Chance me for Ivies, as well as Duke, Georgetown, UChicago?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi! I'm looking to apply to some top schools in the fall, and am wondering how I stand against the competition.
I'm interested in a STEM career....perhaps biomedical engineering? I'm not entirely sure though, so I want to keep my options open.</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 UW 5.1 W
School: Private prep school
Class Rank: 1
Class Size: 170~</p>

<p>SAT: 2280 (760 CR, 790 M, 730 W)
(Should I take it again in the fall? Is this score good enough for top schools?)
SAT II: 780 Math II
730 US History
620 Physics (Retaking all)
ACT: Haven't taken
Course load: All honors/ap throughout high school (hardest course load that school offers)
APs for Jr Year: AP Calc AB, AP Psych, AP US History, AP Physics (Got all 5s on exams)
APs for Sr Year: AP Calc BC, AP Macro, AP English Lit, AP Chem, AP Bio</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Violin- private study
Regional Orchestra
School Orchestra (Concertmaster)
School Pit Orchestra
Local University Orchestra (Concertmaster)</p>

<p>Varsity Swimming (Coaches Award, Most Improved, Captain for senior year)
Club Swimming (year round)</p>

<p>Yearbook (Chief editor -12th grade)</p>

<p>Book Club (pres)
FOR Club
JSA (founding member)
Career Club (President)
Math Club (President, Highest AMC score in school)</p>

<p>National Honor Society
Tri M Music Honor Society (Secretary)
National Latin Honor Society
NJ Scholars Semifinalist
Certificate of Merit from the Society of Women Engineers</p>

<p>Tutor inner city children
CCD Teacher (1 year)
Cathedral Kitchen Volunteer</p>

<p>Summer:
Lifeguard, (30 hrs/week), Snack Bar Worker (when I'm not guarding)
Day camp volunteer (been doing for 4 years, ~350 hours total)
Volunteer at hospital (around 300 hours)
Volunteer at facility for severely disabled children
Swimming</p>

<p>Two week Biochem course @ Cook Honors College Summer Honors Program (became familiar with recombinant DNA technology, epidemiology, Koch's postulates, and DNA fingerprinting using PCR & gel electrophoresis in 4 hr labs)</p>

<p>For my Common app essay, I'm considering writing about my experience with scoliosis.</p>

2

<p>you have a gr8 chance dear… just give your best in the essays…</p>

3

<p>Your scores, rank and coursework look top notch. Most people would be envious to be in your position. I agree with positioning yourself as a future STEM/engineer. As a female, this will give you some (slight) advantage. Your chances at Duke are quite good. U Chicago is a bit quirky and comes down to how well you write. Georgetown I don’t know much about.</p>

4

<p>I’ll second the other comments - your chances are very good anywhere you apply. Make sure you focus on your essays and interview preparations, and chose the teachers you ask to write your recommendations wisely.</p>

<p>The biggest hurdle you may face will be that you are in a over represented demographic, especially if you are Caucasian or Asian…there are more students like you than you might suspect, and these schools are seeking to maximize diversity with their admissions decisions. My hunch - if you apply to HYPSM, some schools will accept you, others will not, and there is no way to predict the results in advance.</p>

<p>For a glimpse into the students that Harvard is accepting, look at this survey:</p>

<p><a href=“The Harvard Crimson | Class of 2017”>http://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Harvard: High Reach (for everyone)
Princeton: High Reach (for everyone)
Yale: High Reach (for everyone)
Brown: High Reach (for everyone, also depends a lot on essays, Brown is unpredictable)
Dartmouth: Low Reach
Cornell:Low Reach
UPenn: Mid Reach
Georgetown: Low Reach
UChicago: High Reach
Duke: Mid Reach</p>

<p>Listen, you have great stats and good leadership positions. These schools are reaches for everyone and so unpredictable. Harvard, Princeton, and Yale will be hard with your SAT but you have a good chance if you EA or ED. Your stats match with Brown’s but in terms of uniqueness your ECs are not incredibly unique. But you can show uniqueness through essays. As I said, it’s so hard to chance Brown. Great shot at Darmouth, Penn, Georgetown, and Duke. UChicago is the same as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Brown, very unpredictable.</p>

<p>Good luck! </p>

6

<p>“Brown: high reach for everyone” </p>

<p>Thanks for the laughs!</p>