Chance me for Stanford/MIT/Brown/Dartmouth/ GeorgiaTech/CMU/UCB/RPI/Caltech?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Im in 11th grade, taking 6 honors/higher level classes (Linear algebra, IB English, IB History, IB Compsci, IB Spanish, IB Chemistry HL).

Race/gender: Indian male

Intended major: Physics/Engineering

Received A’s in all my STEM classes except physics honors where I got a B+

(Note: It is required for freshman to take standard history, and required for freshman and sophomore to take standard english)

Unweighted GPA for sophomore year: 3.78

of honors classes: 5 (AP US History, Multivariable Calc, Chem Honors, Physics Honors, standard English, Spanish 3 honors)

Unweighted GPA for freshman year: 3.82

of honors classes: 1 (Differential equations)

APs:
5 on AP calc AB (8th grade)
5 on AP calc BC (9th grade, self studied)
5 on APUSH (10th grade)
5 on AP physics C Mechanics (10th grade, self studied)
5 on AP physics C Electricity/Magnetism (10th grade, self studied)

Received AP Scholar with Distinction

SAT: 2230, 800 on SAT math II, 690 on SAT US History (won’t report), planning on taking SAT Physics and getting 800

94.5 on AMC 12B, 2015
Participated in F=ma exam, score unknown
Robotics/Engineering and math clubs at my school
Cross Country/Track teams at my school, not varsity
School orchestra and outside orchestra (violin II)
I do volunteering as well at a school for disabled kids
In 9th grade I did an internship in computational chemistry that included a final presentation, I’m going to start a physics internship this year
Did camp at Stanford (Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes), competitive admission
Enrolled in Stanford OHSx for a (post-AP) physics class

2

Your ECs are pretty standard and diffuse for any HPSYM, CMU, Berkeley, etc., especially as an ORM in a STEM field. On top of that, your SAT is about average for most of the upper schools on your list. You have as much of a shot as anyone who applies, but you’ll have to kill the essays and have some safeties lined up.

3

I’m planning on retaking the SAT (old sat) for a higher score, like in the 2300+ range.

Would winning a silver key or honorable mention in the Scholastic Art and Writing help? http://www.artandwriting.org A few kids from my school got gold/silver keys+honorable mention.

4

I don’t understand how this is different from the 7 other “chance me” threads you’ve previously started.

5

Im trying to get a range of opinions

6

I would think 7 previous threads would have already gotten you a range. But from my point of view, you’re trying to hard and approaching this head-on instead of “sideways”. Adcoms will be able to tell the difference.

7

Can you elaborate on that?

8

@Euler2718 You have already posted a bunch of chance threads, so you should know what renaissancedad is talking about. By applying “sideways,” see [url=<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways%5Dhere%5B/url”>http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways]here[/url].

9

Nothing here is particularly interesting in all honesty. Ec’s are almost nonexistent.

10

@Euler2718, as I’ve said previously, you have a strong math background, and obviously a genuine interest in this area. That comes across loud and clear. But now you are scrambling around trying to figure out what will make you more impressive to colleges. Post #2 mentions 2 good examples:

  1. Re-taking the SAT when you've already gotten a 2230. All that will do is make you look like you are obsessed with test scores for the purposes of impressing adcoms (which you apparently are).
  2. Talking about applying to Scholastic Arts & Writing for the sake of getting an award when you've never shown any prior interest in art and writing. Aside from the hubris of thinking that you could automatically get an award, why do this when it's never been an interest before?

You are wriggling like an eel trying to figure out how to make yourself into someone different. That doesn’t work. Do the job of presenting who you really are: apparently a very bright kid with a strong math talent and a physics/engineering focus. Find a school that values you for who you are, not for someone you are pretending to be.

11

DEEPEN. DeeepennnN! Casting a broad net an inch deep won’t catch anything! Math/Physics is what you do. So do more! Don’t dabble in things that you don’t care for; you’re just going to make yourself miserable.

Like, your internships. Congratulations! Give your all to those.
Also, who the frick takes AP CALC in 8th grade?? Wow. Nice job :slight_smile:

Just work hard, be kind, you’ll get in where you get in.

12

I agree with @rennaisancedad. You are coming across as a try hard. Narrow your focus to STEM related stuff. Keep doing well in your classes.

Stanford and MIT is a reach for everyone however you should be competitive everywhere else.