<p>As the title indicates, id like to know my chances at MIT, Stanford, Caltech, JHU BME, and CMU CompSci</p>
<p>I am currently a junior, south asian male btw</p>
<p>My stats:</p>
<p>SAT: 2380 single sitting (retaking in march, hoping for 2400), probably 800 on SAT Math, Chem and Physics
GPA - UW 4.0 W 4.77, most likely rank 1
ECs: 2 years varsity Cross Country, Math team president, NHS officer, science nhs vp, its academic vp
Awards: possible AIME this year, qualified for USNCO, not much else
Schedule: always took the most amount of APs</p>
<p>Additional: finished calc bc this year, going to take differential equations/linear algebra at local college senior year (not sure if this even matters), also some volunteer hours, got to work as a research assistant at johns hopkins</p>
<p>No chance!! Are u crazy to retake a stupid SAT just to gain a measly 20 points!!What if you get a lower score the second time??
Put that time into more of USNCO/AIME and stuff and you’ll get in…</p>
<p>and btw…I was kidding abt the no chance part…awesome stats(just heed my warning)</p>
<p>I’m not really qualified enough to chance you, but I can tell you that no college cares for that extra 20 points. The difference between 2380 and 2400 is questionable at best. Your time would be best spent on something else like ECs</p>
<p>But, you have no amazing ECs. That’s the issue. Places like MIT, Stanford, Caltech, CMU, etc. all value ECs incredibly highly. So, I’m going to put you at a high match at CMU and JHU, but, mid reaches on the rest.</p>
<p>Hi! I agree with what everyone said with regards to the SATs. I’d say that if you’re able to retake them with absolutely no prep then go for it. But if you’re planning on doing tons of prep for those extra points, it’s not worth it. I’d definitely invest a lot more time into extracurriculars. Maybe a couple more awards? You seem like a science/math person so maybe research could be a good path, especially for MIT.</p>
<p>@antwanmon, it depends on the research and the journal. At this point, I’ve seen a ton of students on CC say they have done “research” – so, realistically speaking, to make it stand out on an application, since so many applicants have done research, you really have to make it good. </p>
<p>Granted, don’t take my opinions for much – I’m just another high school applicant, after all. My advice is to just do what you love. If that includes doing research, then by all means, do the research, regardless of whether or not you believe it will help you an incredible amount in college admissions. If it doesn’t include doing research, then find something else you love and pursue it.</p>
<p>You have absolutely no chance unless you get a 2400. Also publishing your own research is weak-****<em>. Most people here already head their own labs and *own</em> various research journals. Math at a local college? Please dude. You should have started college math in 9th grade. You are way behind. I wouldnt waste my money applying o these schools. You just your GED and go to a community college. Maybe, just maybe you’ll be good enough to transfer to a four year school.</p>
<p>Don’t try for a 2400. Doing so might actually irk admissions officers. Keep up your grades and improve your extracurriculars and I think you would have a great chance at all of them.</p>
<p>Do you have any recommendations for awards/prizes that i can still get?
Im a junior, so i only have until fall of next year. Is there anything math/science related that comes up between now and then?</p>
<p>Also, it’s quite extraordinary that you guys do so many ECs which you probably don’t give two hoots about, just to get into good schools.</p>
<p>I read the OPs ECs and though “wow that’s a lot”, and then saw people bashing them and saying they wouldn’t be enough, and genuinely laughed.</p>
<p>I guess it’s just different in the US, but here in the UK we have a much greater academic focus - grades mean a lot more, and personal statements are about academic thoughts/discussion, interviews are mostly academic etc.</p>
<p>@TSRPolymath, Well what I understood was that in US they accept only academically bright students…they already know that!! They just wan to know the applicant better, so that he has a good time at the univ.:)</p>
<p>@quiverfox, do US unis tend to interview much?</p>
<p>At Cambridge I had around 3-4 hours of interviews with a total of nine professors/senior tutors - perhaps this is their alternative to ECs in that they instead ‘get to know you’ by talking to you?</p>