Chance me for Yale, Columbia, MIT, Cornell, Georgia Tech

Sat 1: 1550 (800 math, 750 english)
SAT II: 800 (Math 1), 760 (World), planning on taking Bio, Math II and US and expect to do 760+
GPA: 102.4 (#1 at school unofficially) (honors is multiply by 1.033 ( basically + 3) and AP is times 1.066 (basically + 6))
Valedictorian last year had a 101
AP Scores: 5’s on AP World, APUSH, AP Stats, AP Bio, Ap Calc, Ap gov, Ap Physics Mechanics, Ap English Language, AP CS (Java), 4 on Ap Micro

Senior Courseload: Ap Euro, Ap English Literature, Ap Chemistry, Ap Physics E&M, Multivariable Calc (offered by local college)

Awards/ Honors
AIME Qualifier (2x) Regional Science League Biology Top 1% (Not as prestigious since I’m fr OOS but idk if colleges will be able to tell)
USABO Semifinalist
USAPhO Semifinalist
Top 1% out of 545 in local Mu Alpha Theta Competition
High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling Honorable Mention
National Math Honor Society (Local Officer)
AP Scholar
NMSF

EC’s
Ross Mathematics Program (summer)
PROMYS (summer)
Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (summer)
Michigan Math and Science Scholars (Summer)
Local Area Math Circle Participant
Varsity Tennis (Played top position since 9th grade)
Math Newspaper President
Academic League Secretary
MathCounts Team Assistant Coach
FIRST Robotics Participant
Took many classes at AOPS

Recs: both 8/10

Demographics
Gender: M
Race: Indian
State: Northeast
Hooks: Legacy (Dad) at Yale

Chance me for Yale, Columbia, MIT, Cornell, Georgia Tech

Note: I applied to many schools but these are the reaches that I most want to get into
Also I am interested in mathematics for college.

The strongest part of my application is probably my summer programs (pretty competitive)

My essay was pretty good and mainly was about my experience with others at these summer programs

I would say “definitely worth the applications” and “not safeties”.

Other than that it is hard to say. I hope that you get in because you have certainly earned it, and have shown that you can work as hard as you would need to in order to do well at these schools. Good luck!

Thanks!

Your best chance is obviously at Yale, and that is where you will benefit the most from being a legacy. As a legacy with good stats and solid+ ECs, I would say that Yale SCEA would be a low reach for you.

MIT - high reach
Columbia - high reach
Cornell - reach
GTech - reach.

You are competitive for all. However, why Columbia? It seems the odd one out there.

Do you have matches and a safety, and what can your parents afford?

Do you want to play tennis in college? Are you recruitable for any of these schools’ tennis teams? Are you in touch with any of the coaches? I know those probably seem like silly questions given that your academic qualifications are so outstanding, but they’re basically the same as many other kids who will be applying to those schools. Example, my nephew had perfect grades and scores and applied early to Columbia Engineering from NC and was flat out rejected. Also, it’s going to depend on the competition among similar kids from your region. Are you in NYC? You didn’t ask for advice, but you might consider looking at CalTech or Harvey Mudd if you’re willing to consider some schools further from home. Carnegie Mellon is another school you might want to consider. Good luck to you! You’re clearly a very smart and motivated person who will go far in life!

@MWolf I am not worried about paying for school that much and one of the reasons I like Columbia is the science program I attended there

@Earthmama68 I do want to play in college but I am not recruitable. I live like a half hour outside the city and my school is a good public school. Thanks for the advice on schools I’ll definitely look more.

If someone else was in my position (i.e my brother) except they had another year to spend, what do you think would be the best thing to do to differentiate them from other students.

The Columbia science honors program is known to be a feeder into SEAS or Columbia College. But I agree with others, that your best chance is at Yale SCEA due to your legacy status.

Was your parent a undergrad alum at Yale, or graduate? This matters.

Admittedly this is hardly a statistically significant sample, since it consists of exactly one data point each, but FWIW I know:

  • A barely qualified kid who did Columbia summer science program and was admitted to Columbia SEAS; otherwise was probably going to a state U.
  • A great, well qualified kid, legacy at Yale, was rejected by Yale; they wrote a letter about how they “received so many great applicants”… Dad was majorly disappointed.
    Your stats may have been better than his kid’s stats were though.

Both of these were some years ago by now, also.

Have you looked into independent research?

Sorry for the late response, undergrad

@hunter2 independent research is a massive gamble that I am not sure I am willing to take.