Chance me for Stanford, will chance back!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I would love to know my chances for Stanford, Early Action. If you leave a link to your thread, I'll chance back ASAP. Please feel free to ask any questions, make any suggestions, anything at all. I don't have feelings, so hurting them isn't a concern. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>Basic Info
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Native Alaskan/White (with an Argentinian/Jewish twist!)
Location: Bay Area, CA
School: Public, large, few top-tier graduates
Economic Level: Very poor
Other Info: Gay</p>

<p>Grades/Schedule
Unweighted GPA: 4.00
Weighted GPA: 4.33
Class Rank: 1/478
Course Load: Most difficult available</p>

<p>Test Scores
SAT: 2370 (800 Critical Reading, 790 Math, 780 Writing)
ACT: 36
SAT Subject Tests: Literature and Math II, not yet taken
AP: World History (5), U.S. History (5), English 3 (5), Physics B (4), Calculus AB (5), Biology (TBD), U.S. Government (TBD), Macroeconomics (TBD), English 4 (TBD), Psychology (TBD), Calculus BC (TBD, not offered at school, independent study)</p>

<p>Awards
AP Scholar with Distinction
Student of the Year Award (every year so far)
VFW Voice of Democracy Speech Competition (1st place local, 2nd place regional)
Regional Scholar-Athlete (4 years, program Salutatorian once, Valedictorian twice)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars
Sports
Water polo (4 years)
Swimming (4 years, coach's award, captain, 2x regionals attendance)
Community Service
Swim coach (freshman and sophomore summers, 50-75 hours each summer)
Camp counselor (junior year, 100 hours)
Clubs/Similar
NHS (3 years, secretary junior year, president senior year, presided over membership doubling)
Debate (sophomore year, team leader/head speechwriter, undefeated, adviser subsequently moved to Germany, club collapsed)
CSF (1 year, instrumental in planning Safe Halloween, raised hundreds of cans of food and gave kids from bad neighborhoods a place to go for Halloween)
Acting (2 years, planned school's trip to regional acting festival)
German Club (1 year, treasurer, adviser subsequently retired, club collapsed)
Other
Boys' State Delegate (speechwriter for boy who became Lieutenant Governor)
Challenge Day (international program against discrimination, chosen as one of fifteen to represent program, will appear in a documentary on a major network by a producer with 16 Emmys and an Oscar)
Freshman Vice President
Published a collection of my short stories, poems, and essays</p>

<p>Essays/Letters
Essays: very well-written and creative, emphasizing poverty, cultural background, independence, and love of writing
Counselor Recommendation: beyond glowing, "smartest student in my 18 years of counseling," emphasizing passion for writing
Teacher Recommendation 1: math/physics teacher for five classes, adores me, calls me his best student, emphasizing the rarity of a student who excels at English and math
Teacher Recommendation 2: English teacher for two classes, loves me and my writing, also a college professor and calls me better than her college students</p>

2

<p>You’re certainly in the running though coming from the Bay Area with all the hooked is tough.</p>

3

<p>It’s tough to find a reason that a school would reject you. Apply to many of the top tier schools and you’ll most likely get into at least a few.</p>

4

<p>Thanks, both of you. I never really thought about the Bay Area as a disadvantage, but that makes sense. And I do realize that I could probably get into at least a few top-tier schools, but I don’t want to leave California, so Stanford’s my only real option.</p>

5

<p>Well I don’t think you should make it your only option. If you really don’t want to leave CA (and I suggest that you at least apply to top-tier schools elsewhere), then apply to some of the other top privates in CA.</p>

<p>For a Physics major – Cal Tech is an obvious choice, along with schools in the Claremont Consortium. UC Berkeley also has a world-renowned Physics program.</p>

6

<p>You have excellent ACT and SAT scores, excellent EC’s in my eyes (especially with the dedication to swimming and water polo), very good class rank, and the hook is that your Native Alaskan. I think you have a very good chance at Stanford EA.</p>

<p>Mind chancing me?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775477-final-chance-thread-ill-chance-you-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775477-final-chance-thread-ill-chance-you-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>My backups are UCLA and Cal, both of which I’d be pretty happy with. But Stanford’s financial aid and general high quality keep me tethered to it closely.</p>

<p>Btw, I’m not a Physics major… Not sure where you got that.</p>

<p>EDIT: Thanks to An0nmity as well. I’ll chance back momentarily.</p>

8

<p>Oops, I think I read that on a previous thread and just assimilated your stats together ><</p>

9

<p>No worries. :)</p>

10

<p>Why would native Alaskan be a hook? It’s not Native American and the OP is from overrepresented CA.</p>

11

<p>You seem like a pretty solid applicant to me, I’d accept you. If you want to stay in California, Stanford is really your only top-tier school besides CalTech. Good luck!</p>

12

<p>Thanks vbplayer.</p>

<p>hmom5: Stanford has one classification which encompasses Native Americans and Native Alaskans. But, in reality, the latter is perhaps even more underrepresented than the former; modern Alaskan schools are of a very low caliber, and since most Native Alaskans still reside there, there are few truly qualified candidates. Stanford’s affirmative action program is strong enough that they will, without question, admit a certain number of Native Alaskans each year, and I think that I could be one of them.</p>

<p>In other words, I think it’s a hook. :P</p>

13

<p>What the hell how are you so perfect?</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the laugh, Alex. :)</p>

15

<p>I love to BUMP!</p>

16

<p>

</p>

<p>Perhaps. But as someone who has worked in admissions, I can tell you that the value in such diversity is the student bringing the culture to the school. A ‘native Alaskan’ from the Bay Area would not fly in that regard.</p>

17

<p>My grandmother was born and raised in a tiny Native Alaskan village and has devoted her entire life to furthering native culture. She’s written several books on the subject, including one on Native Alaskan orphanages that breaks the thousand-page mark. I often spend hours with her discussing her research, our heritage, and the future of Alaska. She’s been one of the biggest influences in my life.</p>

<p>But thanks very much for your input. It’s good to know that I’ll have to emphasize that on my application.</p>

18

<p>You’ll be fine mate. I’m pretty confident you’ll get into Stanford. Even if you don’t though there are plenty of other top tier schools that would be glad to accept you.</p>

<p>The future is looking good, be proud! :)</p>

19

<p>Seriously, you should look outside of california. I think you have a good shot at Stanford, but you also have a decent shot at all the ivies. Why limit yourself?</p>

20

<p>I’d be much happier at UCLA or Cal than at any of the Ivies. But, again, I’ve fallen in love with Stanford. The spirit, the location, the aid, the classes, the everything. It is where I see myself spending the next four years.</p>