Chance me for Stanford/Duke!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>BASIC INFO
-Residency: Maryland
-Senior (Class of 2012)
-Asian (Chinese)
-Male
-Intended Major: Chemistry </p>

<hr>

<p>STATS
GPA: UW: 4.0 W: 4.76
Class Rank: Not official yet but most likely within top 10% of class
SAT: 2370 - 1st time (CR: 770; M: 800; W: 800 with essay subscore 12)
*SAT Subject tests: *
-Chinese with Listening 790
-US History 770
-Chemistry 800
-Physics 800
-Biology M 780
-Math Lvl II 760
*AP: *
-All 5's: US History, US Govt, World History, Chemistry, Biology, Physics Mech, Stats, Calc AB, Eng Lang, Chinese (total 10 AP's so far)
-Taking 3 more AP's senior year: Eng Lit, Calc C, Physics E/M </p>

<hr>

<p>** EXTRACURRICULAR **
*Science Olympiad/Olympiad *
-2nd Place Chemistry Lab, 2nd Place Microbe Mission, 2nd Place Forensics for Tiger Invitational Science Olympiad Tournament (2011)
-2nd Place Dynamic Planet for Central Maryland Regional Science Olympiad Tournament (2011)
-1st Place Dynamic Planet, 2nd Place Chemistry Lab for Maryland State Science Olympiad Tournament (2011)
-1st Place Remote Sensing, 1st Place Technical Problem Solving for Maryland Science Olympiad Tournament (2010)
-Team A Member/Events Captain 2009-2012
-President 2011-2012
-Attended National Science Olympiad Tournament 2010</p>

<p>Violin
-Nominated into 2011 All Eastern Honors Orchestra
-Nominated into 2010 American High School Honors Performance Series (Symphonic Orchestra) at Carnegie Hall
-Accepted into Maryland All State Senior Orchestra: Top Ten 2010; Top Six 2011
-Accepted into Maryland All State Junior Orchestra: Top Six 2009
-Member of County Gifted and Talented Orchestra, Principal Violin II 2009; Violin 1 2009 - present (always within top 4 chairs)
-Member of High School String Orchestra 2009 - 2012</p>

<p>Piano
-Passed all Trinity Guildhall Piano Diploma Examinations Grades 1-8 with Merit or Distinction
-Passed the Trinity Associate Music Diploma Examination (ATCL) - equivalent to the performance component of first year in full time undergraduate course at a conservatoire
-Won numerous awards (1st/2nd/3rd/Honorable Mention) at state piano competitions
-Passed Maryland State Piano Examination with "A" grade </p>

<p>Chemathon Team
-Cofounder and President 2011
-Will compete in Chemathon Spring of 2012 </p>

<p>Chess Club
-Vice President 2010-2012
-Coordinate school competitions </p>

<p>Math Team
-Team A member </p>

<p>Speech and Debate Team
-Founder/President 2008-2009 (freshman year)
-Promoted to Varsity Team mid year
-Quit after freshman year due to time constraints/desire to pursue more interesting extracurriculars (Science olympiad) </p>

<hr>

<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE
-Student Opportunity for Assistance and Review (SOAR) - tutor 2010-2011, Executive Board 2011-2012
-Community Recitals - organize recitals (6 person ensemble) and perform solos for various events at senior retirement homes and at church; accompany (violin) County Chinese School Adult Choir for their Chinese New Years' Performance at Strathmore Music Center
-Food on the 15th Community Organization (Bread Coordinator) - Organize bread donations from local grocery stores and coordinate drivers to pick up donations and drop them off at senior assisted living facilities
-County Chinese Youth Orchestra - Conductor 2010-2011 - Planned and led weekly 2 hour rehearsals, organize sectionals/private lessons as needed. Orchestra had 60+ members </p>

<hr>

<p>WORK EXPERIENCE/INTERNSHIPS/CO-CURRICULAR STUDIES
-Intern at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Department of biochemical engineering - Investigating how properties of extracellular matrices (specifically collagen films) affect cellular behavior - focusing specifically on cellular responses related to signals that occur downstream of mechanical factors (1. cell generated forces and 2. mechanical stiffness of the extracellular matrix).
-Private Violin Teacher - Have 5 students between ages of 6 and 15; help students qualify for Gifted and Talented Orchestras and Maryland All State Orchestras
-Johns Hopkins' Center for Talented Youth (CTY): Studied History of Disease, Chemistry, and Physics </p>

<hr>

<p>OTHER HONORS/AWARDS NOT INCLUDED ABOVE
-United States National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) National Finalist; Honors Award (Top 152 USNCO scores in nation) (2011)
-USNCO National Finalist, 2nd top score in Maryland Local Section (2010)
-Member of National Honor Society
-Howard County Middle School Science Fair Judge
-National AP Scholar
-US National Chinese Youth Culture Knowledge Contest National Finalist
-Le Grand Concours Certificat de Reussite (French Lvl 2 and 3)
-Numerous Department awards (school) in all categories/years - english, social studies, science, math, music </p>

<hr>

<p>Please chance me - Stanford/Duke are my top 2 choices. Also please give me advice/comments/suggestions/critiques. Should I apply Stanford EA or Duke ED? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Great Stats! The real question is which school do you like better, Stanford or Duke? Obviously these schools are super competitive when it comes to admission. I think that you’d have great shot at RD at both, but I think its always best to compare where you get in, so maybe do Stanford REA (it does help and its non binding) and then Duke RD, and then you can choose if you want to go to one of those or maybe attend some Ivy.</p>

<p>In short, I’d say apply Stanford EA, Duke RD, and then choose.</p>

3

<p>bump - more replies/critiques will be helpful =)</p>

4

<p>shameless bump again lol</p>

5

<p>Woah, awesome stats here! I think you’re in at both as long as you have strong essays and LOR’s. I agree with the above poster, apply to Stanford EA, then Duke RD.</p>

<p>BTW, what other schools are you applying to?</p>

6

<p>Probably Columbia, Princeton, Vanderbilt, WashU, UVa…why?</p>

7

<p>Actually very solid chances. Duke is a Match or better and Stanford is a low reach.</p>

<p>Edit: Actually, I think you are in the running for Duke’s full rides.</p>

<p>Edit 2: Nevermind, I misread and thought you made it to the USNCO camp…Still, great chances Low Reachish at both.</p>

8

<p>go EA. ED will waste your great stats.</p>

9

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

<p>I just need to work on my essays now -.-</p>

<p>Should I de-emphasize or not include clubs like chess club or math team where I didn’t do much?</p>

10

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/957169-so-you-think-you-can-chance-stanford.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/957169-so-you-think-you-can-chance-stanford.html&lt;/a&gt;
Check out my chance thread from last year, I applied Stanford EA and was rejected, but thankfully I was accepted to Duke RD and enrolled right away haha, those were my top two choices as well. Good luck!</p>

11

<p>If I were you, I would go ED Duke. If Duke and Stanford are similar to you, and one is not significantly better than the other, then this makes sense. I think you will be accepted ED Duke, but Stanford is a huge reach for everybody, and I am not sure.</p>