Chance me for UChicago, JHU, and UCs? Lowish GPA and Rank, high SATs

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>GPA: 3.67 UW, 4.33 W
Rank: 37/604 (somewhere around there)
SAT I: 2320 (760 CR, 770 M, 790 W and 10 essay)
SAT II: Math 2 = 770, Chemistry = 650 (lol...)
APs: 3 Physics B, 4 Chemistry, 4 AP US History
Senior Schedule: AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Gov/Econ/MUN, AP English 4, AP Environmental Science</p>

<p>EC's
- MUN (4 years): tons of awards (2 Commendations, 6 Outstandings, 3 Gavels... blanked once), went to Georgetown, UCLA, and UCI for conferences... chosen to go to UCLA, Berkeley, and Haarlem this year (we have to apply to go and then are chosen by our advisors since MUN is big at my school)
- Thieu Nhi (religious activity for 9 years): cantor, altar-server, raised several hundreds of dollars to send fellow students to Australia for a retreat with the Pope (I was too busy to go, unfortunately), 200 hours of comm. service for high school years
- Peer Assistance Leadership (3 years): President, peer mediate student conflicts for Supervision at my school, organized an info skit for local middle school to get them to stay away from drugs and alcohol
- Key Club (4 years): couldn't find time to be a part of board so just a member, 100 hrs comm. service</p>

<p>I'm also in NHS and am a National Merit Commended Scholar, but I doubt that'd count for much. I also want to major in Bio/Biochem/Biomedical Engineering. Somewhere in the sciences, and possibly a double major in business.</p>

<p>I feel like my GPA and rank is going to hurt me, and I've been told my EC's aren't very strong. My essays are decent... Only stellar ones will be for Johns Hopkins University. Not very happy with my UC and UChicago essays, but they're decent so far. Will work on them until I'm satisfied, though! Letters of Rec... The one from my English teacher will be amazing, I'm sure. The one from my math teacher... not so much (not that I'm bad at math, just she doesn't know anything about me besides I'm good at math).</p>

<p>Schools I'm applying to are University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, and Tulane University. My mom also wants me to apply to USC, but I'm not very keen on that. Friends are also pressuring me to apply to an Ivy, but I feel like it'll be a waste of money. Thoughts? Chances? I talked to my college counselor and she says the schools I'm applying to, save for UCSB and Tulane, are all crapshots. Not very reassuring, I'm sure you could tell. Please, PLEASE chance me! :)</p>

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<p>Wow, you think I’ll get accepted into a community college?! I better start my application-oh, wait. They don’t have an admissions process. You just show up and register.</p>

<p>Anyone else willing to chance me?</p>

3

<p>

Such insightful information, especially coming from somebody that can’t spell Harvard right (are you sure you listed the right school?).</p>

<p>Anyway, OP: You’re GPA is really not that bad, and neither is your class rank. Your SAT, I believe, is actually above the 50% mark for those school, which of course is very good. Your course rigor appears good also. I do agree, however, that your ECs are lacking. Realistically, they’re very cliche and the fact that you only have four is a bit less than stellar. But that certainly doesn’t disqualify you by any means!</p>

<p>It appears to me that your essay and recs will probably end up tipping the scale, either way. Are you an underrepresented minority?</p>

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<p>I’m Vietnamese and, unfortunately, am not an URM. I realize that 4 is very few, but I was under the impression that colleges wanted to see dedication in what I do. I don’t count the “instructional time” for MUN and Thieu Nhi, which would put the hours I spend doing each activity at about 6-8 hours every week for MUN, and 4 hours every week for Thieu Nhi. Couple that with retreats, conferences, and community service and I’m only home half the time in any given week. (I’ll stop complaining now, promise!)</p>

<p>Thank you for your input. I figured my admission/rejection would come down to my essays, so I am feeling pretty confident for JHU. I’m struggling with one UC essay while the second essay is done and I’m proud of, and I honestly have no clue about my Chicago essays. Trying to frantically finish everything since I have two MUN conferences coming up as well as a lab research in Yosemite all in November! I still think my GPA/rank is a bit low, but given the size of the senior class I guess I’m not really sure/don’t know.</p>

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<p>I’d say you’re a strong applicant. I see a problem with your chemistry SAT II though. Are you retaking? Rank is actually fine, I think, and SATs are great. Again, I agree about the ECs being a little lacking, but I’d say they’re fine. I think its reach at Chicago, high match/reach at JHU, and in at UCs.</p>

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<p>Actually, I really thought about retaking the Chem subject test since I took it as a sophomore. First SAT II and I was in no way ready. Never took practice test nor reviewed, but that was 2 years ago. :\ I was hoping my AP score for chem would make up for it. I want to review US History and take that and English Lit/Language in December, but I’m not sure if I’m up for it. Subject tests aren’t required at UChicago and JHU, but is <em>strongly recommended</em> for JHU (why strongly recommend if it isn’t required?!). I’m sure I can break 750 for both, but I don’t know if I have the time or determination to restudy US History!</p>

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<p>You’re applying RD to both, right? I think if you have the time and money to do it, then do it. A 650 doesn’t look pretty…and it’s not that hard. I’m taking IB Chemistry HL, kinda like AP Chem, and I got an 800 on the Chem SAT without studying that much, but I did take tons of mock tests. Also, I self-studied US History and got a 760, so I think if you did well in AP USH then you could try taking the SAT USH. In the end, it’s up to you I guess.</p>