Chance Me for Boston College, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Cornell

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m a current junior at a private school in MN. I’m also a white female.

GPA: 4.12(Weighted but we weight on a 4.5 scale and aren’t allowed AP classes until junior year and always have at least one unweighted class in schedule each year)

ACT: 33(36,34,33,30)
SAT: 1450(720, 730)
PSAT: 1410

AP: AP psych(5), AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Lang, AP Gov, AP physics, AP French, AP Lit, AP Calc

EC: 2 year Dance Team Captain for Fall and Winter seasons(4 year participant), 2 year NHS member, Most likely National Merit Commended, Girl Up Club, Campus Ministry Member, 4 year volunteer at local hospital(over 500 hrs), National Chemistry Olympiad Member, Founder of local chapter of Medical Club at school(junior year)

Awards: Scholar of Distinction both Freshman and Sophomore year(4.0 GPA and up), Gold Award for Service Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Years(over 100 hrs each year)

Summer programs: Program at Georgetown freshman year, Selective abroad program to Dominican Republic to shadow local doctors in real surgery(sophomore and junior years)

Work: Assistant at Local Dance Studio for over two years, Bagger at a grocery store for two years, Nanny job in summer for two summers

2

Your ECs are great, but you test scores (especially the PSAT and SAT) need some help. Also, nice job on all of those APs!

I think you should have a decent shot, but as for everyone, it’s the luck of the draw.

3

Yes, definitely agree. Both my ACT and SAT were first-try scores taken blind and I had planned to retake them this April, so hopefully, I will be able to retake them before fall. The PSAT score is due to a very hard curve this year but I’m pretty sure it still qualified me for National Merit Commended so that’s good!

4

I suspect that you have a shot at each school, except maybe Princeton. HYP is real tough and you need a true “hook” as they say. Your ACT subscore of 30 may represent an area where you could make a relatively easy gain. Check if any of the schools you listed will “superscore” your ACT and consider rewriting the ACT. Research more into JHU, Cornell and BC. Figure out which is your “best fit” and why. If you can relay the “fit” in your application, you really believe one of those is best for you, and if your family can afford the cost, then choose one and go early decision to give you the best chance. Applying early action to Princeton won’t help an application from what I understand, so don’t look for a bump taking that route. BTW, I think your PSAT score is now irrelevant since you have a good SAT score. Commended Scholar would be nice but won’t help much/hurt at all. Normally I would recommend visiting the campuses and taking the official tour and info session but I think a lot of students will now have trouble doing that. Best of luck! Your service hours and extracurriculars are excellent.