<p>SAT - Math:770, CR:560, W:570(Hoping to raise CR &W)
SAT II - Math 2: 730, Physics: 700
I do the IB program, and my subject choises are and my scores in it:</p>
<p>Math HL - 6 (A)
Chem HL - 6 (A)
Physics HL - 6 (A)
Environmental Studies SL - 7 (A+)
English Lang and Lit SL - 5 (B)
German Ab initio SL - 5 (B+)</p>
<p>The letter grade translations were done by myself, but IB is considered much more difficult than the American system.</p>
<p>These subject choices are the most rigorous in the IB diploma.</p>
<p>I had a research internship at my field of interest and the supervisor will be writing me a recommendation letter.</p>
<p>I am doing a research myself and I will be sending in the abstract with the application.</p>
<p>I think all my recommendations will be good if not great. </p>
<p>Extracurriculars:</p>
<p>Chess club (Leader)
Founded the Earth Club in my previous School
Earth club (Leader)
Hockey Club
Peer tutoring (Leader)
Study Skills (Leader)
Flute performer ( Since 5th grade)</p>
<p>I have been volunteering for and leading an conservation NGO since 8th grade</p>
<p>*Founded an NGO that campaigned for wildlife and environment conservation in India.
*Actively volunteered for 2 other NGOs and also received an award fro UNEP.
* Made a 15 min documentary about sea turtles; it also was screened at national film festivals.
*After moving to Singapore, I continued volunteering for the National Parks Board.
*Was invited for an expedition with National Geographic Channel.
* Community Service 30 hrs
*I volunteer at the library and other social service places.</p>
<p>Cornell ED
UCLA
Purdue EA
PennState UP
U. Illinois Urbana EA </p>
<p>How good is my list?
Can you recommend some safeties for me, with a tuition fee around $40000?
I'll chance back :D</p>
<p>I think u have a good chance for purdue. Ur SAT scores are quite low for U of I and cornell. I am not sure about the rest. If possible, retake ur SAT or take ACT to improve ur chances.
Please chance me back.</p>
<p>IB can be more or less difficult than the ‘American’ system (by which I assume you mean AP, which is administered internationally, just as the IB) because of difficulty of the class, overall level of rigor at the school, teaching style, etc. IB and AP curriculums are not so different as to render them incomparable. Personally, I’ve gone to an IB school and two without it and found that some of my AP classes have been much more difficult than their IB counterparts. It’s also a little ridiculous to compare the IB diploma program to an AP course-load, since the diploma program obviously includes more than academics. However, there are a lot of non-IB high schools that require students to meet similar goals before graduation. </p>
<p>Again, whether or not your subject choices are the ‘most rigorous in the diploma’ is up for debate. </p>
<p>Your Ec’s are pretty stand-out, and you sound like an interesting applicant. What’s Singapore like? I’d kill to spend some time there. Are you planning on studying environmental science? </p>
<p>Without a GPA, it’s hard to say. I think Cornell is definitely a low reach with your current SAT score. I’d shoot for a 2250. You might even consider applying to less schools EA so you can improve on that end and write some stellar essays.
Penn State is a low match, UCLA is a high match/match with a better SAT composite. Purdue is low match. </p>
<p>I’ll be surprised if anybody can recommend you safeties based on nothing but tuition. You should decide for yourself based on what you, personally, are looking for in a college.</p>
<p>I am an International Student from India but I am studying at an international school in Singapore. As you said above, the individual course rigor is similar to AP, but there are things like CAS, Extended Essay(Research paper), Internal Assessments that makes IB (according to me and the inputs from my friends studying AP curriculum) more difficult.</p>
<p>Singapore is a nice place, pretty hot and humid. It is a nice place for people looking for jobs in the financial sector, and is competitive for Science sectors as well. But there are things I don’t like about Singapore: I could not find a job here, every job requires at least an undergrad degree. Moreover even Undergrad students find it difficult to get a part time job. By Job I also include camps, cashiering, waiting at restaurants, and baby sitting. Other than that there is nothing much to do except for a theme park and some paintball grounds. After a year you get bored.</p>
<p>And lastly I am not majoring on environment sciences, but I am planning to do mechanical engineering. Considering my passion for wildlife and conservation, does my area of interest/major come out as weird or as interesting? </p>
<p>My School does not report or calculate GPA. But I went and calculated my GPA so as to compare with others. The GPA I calculated came out around 3.4-3.6. I had 2 Cs and 2 Bs the rest were all As. Is this a good GPA, average or bad at the schools in my list??</p>
<p>Purdue, Penn state are matches. your test scores are low for cornell and slightly for the others. It looks like you are very focused on sciences which should help a lot.</p>
<p>purdue - match
penn state - match
uiuc - high match
cornell - reach</p>
<p>I don’t think it comes out as weird, but you’re going to have to work pretty hard to convince admissions that you have a genuine, developed passion for computer engineering. I don’t know a lot about international acceptance rates, but I’ve heard that they’re considerably lower (could be wrong). Anyway, I think you have a shot at any of those schools. Work on the SAT, etc. All the best.</p>
<p>You’re EC and community service don’t seem to pertain to forms for computer engineering? That might be a downfall, but it does show leadership qualities.</p>
<p>Is the 3.5 GPA your cumulative GPA or is it weighted with your IB classes?</p>
<p>The GPA may be the greatest factor troubling your admissions, but I would say all the colleges are within reach.</p>
:D</p>