Chance me for top tech schools? :D

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey,

It’s currently the summer between sophomore and junior year, so I’m starting to think more about colleges, since the next year is kind of like “the final year that matters.” Just give me an honest opinion on how I will fare in admissions for the listed schools, and what I can do to help my chances.

Applying to: Cornell, UPenn, Princeton, Columbia, MIT, Caltech, Berkeley, UCLA, Carnegie, Georgia Tech, Purdue, UMich, and others.

GPA (UW): 94/100 (~3.85)
Don’t have weighted GPAs at my school (for any students)

I go to a vocational/magnet school for engineering. A top school in the state/USA.

Scores:
PSAT - 1420
AP Bio - 4
AP CS - 5
SAT - 1470 on my first mock test, currently taking summer SAT class after work. Realistically aiming for 1550+. Taking in August.
ACT - N/A
SAT Math II - Taking in October
SAT II Physics - Taking in October

Classes:
9th: Algebra II, Biology, Introduction to Engineering, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (PLTW)
10th: Computer Programming and Engineering (AP CS), PreCalc, Physics, Principles of Engineering
11th: Calc BC, Digital Electronics, Chem
12th: Stat, MultiVar, Physics C

Plan to take (APs): Chem, Calc BC, Stat, Physics C (both), possibly macro/micro

EC:

  • 1st Place Congressional App Challenge in district
  • 3rd place at local research competition (physics)
  • 2nd place at regional research competition (multiple states involved) (physics)
  • 3rd place at state research competition (same project as other two, but engineering category)
  • TSA TEAMS placed in states, national qualifier
  • $350 research grant recipient
  • Johns Hopkins CTY Grand Award Recipient
  • Officer in school’s robotics/coding club
  • Varsity tennis
  • Free tutor for underprivileged kids
  • Used to work for Kumon
  • Now work as a research intern (for summer) at a prestigious university in CS department (name withheld)
  • County 4-H Club member
  • Regular hackathon attendee
  • Participant in online coding and cybersecurity competitions (hobbies)

What are my chances? :smiley:

2

Oh my bad, was graded for 20/24 for my essay on my first mock test as well. Idk if that matters but just in case.

3

Sorry for spam, forgot demographics… :stuck_out_tongue:
White male, middle-class to upper-middle class, likely will request fin-aid (?)
First generation in US, parents have college education though from home country

4

It’s too hard to say because you have a whole year to change your GPA either for the better or for the worse and you don’t have a concrete SAT score. With a 1470 though, your chances are not excellent. You have good ECs.

5

For the 1470 - it was my first mock test, like a diagnostic w/o any preparation. I have an entire summer of SAT class ahead of me (lord have mercy).

6

Stick out more and get great test scores. Most schools are harder on over priveledged students attending prep schools. (At least one kid from my school gets into HYPSM every year with a sport and an academic team and decent grades in AP classes + good test scores while I see posts on here all the time about kids with crazy ECs and great grades that are rejected from every ivy).

Also being white/male/upper class is pretty bad for your odds.

7

Looking great right now; however, there’s still lots of factors right now that haven’t been solidified (which is fine, there’s still time) such as scores and final grades.

What is your home state? Since UCLA and Berkeley don’t give any financial/merit aid to OOS…I’m assuming you’re OOS since you’re not applying to any other UCs…

8

Sorry for the late reply.

Yea, I am OOS for UCLA/Berkeley, which kind of sucks since they are quite pricy. I am from the Northeast, but I’d rather not specify my state. In our school, it is universally agreed upon that junior year is the easiest of the years that count for your transcript, probably due to the fact that everyone is cramming SATs, ACTs, and APs. Our classes next year have a reputation of being grade-boosters, so I hope that brings me up. Also, I broke 1500 on my second SAT mock, so I hope the upward trend will continue on that. Also I never mentioned, but my GPA has gradually improved between semesters since freshman year. I heard that colleges are happy to see an upward trend in GPA, so I hope that helps me.

TL;DR: Optimistically (maybe realistically?), my grades will be a tad higher by the time they are “solidified”

9

You are on the right track. It looks like your ECs are focused on research and app development. This is great! You want to develop a “spike” in your college application. This means that you want to be passionate and talented in a certain subject matter. Maybe you decide science research is what you want to focus on, so you start a research club at your school, you work as a research assistant at a local college, and your independent research qualifies you for national competitions such as Intel ISEF. This is the type of student colleges look to accept. Pursue an area you are good at and try to stand out on a national level

10

Hey there! Thanks for the reply. I already work as a research assistant at a prestigious university, and I am trying to qualify for ISEF/Siemens or similar. I go to a very competitive school, so everyone is trying to make a dream resume. Therefore, we have every club imaginable. Typically, a good applicant would make like a jeopardy club or a research group or similar, we have everything imaginable - debate, finance, robotics, computers, academic, chess, research, arts - everything. So I’m stuck working my way up in the clubs already here. Unfortunately, everyone at my school is out to get you. Try running for officer in a club? Elections get rigged. Literally every time. It is very difficult to get a position at our school based on passion or experience. Almost impossible if you aren’t a senior. I sometimes get jealous looking at other posts, where kids are officers and founders by 10th grade. It sucks, because everyone at my school wants to go to Ivies or Tier 1s, and will do anything to delete their competition.

11

Maybe try creating a club that is more niche than just a research club. If you are into, let us say, solar energy research than you can make a solar energy club. Or, join several clubs and hope that you can get a leadership position. Are there any clubs that you are in that you have a chance of getting a leadership position in?

On an entirely different note, you could create a website, YouTube channel, blog, vlog, charity, or business that somehow relates to science research. It is all very manageable and shows admission officers that you have initiative!

12

On the right track for sure. I’m sure you know target scores for the real thing for these schools so provided you get them, and get your essays on point focusing on your “spike, you stand a decent chance. But it will always be competitive.
Good luck.

Chance back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/2007056-chances-of-being-admitted-to-mit-stanford-harvard-penn.html#latest

13

Hey thanks for all the replies. @doorrealthe I am currently an officer in my school robotics club. I am a part of my school’s research club but there are no officer positions, as it is more of just an organization for our research-adviser to tell us about competitions and make sure we aren’t blowing our school up. I am a part of TSA, and I’ve won a state award from it this year, but I doubt I can be officer there. The adviser selects the officer board, and let’s just say, he wouldn’t exactly pick me as a first choice. Most teachers like me, just this one specifically isn’t my biggest fan.

I am currently helping run a robotics team outside of school, and I am on the board of directors for a hackathon group which organizes events all over the country.

14

Have you tried asking your research-adviser for the research club whether you could establish some sort of positions so that people know who to turn to whenever they need questions answered? You could make the argument that having officers in the club would help it run more efficiently and take some of the load off the research-adviser’s back. But of course it is up to you to judge whether this would be possible

The robotics team and the hackathan group are great extracurriculars!

15

Good grades and amazing score and ecs! I think you have a chance for every school! Good luck! Maybe chance me back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/20773772#Comment_20773772

16

@doorrealthe It would be hard to ask for officer spots in the exp. research group. We are a relatively small school, and a lot of the people in the research group are competitors to each other for research competitions and paper/conference submissions. I doubt the adviser would approve officer spots, as picking an officer would essentially be the equivalent of saying that one kid is inherently better than another in a separate competition.

17

Okay that makes sense. Maybe don’t focus on clubs as much. They aren’t everything and you already have a leadership position

18

Have you thought of lawson state?