Chance me for highly selective schools? Will chance back. Promise.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello! Regular Decisions are being released in about a month, and since all I can possibly do to significantly affect my chances (applications, scores, activities, interviews, etc.) are now pretty much over with, I became curious as to what people thought of my chances. If you could please give me your opinion on the chances I have at being accepted into these schools, I'd really appreciate it! I promise I'll chance you back if you want me to. </p>

<p>I'm aware these are very selective/competitive schools, and I know that many of the most qualified students across America and the world will ultimately be rejected. I even have accepted the possibility that I may not get into any of them! Please tell me what you honestly think. Thanks! :)</p>

<p>Colleges:[ul]
[<em>] Rice
[</em>] Stanford
[<em>] Duke
[</em>] Northwestern
[<em>] Vanderbilt
[</em>] Columbia
[<em>] Princeton
[</em>] Harvard
[li] Brown (+PLME)</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Objective:[ul]
[<em>] ACT: Two sittings: Second - 34 (35 E, 34 M, 32 R, 33 S, 9 Essay); First - 30 (31 E, 34 M, 30 R, 26 S, 8 Essay).
[</em>] SAT: Two sittings: Second - 2090 (790 M, 690 W, 610 CR); First - 2000 (750 M, 640 W, 610 CR).
[<em>] SAT Subject Tests: 800 Math Level 2, 780 World History, 760 Math Level 1, 720 Chemistry, 710 US History.
[</em>] GPA: Weighted: 105.926 (6th semester GPA, should go up throughout senior year). Unweighted: 99.6/100.0. For weighted GPA, an added 10% to all AP classes and 7% to all honors classes that are not AP. Unweighted GPA uses raw grades.
[<em>] Rank: 1 out of 387.
[</em>] AP Exams: Have taken 6, will take 7 more this year. 5 Statistics, 5 US History, 5 Human Geography, 4 Chemistry, 4 English Language, 4 World History. Will take Calculus AB, Physics B, Biology, Environmental Science, English Literature, US Government, and Microeconomics.
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load: AP Calculus AB, AP Physics 1, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, AP English Literature, AP US Government (semester), AP Microeconomics (semester), Band.
[</em>] Major Awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, 4x NM State Science Olympiad Champion, NM Congressional Award for Academic Achievement, Regional Scholar selected by Independent Committee (looks at academics, essays, interview, recommendations), 2x All-State Clarinetist.
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars: Science Olympiad: team captain for 4 years, I've won 5 titles at State, and have 20 other 1st-3rd placings at Regionals/State combined. I've performed exceptionally well in Anatomy & Physiology. Band: 2x All-State Clarinetist, 3x All-District Clarinetist, Drum Major, Clarinet Section Leader, Principal clarinetist in school's Symphonic Band. National Honor Society: Elected President each of 3 years. Student Council: 10-12. Was Secretary 11th grade. Student Advisory Committee: was nominated by teachers and administrators to be the senior class representative. We plan things/fix issues that can make students' lives better. Tennis: Junior Varsity freshman year.
[</em>] Volunteer/Community Service: American Red Cross: I founded and currently am President of a Youth Club in our area. We go on disaster calls and do disaster prevention presentations at various community events. The club was founded in January and has grown to 10 students to-date. Nursing Home shadower: I've shadowed nurses in a nursing home intermittently since sophomore year. I've assisted, bathed, fed, and entertained patients. Physician shadower: I've shadowed a local cardiologist junior year. I helped in simple diagnostic activities, interacted with patients in examination rooms, and have shadowed testing at hospitals. National Honor Society: various associated projects. Student Council: various associated projects.
[<em>] Job Experience: I was a Youth Soccer Referee my freshman year. I officiated about 5 games a week for a fall and spring season for kids aged 5-12.
[</em>] Academic Interests: Major in Biochemistry (if not available, Biological Sciences) and pursue medical school admission. Currently eyeing cardiology. Having my father as a physician, as well as family members with cancerous diseases, adds to my passion for going into medicine as I've had much personal experience in the home, in shadowing, and from 6 years of Anatomy and Physiology in Science Olympiad.
[li] Hook: Established and currently lead a community service organization (American Red Cross Youth Club). Good academic record for a student from a rural area in NM, if that counts.</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other Factors:[list]
[<em>] State or Country: New Mexico.
[</em>] School Type: Public, only school in rural town of 40,000 people. ~2400 students. Graduation rate of 50-65%, but top students in the past have been accepted at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and Notre Dame.
[<em>] Ethnicity: Asian Indian.
[</em>] Gender: Male.
[<em>] Income: >$150,000.
[</em>] Teacher Recommendations: All should be great. I have always had stellar relationships with my teachers. Most have taught for 20+ years, and they usually comment that I'm one of the best student's they've ever taught. Have had a significant or special story in class with all of them.
[<em>] Other Recommendations: Should be great as well. One was a coach for A&P in Science Olympiad, another was my school's gifted facilitator. Also had a college prep counselor for a few schools.
[</em>] Counselor Recommendation: Should be good. He really likes me and has made the comment that I am the most serious kid he's seen about striving academically. Not sure how he conveyed that in writing, however.
[<em>] Essays: Hopefully will be great. Usually write good essays; my junior AP English teacher says I'm one of the best writers she's ever had. I get them proofed by a college prep counselor.
[</em>] Interviews: I've been interviewed for 7 of the 9 colleges listed above (I'm still very, very exhilarated about that!). All of them have been great, if not fantastic. I led the conversation and talked about myself more than my application. They all seemed to enjoy me and most have told me that they'll write a great report and think I have just as good a chance as any excellent applicant.</p>

2

<p>Wow, I’m really impressed. I think you’re a solid contender for all of these schools… but then again, a lot of people who apply are :smiley: I think you kind of just have to hope that you’re in the 5-15% selected!
Columbia, Princeton, Harvard, Brown PLME and Stanford are definitely highhh reaches (especially Brown PLME! the acceptance rate is so low!), and the rest are just reaches. Good luck! And relax: you’re done applying :slight_smile: </p>

3

<p>Don’t tell us about the actual components of the app. outside of the incoming credentials because they are only a speculation or self-appraisal. Anyway, you look great on paper and have about as good a chance as everyone else at some of these schools. Also, don’t say that you already know the medical specialty you want to pursue, that’s annoying…You may be very sought after considering your location. It may help significantly, but may I add that all of those selective schools are not the same for science education. I would try to find a school at least as good as Vanderbilt, but is not as difficult to get into, and there are many such schools (fortunately, you have Rice on there, which I honestly think is better for physical sciences and engineering). </p>

<p>I’ll also add this: You said you were interested in biochemistry, but said you’d settle for biosciences if the school didn’t have it. Most biosciences departments will not be chemistry or even molecular biology heavy (though many you have listed are). You should probably be looking at the quality of chemistry departments if you still want to get a grounding in biochemistry or chemical biology oriented things before going to med. school (it’s also “rumored” that problem solving oriented science majors tend to outperform pure biology majors on the MCAT. And the new MCAT is more problem solving oriented than ever). Most of those places have very solid chemistry depts, but I know two of them where that is not the case (I won’t name them unless you ask for it in a PM. The chem. depts compared to the other places listed are just meh…and I can find some less selective schools that are better…hopefully you already applied to some). “Biosciences” and “biochemistry” are usually completely different. You’d be better off majoring in chemistry and dabbling in relevant biology courses (or doing biology and getting a healthy helping of biology oriented chemistry courses beyond the organic chemistry requirement for med. school. And I know at least one school where not even those courses aren’t that good). Just be careful. Don’t let the rank and selectivity of all these places fool you. </p>

<p>As for the list: You may be a match for RIce (which is good for what you want to do!), and the others are reaches for practically everyone and are somewhat random (though international recognition for something will increase chances at Harvard, Stanford, and Princeton dramatically) Your stats. say you are competitive for all of these, but it could go either way. Hopefully you’ll be admitted to at least half of them, but really think about where you want to go. They are not all the same…</p>

4

<p>Everything looks great. I would say you have a great chance to get accepted by all of those schools. I don’t understand how your GPA works though. What would that be on a 4.0 scale?</p>

5

<p>great resume (SAT kind of low though)
Harvad, Brown (PLME), Stanford, Princeton are reaches
The rest are low reach
I think you will get into Rice, and one other school
good luck
chance back
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1618455-chance-me-on-these-institutions.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1618455-chance-me-on-these-institutions.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>UW GPA would be a 4.0 (to the above poster). Usually anything 95+ is a 4.0.
To the OP, you have a good shot at all the schools based purely on GPA. Your SAT is low though and a low 34 for the ACT is borderline low for the higher schools on your list. However, the ACT won’t hurt you like the SAT could. You also have great ECs thoug. Regardless, good luck and thanks for chancing me!</p>

7

<p>34 is excellent and will get them in the middle-50 of basically all of those schools (as long as it’s in the mid-50 of admits, it’s “competitive”). I would not have submitted the SAT, so I agree with you guys on that. I was simply going based on how the admissions tend to work at these schools. All like high stats, but some are much less predictable once you hit that stats. threshold. </p>

8

<p>Thanks for all the comments, everyone!

9

<p>bump</p>

10

<p>You have an awesome application, and I would not be surprised if you got into a lot of the schools on your list. The only thing is that your test scores might be a bit low compared to others that may be applying, but all of your ECs and other details might overcome that. Basically all of your schools have to be considered reaches to everyone because of how selective they are (you can never really tell someone Harvard is a “match”) but I think you have a GREAT chance at a lot of them.
Chance me back please?? We applied to several of the same schools, actually :slight_smile:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1617418-chances-at-duke-washu-william-and-mary-dartmouth-richmond-wake-forest-vanderbilt-brown.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1617418-chances-at-duke-washu-william-and-mary-dartmouth-richmond-wake-forest-vanderbilt-brown.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>Thanks, I sure will :)</p>

<p>bump… </p>

12

<p>bump…</p>

13

<p>You say you’re 1st out of 387, but in a school with 2400 students…?</p>

14

<p>You have an incredibly solid application. Your test scores are great and so are your awards. You won’t get into all off those schools due to their selective nature, but you should get into a few.</p>

<p>Rice-high match
Stanford-reach
Duke-low reach
Northwestern-low reach
Vanderbilt-low reach
Columbia-low reach/reach
Princeton-reach
Harvard-reach
Brown (+PLME)-low reach/reach</p>

15

<p>Rice-high match
Duke-low reach
Northwestern-low reach
Vanderbilt-low reach
Columbia-reach
HPS are reach
Brown (+PLME)-reach
You should get into 1 of the low reaches and maybe even one reach.
chance me please-<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1624266-chance-a-struggling-sophomore.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1624266-chance-a-struggling-sophomore.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>@appplicant what are you talking about…? A 34 is a FANTASTIC score, equivalent to a 2290 on the SAT</p>

17

<p>Yes, we have a drop out of ~700 to 350 between freshman and senior year. </p>

<p>Thanks for everyone’s comments!</p>

18

<p>Rice - High match/low reach
Stanford, Princeton, Harvard - High reach for everyone
Duke - low reach/reach
Northwestern - low reach
Vanderbilt - low reach
Columbia - low reach/reach
Brown (+PLME) - low reach or reach, I don’t know enough about the program to decide.</p>

<p>Your scores will get you past their first screenings. Your ECs are great, especially in science, although the Red Cross Club might be seen as fluff and is not a hook (not that a hook is needed). Colleges might see it as something you wanted to add to your application, as you did start the club in the January of your senior year. Colleges also would have to take into consideration the quality of your school, as it seems to be pretty weak (only 50-65% graduate?). Your race won’t help of course, as AA is very alive. What will be really important for you is the essay, and, since I cannot judge that, I put my best estimates assuming you had a good, but not outstanding essay.
Good luck! I’m waiting to hear back from a couple of the same schools right now, the stress is real.</p>

19

<p>Very impressive profile. I think 6 of them will certainly accept you! Serious. Help me Very good chances. Help me out <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1615900-harvard-yale-princeton-and-duke-chances-thank-you-will-chance-you-too.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1615900-harvard-yale-princeton-and-duke-chances-thank-you-will-chance-you-too.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

20

<p>@mlolo98 True. It’s a great score. No doubt. However, it rounds up to a 34. If it rounded down, I’d say it’s comfortable. However, these schools have incredibly high standards and I’d consider only a 35+ to be a truly safe score. I have a “high” 33 (34, 34, 33, 32)- only one point away from the OP’s score total. Yet, personally, I consider myself out of the running for many of these top schools (especially as an unhooked ORM). Buuut thats just me</p>