Chance Me for Ivies

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>High-school Junior here looking to be chanced for Ivy-level engineering schools like MIT, CalTech, Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, etc. etc. I attend a math, science, and tech magnet school, ranked among the top 5 or so high-schools in my state, though I'm in the first class to actually go through all 4 years.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.85 UW, 4.6 W
Class Rank: 55 out of 340 (unfortunately, my school limits how many classes can affect your weighting, so many students who have never taken an AP have a higher rank than me, and we also have 24 valedictorians)</p>

<p>SAT:
Total: 2160
M: 760
CR: 700
W: 700
(Retaking soon, W likely to go up a bit, possibly 800 in M if I don't make a dumb mistake)</p>

<p>AP Tests (have taken every singe one offered accept for AP Psych):
AP Calc AB- 5
AP US History - 5
AP Computer Science (self studied) - 5
AP World History - 4
Future APs: Gov, Physics Mechanics, Calc BC, and Lang and Comp</p>

<p>ECs:
Chess Club
Software & Apps Club - (Acting as a programming instructor)
NHS
Mock Trial
Self-Taught programmer, working on several professional level video games as well as interning this summer at a tech company
120+ Hours of Volunteering at Races, Food Drives, Tutoring, etc.</p>

<p>Awards:
Highest score on the AMC math test in school 2 years in a row
Honor Roll for every semester
Highest score on many IT and Business standardized tests in the school
National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist</p>

<p>Recs coming from Physics and Calc teacher are likely to be very good, and I'm certain I will write some amazing essays with my apps</p>

<p>I plan on majoring in Comp Sci and possibly Electric Engineering.</p>

2

<p>Bump</p>

<p>Also, let me know if there’s something else I can do to improve my standings</p>

3

<p>With your scores and rank, most of those schools will be pretty serious reaches for you. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply- your AP scores are very good and your awards are good as well. The internship sounds good but other than that your ECs seem a little weak- is there any other way you can show off your programming skills? Colleges will definitely appreciate how you challenged yourself with your school and self-studied AP.</p>

<p>Definitely a stretch, but nothing’s unattainable, and some parts of your app look great, so it’s worth a shot by all means.</p>

<p>Chance me back? [thread]1508542[/thread]</p>

4

<p>Would like to hear more opinions/advice. Thanks for contributing etacarinae!</p>

5

<p>Yeah, I would agree with etacarinae (Disclaimer: I am only another junior). Your rank/SAT are not as high as Ivies would like, and your EC’s are not stand-out either. But then again, who’s perfect? Your classes are challenging and colleges will like to see your programming involvement. I wish you the best of luck! </p>

<p>Chance me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1508126-chances-ivy-league-school.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1508126-chances-ivy-league-school.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>Those schools would be reach for you. You may try UMich which is high match for you.</p>

7

<p>

</p>

<p>Well, max, based on the numbers alone, you’re in a lousy spot – especially because of the goofy way your school calculates class rank, which pushes out well outside the top 10%. Nevertheless, there may be a way to finesse your skills and your application to get you in. Here’s what I would recommend:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Retake the SAT until to get near 2300 or take the ACT until you get a 34 or higher; CS and engineering are two very competitive fields and successful applicants are almost always outstanding standardized test takers.</p></li>
<li><p>Build a special rapport with your guidance counselor. Ideally, you would like him to add a prominent paragraph in his recommendation for you providing a “alternate class rank” based upon weighed GPA, which is what most schools do. At the minimum, an enthusiastic and detailed recommendation from the GC will help, since most GCs are too busy minding the herd to write more than a general and generic recommendation.</p></li>
<li><p>If you are in one of the top math schools in the state, try to reframe “highest score on the AMC math test in school 2 years in a row” into the equivalent on a statewide basis: 1st in school doesn’t impress these schools, but 5th in state is definitely worth noting.</p></li>
<li><p>Get one of your “professional level video games” published and made available for the iPhone and perhaps Android. Then submit the game app as a portfolio piece. Lots of high schoolers dabble with programming, but very few have the skill to release a professional product. This could be the kicker element that makes you stand out and get in: a demonstration of technical skill along with a creative mindset and entrepreneurial inclination.</p></li>
<li><p>Add Brown and Williams to your list of schools: Brown has an excellent CS department, one of the oldest undergrad programs in the nation, but is often missed by the technically inclined because it’s traditionally been perceived as a liberal arts school. Brown has an open curriculum (no forced distribution requirements), and thus is a little more flexible about stats, looking first and foremost for independent-minded self-driven thinkers who will excel in a school with limited rules. Williams, on the other hand, is one of the top 2 LACs with a strong math and science focus, but LACs tend to get far more female applicants than male applicants, thus giving males an admissions edge as the admissions office tries for rough gender-balance.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Hope this helps. Good luck!</p>