Chance me for top schools? (Questions too because of a special circumstance)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<h2>Hey there!</h2>

<p>Info:</p>

<p>-Bi-racial (White/Hispanic)
-Extremely competitive high school that doesn't rank
-Female
-Los Angeles!
-For the first two months of each summer I take summer classes at my school. Then in August I work with my local food pantry (~300 hours last summer). This summer I'm going to El Salvador to help the kids over there.
-About 5,000 hours accumulated throughout all four years.
-Currently working on the Congressional Award -- going for gold!</p>

<h2>-On the application, should I mention my total amount of community service hours from 9th to 11th, or just the hours of my most recent year?</h2>

<p>Grades:</p>

<p>Freshman Year:</p>

<p>English 9: B
History 9: A
Spanish II: A
Health: F
Science (CPC): A
Hebrew 2: B
Law 9: B
Computer Graphics I/II: A
Math (Geometry): A
Acting I/II: A</p>

<p>My Freshman year was a special circumstance. I go to a rigorous private school but unfortunately got really sick with an illness that kept me incapacitated (and on most days, in the hospital). I was still expected to make up all my work, and I think I succeeded in some... not in others. Do you also think this will have a huge impact on whether I'm accepted or rejected?</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:</p>

<p>English 10: A
History 10 Honors: A
Health (retake): A
Spanish III Honors [Mexico Exchange]: A
Chemistry [over the summer]: A
Biology Honors: A
Hebrew 3: A
Law 10: A
Advanced Theatre Projects: A
Psychology: A
Math (Algebra II): A
Drawing I/II: A</p>

<p>Junior Year:</p>

<p>English 11 Honors: A
US History: A
Law 11: A
Spanish IV: A
Anatomy and Physiology: A
Hebrew 4: A
AP Psychology: A
Sculpture I [over the summer]: A
Math (Pre-Calc): A
AP Studio Art: A
Badminton: A</p>

<p>Senior Year Classes:</p>

<p>AP English
History 12 Honors
AP Spanish
Hebrew 5
Calculus
AP Studio Art
Badminton
Law 12
Holocaust Studies</p>

<h2>Advanced Theatre Projects</h2>

<p>PSAT: 210
SAT: 2360
ACT: 35
SAT II:
Math: 700
US History: 760
Biology: 700
Spanish: 800
APs:
AP Studio Art: 5</p>

<h2>AP Psychology: 5</h2>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Tae Kwon Do: 8 years
Intensive art: 5 years
Piano: 4 years
Voice: 4 years
Chair of a Teen Hunger program: 4 years
Japanese: 4 years
Robotics: 4 years
Violin: 3 years
Theatre: 3 years</p>

<h2>Guitar: 2 years [3 years in a few months]</h2>

<p>I'm applying to:</p>

<p>Brown
RISD
UCLA
UCD
Cornell
Carnegie Mellon
U of Chicago</p>

<h2>Stanford</h2>

<p>Is there anything I should add / take out? What are some good safeties to apply to?</p>

2

<p>Great lineup. Looks good. Berkeley, Northwestern, NYU are good as well.</p>

3

<p>The upward trend in grades/volunteer work/SAT score should make up for your freshman year. Don’t worry too much about it.</p>

<p>Brown: reach (but then again, it is for everyone)
RISD: not sure
UCLA: match
UCD: match/in
Cornell: low reach
CMU: match
U Chicago: match/reach
Stanford: reach</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/869696-am-i-doing-everything-right.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/869696-am-i-doing-everything-right.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with Brown, especially promoting all the community service you’ve done. Definitely mention the total. it would be good to tie it into your personal statement.
I think RISD depends more on your portfolio.
At CMU you might get some merit aid.
Nice job! The interview is when you mention how you were sick freshman year, without harping on it.</p>

5

<p>I wouldn’t worry about it too much, the freshman grades aren’t even bad, it’s still probably a high A- average? Your testing scores are amazing, I think you’ll get into some really great schools.</p>

<p>Side note… Badminton is actually a class? O_O</p>

6

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</p>

<p>I’ll apply to those too. Are they matches?</p>

<p>

What a sigh of relief! Thanks for the chance.</p>

<p>

Ahh so community service would be better as a personal statement than my sickness? I see – and I only mention the Freshman illness at the interview. Gotcha. (:</p>

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</p>

<p>Ahh but the fail just worsens it. XD
And yeah, my school has it as a class. It’s pretty much the only sport besides hockey that I’m good at. :F</p>

7

<p>Honestly, your stats and everything would be on par with most people at Stanford. The Hispanic thing does give you an edge. I would suggest however that you focus on your essays more so just because it is heavily weighted. You should remember that most of these decisions are fairly subjective and arbitrary. The depth of the Stanford app allows you to really convey your personality. Just focus on that. </p>

<p>*I speak only on stanford because that’s what I’m more familiar with. I got a likely letter this year and my stats were probably not as good as yours. Filipino/spanish (probably not too important though spanish gives a small edge), 2270 SATs, rank 4, unimportant highschool, band and various academic programs though nothing too out of the ordinary for kids applying to top schools. You’ll be fine. Don’t sweat it.</p>

8

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<p>Ahh, thanks for the advice. I really needed some for Stanford. :P</p>

<p>Anyone need a chance back? XD</p>

9

<p>buuump.
Do you guys think I should self-study an AP?</p>

10

<p>That all depends upon what else you have going on during that time. I don’t really think self studying for an AP exam is all that hard though I’m not sure how steep your learning curve is (based on your stats, you should be fine.) I don’t think that self studied APs are too too important in the application process though it may look nice. You could always just do one for the hell of it. Most top schools however rarely accept APs for credit. Stanfords AP policy is one of the most limited.</p>

11

<p>I personally thing your stats + ECs + special circumstance make you a star applicant, good luck wherever you end up because it will be colleges trying to reel you in instead of you trying to find a decent college. I do recommend NYU though, but UCLA should be good enough if not better (fellow LA resident).</p>

<p>Self study for AP depends on the AP.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/881125-insert-quirky-chance-plead.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/881125-insert-quirky-chance-plead.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

12

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<p>Ahh, thanks for that. XD My sister was pressuring me to self study APUSH and Economics. XD</p>

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<p>I’ll check out NYU since you recommended it. Thanks for the compliment! :)</p>

<p>Chancing back~</p>

13

<p>bump. :smiley:
Anyone want a chance?</p>

14

<p>You have great chances and I think colleges will find an upward grade trend to be appealing, especially when you show that you are very smart with a 2360. The only concern may be that you did not take many APs, but still you are in great shape. The only questionable place in Brown, but I think you will get in.
By the way, is badminton really a class? That is awesome. </p>

<p>Chance me at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/879184-chance.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/879184-chance.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

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<p>Thanks for the chance. (: I didn’t take many APs because I wouldn’t have much time to study and get good grades, mainly because of my ECs. That, and I’m also a perfectionist. :stuck_out_tongue: It isn’t too late to adjust my schedule for senior year, so should I add an AP? If so, which do you recommend?</p>