<p>Objective:
State of Residence: Pennsylvania</p>
<p>GPA: 4.00 Unweighted
Rank: 21 of 361 <-- I do have an explanation for this later
SAT: 2250 - 720 CR 800 MA 730 WR in 1 sitting/first try
SAT II: 800 Math II 800 Physics
PSAT: 217 - 73 CR 70 MA 74 WR</p>
<p>APs:
European History - 4
English Language and Comp - 5
English Literature and Comp - 5
Calc AB - 5
Calc BC - 5
Chemistry - 5
Psychology - 5</p>
<p>Above average course rigor...A average sophomore year and A+ average junior year</p>
<p>Subjective:
National Merit Finalist
Varsity Diving - 1 year</p>
<p>Volunteered and a summer camp for kids - 1 year
Volunteer at a local animal rescue - 2 years</p>
<p>School Orchestra & String Ensemble - 4 years
- Senior Solo (Concerto for most talented senior)
- Principal violist
Private viola lessons w/ Solo Recitals - 4 years
Founded and led a string quartet - 1 year
MLCCC Chinese Cultural Ensemble - 4 years
- Principal violist, performed solos in Philly and WCU
Senior Strings - 4 years
- Award winning auditioned district orchestra
- Principal violist
PMEA Orchestra String Festival - 2 years
- Made it to District and Regional level (top ranked of 50 + schools)
Performed La Boheme with a professional Philly based opera company
Chester County Youth Orchestra - 1 year</p>
<p>Notes:
My school does not allow freshmen to take any APs and the APs for sophomores are limited
I have two older siblings in college...right about the time they left my parents went through a nasty divorce (I was also going through a very stressful coming out). So, freshman and sophomore years were very, very emotionally challenging for me
My course rigor is not as rigorous as possible due to numerous scheduling difficulties. Orchestra is offered the same one period each year and always conflicts with other classes.
I looked at high school as a chance to develop my interests rather than compete for the highest GPA. I took electives like Photography and Orchestra to see what I was interested in, which badly hurt my weighted GPA. They're weighted so an A+ is a 4.2 while an AP A+ is 5.7. My class is very competitive and generally plays the GPA game.
I have a huge passion for my instrument and surfing, if that matters.</p>
<p>Planning on applying for Columbia ED. Rice is my next favorite.
I have 2 siblings at Wake Forest so my dad is sort of forcing me to apply (I do like i though)
Florida is (hopefully) a safety - It's just my dad and I and we have next to no money. Florida offers a lot for National Merit.</p>
<p>If there's anything I missed, please ask. I'll chance back.</p>
<p>Forgot -
I hope to go to school for Biomedical Engineering. I’m going to be shadowing a Bioengineer soon to get a better idea of what it’s like. It’s not definite, but I do want to go for something science/engineering related.</p>
<p>I held a job through all 4 years of high school to help support me and my dad which took up a lot of my time for extracurricular stuff.</p>
<p>Columbia - low reach (with ED its probs more like a high match, but Columbia is a reach for anyone)
Rice - match</p>
<p>havent heard of the other two, sorry :(</p>
<p>Chance back at Cornell? 
<a href=“CORNELL?? I will chance back :D - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1643642-cornell-i-will-chance-back-d-p1.html</a></p>
<p>Columbia would be a reach. You have as good of a chance as everyone else, just that ivy’s are a crapshoot for everyone that hasn’t cured cancer. Your EC’s will make up for your supposed apprehension with your rank, and your SAT score is very good. ED will only help alot.</p>
<p>Rice would be more of a match but a high match… not an ivy so its more predictable, but no one ever knows.</p>
<p>Question:
How can you have a 4.0 UNweighted but have an A and not A+ sophomore year? Is that how your school works. Or were you referring to weighted? You probably explained it there though I probably didn’t pay enough attention. Either way I dont think it’ll harm your chances much if at all. </p>
<p>Chance back? (school uses 4.3 weighed system btw)
<a href=“Another regular Asian... Please Chance I'll Chance Back - #26 by outwest88 - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>Another regular Asian... Please Chance I'll Chance Back - #26 by outwest88 - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums;
<p>Florida does not offer a lot for National Merit. University of Central Florida does but definitely not University of Florida and they have been horribly picky this past year. They just outright rejected a national merit 2014 senior who was accepted at Cornell and every other school she applied to so I would not call Florida a safety.</p>
<p>@saismom
I was under the impression that UF waived out of state tuition for NMF + a little more…which would be a substantial amount overall. Going off of the acceptance rate and average SAT scores I assumed it was a safety.</p>
<p>@Wimbus1233
As far as I know A+ / A is 4.0, A- is 3.7 and B+ is 3.3
<a href=“How to Convert (Calculate) Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale – BigFuture”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools;
I’ve also seen A as 4.0 B as 3.0 etc.</p>
<p>Damn it my school does A+, A, A-…it’s almost impossible to have a 4.0 there. Either way you have a really good chance no worries. Thanks for chancing back.</p>
<p>I would check again with them but what we have been hearing from students and reading in the local press is that they aren’t giving much. Have you looked into Auburn, FSU, USF or UCF?</p>
<p>I’ll try to find out. I had looked into UCF but as far as I know UF is the better school and the possible OOS waiver is a life saver. Thank you though for bringing this to my attention…would have been bad if I expected something I wasn’t getting. I definitely need to do more research on safeties (at least financial safeties) soon.</p>
<p>Columbia- reach for anyone 
Rice- High Match
UF- match (i’m from Gainesville woot woot)
Wake Forest-match
My friend got into MIT and Columbia this year, and she’s placed 1st nationally in multiple math competitions and published a research paper with a professor from UF in a nationally known medical journal. Just putting it in perspective for ya. Still think you have a good shot, along with lots of other applicants :)</p>
<p>With those stats I think you have an awesome shot at columbia in ED. I’m from PA too and I had a 215 PSAT. How do u know you’ll be NMSQT finalist? Did they announce the cutoff yet? I’m a little worried about just barely not making it…</p>
<p>Columbia - very good chance
Rice - you should be accepted. I know less qualified people who have gotten in
Wake - safety. You’ll get in
Florida - incredibly safe. </p>
<p>@NotreDame75 </p>
<p>217 is the highest the PA cutoff has ever been…historically after the cutoff jumps like it did for this year’s class it goes back down a few points. The commended cutoff went down to 201 from 203 (I believe) and so it’s reasonably safe I’m in. You’re iffy with a 215 but there’s a possibility!</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>You have a rigorous course and you look committed in your ECs. Do you know your ACT score or weighted GPA? I would say that you have a 50/50 shot at Columbia, not because of your test scores just because ivies look to fill just certain areas and if you don’t fit their specific mold then you most likely won’t get it. You could probably get good scholarship money at Florida and I would say it is better to go to school for almost free rather than be indebted in student loans. Either way, just keep working hard at what ever you do. All you can do is try your best and if its meant to be then its meant to be. </p>
<p>Columbia: low reach
Florida: safety
WF: safety</p>
<p>Columbia: reach for anyone, but I’d say you have a good chance (:
Rice: high match
WF: you’re in
Florida: you’re in</p>
<p>Columbia: reach (it’s a crapshoot for everybody – but definitely not unattainable for you; I definitely think Columbia would understand the GPA thing, Ivies are especially understanding when it comes to shopping around for your passions; they even really encourage that through second semester freshman year, really)
Rice: high match
Wake Forest: match/safety?
Florida: definite safety</p>