percentile for MIT in the last few years) and because my school pays for us to take it twice, so I might as well.

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CWRU but show some interest as they are rumored to defer or waitlist “over qualified” applicants if no demonstrated interest.

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With respect to your interests in MIT and the study of classics, it seems that students rarely choose its Ancient and Medieval Studies program as a major: College Navigator - Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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I’m primarily planning to major in Chemistry, if it’s feasible to double major in classics I will, but I really just want to be able to take some classics classes—it’s more of a side interest. Actually, the reason I’m so interested in MIT is because I went on a very persuasive visit with a friend who is a junior there, who I met through Latin club at school!

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