Chance me at top schools; will chance back

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>UChicago
UCBerkeley
MIT
Caltech
Harvard EA
Columbia
Cornell
Princeton
Stanford
USC
UPenn</p>

<p>HS Senior
Korean/White Nevada </p>

<p>UW GPA: 3.837 <--with 8th and 9th grade
W GPA: 4.637/4.8
UW GPA: 3.98 <--without 8th or 9th grade
W GPA: 4.78/4.8</p>

<p>Class rank: 30/653</p>

<p>Senior courses:
Marching Band
Orchestra Winds
Symphonic Band
AP Physics B
AP Calculus BC
IB World Lit HL
IB Econ HL
IB 20th Century History HL</p>

<p>SAT I: 2240
CR: 790
M: 730...
W: 720</p>

<p>SAT II:
Chem: 800
U.S. History: 790
Math II: 750...</p>

<p>AP:
English Lang/comp(junior): 5
U.S. History(junior): 5
Chem(junior): 5
World History(soph): 4</p>

<p>IB:
Chem SL: 7
Spanish B SL: 6</p>

<p>Recs:
One from my chem teacher will be great
One from social studies should be fine</p>

<p>EC's</p>

<p>• Nathan Adelson Hospice: I played my guitar for nursing home and hospice patients. I also did odd-jobs at the Nathan Adelson Thrift Store. Grades 6-9</p>

<p>• Alzheimer’s Association: I participate at various events that are organized by the Alzheimer’s Association, the most notable being the annual Memory Walk. Grades 9-12</p>

<p>• Las Vegas Marathon: I have volunteered at the marathon just doing random stuff. Grades 10-12</p>

<p>• National Honor Society:National Honor Society Grades 11-12</p>

<p>• Mu Alpha Theta: I tutor math students up to the level of pre-calculus once a week. Grades 11-12</p>

<p>• Young Democrats: I participate in municipal campaigns. Grade 12</p>

<p>• Film Club (Lead Writer/Actor): As a film club participant I have written, directed, filmed, and performed skits. Grades 9-10</p>

<p>• International Awareness Club (President): My fellow students and I meet regularly to discuss politics, social issues, science, or whatever topics come to mind. We try to promote worldliness among our peers. Grades 11-12</p>

<p>• Varsity Quiz: I participated in Varsity Quiz both my junior and freshman years. We were runner-up in the county championships both years. Grades 9 and 11-12</p>

<p>• Music: I have been a member of multiple music programs for the past three years: symphony orchestra for all three years, chamber music for two years, freshman concert band for one year, varsity band for two years, and marching band for two years. I have been the principal bassoonist in all band and orchestra ensembles. I also play the trombone in the marching band. My marching band traveled to New York City to participate in the 2010 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. My symphonic band and symphony orchestra also traveled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall, where I played two solos. Grades 9-12 (music is at least 18 hours a week)</p>

<p>Summer Activities:</p>

<p>Conversational Chinese at UNLV
Jazz Camp
Intro to Engineering class at University of Idaho; I got an A if it matters
Nanoscience class at UCLA
Boys' State</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>1, or Superior, at the 2009 Regional Solo and Ensemble Festival.</p>

<p>1, or Superior, at the 2010 Regional Solo and Ensemble Festival.</p>

<p>National Merit Semi-finalist</p>

<p>AP Scholar with Honor</p>

2

<p>BTW, prospective astronomy/physics major</p>

3

<p>IMO, this is how your application breaks down:</p>

<p>Great: SAT II Scores, EC involvement, AP Scores, Music involvement</p>

<p>Good: GPA, SAT Scores, Recs, Awards</p>

<p>Mediocre: class rank</p>

<p>Holistically, your application is very strong. Make sure you have a strong hook that will make you stand out. For you, it seems that this is music. For your ECs, make sure they show true involvement and not just done to be able to say you’ve done them. You can usually emphasize this passion in your essays.</p>

4

<p>As a breakdown by school:</p>

<p>UChicago: Match/ Low Reach
UCBerkeley: Match
MIT: High Reach (for anyone, really)
Caltech: High Reach
Harvard EA: High Reach (even early action, the percentages are against just about anyone)
Columbia: Match/ Low Reach
Cornell: Match
Princeton: High Reach
Stanford: Reach
USC: Low Match
UPenn: Match/ Low Reach</p>

<p>For a lot of these schools, it is a high reach no matter what. Even though you have scores that would put you well into the middle 50 of the most competitive schools on your list, it is still just a crapshoot. There’s nothing that you can improve on, really.</p>

<p>Some things (unfortunately, largely out of your control) that put a qualified student like yourself onto a more attractive tier for these schools:
-Alumni Relations - A lot of these schools (HYP) have strong alumni relations networks. Obviously, the more involved the alumnus and the stronger your relationship with him/her, the better.
-Legacy
-Connections with board of directors
-Recs from professors from top universities</p>

<p>If you don’t have any direct connections, poke around your group of friends to see if they do. Even weak connections can push students like yourself over the bubble.</p>

5

<p>Your school has grade inflation just so you know.</p>

6

<p>do u have a passion…seems like u took the “shotgun” approach</p>

7

<p>Why do you say that, Desafinado?</p>

<p>Dasdui:
I sort of do, but here in Nevada, there are not very many scientific opportunities haha.</p>

8

<p>Cornell, USC, berkley, and maybe chicago are looking good. out of the others id say you’d be lucky to get into 1. chance me back please</p>

9

<p>I get what you’re saying now Desafinado… It’s not that at all. I just didn’t try at all freshman year or eighth grade. In fact, I was one of like four or five people to get 4.0 junior year.</p>

10

<p>You should be able to get into Berkeley and at least a few of your privates. I’d say you have very good chances at Cornell and USC, and everything else is pretty much a craps shoot. Harvard EA is unpredictable. GL!</p>

11

<p>You have a good shot at most places, the problem with all great schools is that they’re really unpredictable. Your math SAT I is low for a Physics major however your EC’s are great. Good luck, I’d say you’d be a great candidate for Harvard EA.</p>

12

<p>I think that you have a fairly good chance at all of the schools but the top-tier ivys. You ECs are solid as well as your SATII scores. </p>

<p>Make sure your essays are very focused on what your passions are. Your rank may hurt you a bit but your GPA looks good which can only signify grade inflation. What is your GPA out of? 5 or 6 point scale (I’m just curious)</p>

<p>UChicago-low reach
UCBerkeley-in
MIT-high reach
Caltech-high reach
Harvard EA-high reach
Columbia-reach/match
Cornell-reach/match
Princeton-high reach
Stanford-high reach
USC-match
UPenn-reach</p>

13

<p>UChicago: 75%
UCBerkeley: 75%
MIT: 25%
Caltech: 25%
Harvard EA: 20%
Columbia: 50%
Cornell: 75%
Princeton: 20%
Stanford: 20%
USC: 95%
UPenn: 50%</p>

14

<p>UChicago- 20%
UC Berkeley- 8%
MIT- 2%
Caltech- 1%
Harvard EA- 1%
Columbia - 2%
Cornell- 5%
Princeton- 2%
Stanford- 2%
USC- 85%
UPenn- 3%</p>

<p>chance me? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1227715-chances-usc-nyu-jhu-other-top-30-colleges.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1227715-chances-usc-nyu-jhu-other-top-30-colleges.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

<p>Class rank disqualifies you for picks like MIT, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, U Penn and Columbia. the rest shall not be as bad but still tough.</p>

16

<p>@frinitelites</p>

<p>4.8 is the max weighted</p>