Very focused app and clearly passionate about your intended major. I’d predict you get into duke and Cornell. Penn maybe?
Chance me back?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1732213-transfer-chances-for-penn-and-brown-will-chance-back.html#latest
Cornell is a low reach/match
UPenn depends, they waver a lot
Duke is a low reach too
chance me back?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1754325-please-please-grade-me-please-and-ill-grade-you-back.html#latest
I’m a Duke alum. Your stats look good. I think you have a great shot. Only thing that concerned me was the fact that you took 3 years of Spanish. Being of Hispanic descent this worries me that you did this to get an easy A. Please explain.
Also resist the urge to write your own letters. Give each teacher a brag sheet and let them write in their own words.
@sgopal2 Well, with Spanish, I don’t speak the language. My father is Irish/italian, and growing up only English was spoken in the household. All the Spanish I’ve learned has primarily been from school. And actually, in Spanish 1 I got a B!!
I see what you’re saying with not writing my own rec letters. If anything, I might just work on it with my teacher recommenders and not necessarily write it for them. For the marine bio professor and the vet med professor (if she says yes to writing me a letter), they’d definitely be writing theirs 100% independently.
You are a very strong and very well qualified applicant. I wouldn’t even blink if you got accepted to all three. Your application is exceptional and you have nothing to worry about. My serious concern lies in the letters of recommendation. Never ever ever ever write your own letter of recommendation. You shouldn’t even be seeing those as you have to waive your right when applying through the Common App through most schools. This would show an incredible lack of academic and personal integrity. I’m a little disappointed that you being such an incredible student would even consider this. No professional should ever concede to having the recommendee write their own letter and then simply sign off on it. Find teachers that know you well to write these letters for you. I say this as although your professors’ letters would be commendable for their positions, they probably won’t know you as well as your local high school teacher whom you’ve known for over 2 years would. Colleges would much rather prefer a letter from someone who’s observed your work closely over a long period time to an impressive recommender who’s only known you for less than 3 months. Again, please do not write your own letters of recommendation. It is neither honest nor attests to the student you yourself know you are.
Back to the chancing 
Your urm status and first generation will give you a considerable boost. Your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars are well within each of these schools’ ranges. I would urge you to apply to more schools of this nature so you could pick from more! You could fare well at Harvard, but it’s important to pick each for the right reasons which you’ve seem to have done.
I know all these schools are reaches for everyone but I make a seriously concerted effort to make an exception for you.
Cornell: High Match (I’m sorry but you’re seriously their dream)
UPenn: Low Reach (because if not I’ll be burned alive at the stake but I’m pretty sure you’ll get in 
)
Duke: Low Reach (I have a feeling you’ll get a likely letter from Duke like I did! But I can’t guarantee anything when over 90% of people who apply get rejected)
I wish you the best and sincerely hope you get into the school of your dreams.
@Homeless2Harvard Thank you!! I appreciate it. And I guess I can concede to not writing my own rec letters lol. All very fair points that you made. I’ll be applying to a couple other reach schools like Harvard, Stanford, etc., and some safeties/in-states, like UF, UCD, and UIUC, but Cornell is literally my dream school, so your comment at the end made me smile like a doofus.
You are definitely competitive and are qualified for all schools listed. I’d be surprised if you didn’t get into at least one prestigious university. Your ECs seem to mainly community service based, that is okay but doesn’t exactly set you apart from everyone else. Your GPA and test scores are also good. Being URM and first generation definitely helps as well. Overall I think you’re in great shape. Chance me back please?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/18251026#Comment_18251026
I agree. Your stats look amazing and if one of these schools doesn’t accept you, shame on theme:)
If you can break SAT 2300, you will be golden.
Your application will be near perfect shape if you a) break 2300 SAT and b) maintain or higher your GPA come senior year.
chances are better then mine. lol. I’m sure you will get into several of those schools you posted about!
duke: low reach.
cornell: high match
penn: low reach (i don’t think sibling legacies help that much)
I think you are an amazing candidate for each of them!
As a URM who has gotten in to Penn and Cornell on likelies already, I think you don’t have to worry at all. Penn and Cornell are honestly high matches. I’d say low-mid reach for Duke, but still I think you’re going to get in to all 3.
I think you’re a strong candidate for all schools listed. ECs are impressive, and academics are competitive. If you get good essays and recommendations, I think you’re in 
I think Penn and Cornell are low reaches/high matches. You have a decent shot at Duke as well. Best of luck to you.
Chance me back please!
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1754467-chance-a-refugee-for-ed-dartmouth-ivies-ill-chance-you-back.html#latest
I’d say you’re a competitive candidate for most, if not all the schools you’re thinking of; however, most applicants are also fairly competitive so you need to find what sets you apart from the crowd in your essays. Officers like to see that kittens and dog shelter thing so make sure to put emphasis on things like that.
Chance back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1778449-chances-for-next-year.html#latest
You’re good for all those schools. URM status and great SATs as well as ECs. Chance back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/18510595#Comment_18510595