Chance me - Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, and more

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I just finished my Junior year. Here are my stats (at a competitive private school in Georgia - last year we had three students accepted to Harvard):
GPA:
UW: 3.93
W: Ranked 2/271
Classes were hardest I could have taken except for one not-honors history class in 9th grade.</p>

<p>APs:
No APs in 9th or 10th grade due to school curriculum, but here are the ones I am taking or am going to take
11th grade - BC Calculus, Language and Composition, U.S. History, Chemistry
12th grade - Statistics, Literature, Physics, Biology, Economics</p>

<p>ACT and SAT Subject Tests:
ACT: 34 (E/M/R/S=36/36/35/30) (will probably take again to try for 35-36)
I took the Math II subject test and got an 800. I am going to take subject tests in Chemistry and Physics at the beginning of next school year and believe I can get 700+ on each.</p>

<p>Recommendations:
Expect recommendation from math teacher to be spectacular. He considers me to be one of his top three students in his 27 years of teaching. I'm not quite sure about my other recommendation, but it should be pretty good.</p>

<p>School Activities:
Math Team (9th-12th grade, started running the meetings mid-way through 11th grade)
Shakespeare Tavern (Acted in Macbeth in 9th grade and Romeo and Juliet in 11th grade - only offered at my school every other year)
Marching Band (9th and 10th grade. Unable to participate in 11th and 12th grade because I could not attend marching band camp due to other summer opportunities).</p>

<p>Summer Activities;
2007 GA ARML B
2008 GA ARML A (team tied for 7th place)
Attended 3 week AwesomeMath summer program after 10th grade
Attending 4 week Shakespeare Intensive for Teens program which taught acting skills and will perform three performance of The Tempest.
Will attend Mathcamp for five weeks towards the end of the summer.</p>

<p>Awards:
Math departmental award in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade
Have won awards at ~25 math tournaments to date including
- 1st place at UGA in 2007 - one of the largest math tournaments in the state with over 300 participants
- 1st place at Furman Wylie math tournament - one of the largest math tournaments in the region
- 2nd place Vestavia Hills in 2007 - large tournament with participants from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and maybe some other states
- Qualified for AIME in 9th and 10th grade
11th grade AMC12 - 132
11th grade AIME - 7
2 index points short of USAMO qualification
Have written, recorded, and produced raps songs, one of which has been on my school's award-winning CD every year.</p>

<p>I know that I don't have a whole lot of extracurriculars, but I have spent a lot of time with the few that I have been involved in.</p>

<p>Wondering about
Harvard
Princeton
MIT
Stanford
Wash U
GA Tech (safety I hope)</p>

2

<p>you have a shot at these schools definatly, but dont think you are going to get in without a doubt.</p>

<p>alot of people at MIT have applications that are much much better than yours to put it bluntly. MIT is looking for outstanding people. Same with Harvard. Same with Princeton.</p>

<p>Dont be supprised if you get rejected from these schools at all. But dont be profoundly shocked if you get in either.</p>

3

<p>Well, I would say that my achievements in math are spectacular.
Although I did not qualify for USAMO, I beat 8 USAMO qualifiers when I won the UGA tournament - and a 132 on the AMC12 is very high.
Being on a 7th place ARML team is impressive as well.</p>

<p>Can you please tell me what exactly makes me not "outstanding?"</p>

<p>GA Tech I can be sure that I will get into, right? I want to make sure I shouldn't have a lower tier safety.</p>

4

<p>yes but MIT isnt all about Math. I mean ive seen kids who have taken second year college courses in math and phy get rejected by MIT simply because thats not what MIT is lookin for. Yes, they are looking for students who challenge themselves and get great grades. But they are also looking for students with passion outside the academia. I see that you're into your shakespeare thing, which is cool. But for MIT, you will really have to show that you are passionate about this activity and that you are able to manage ur schedule.</p>

<p>Your standardised testing scores are great, the ACT score is fine, you don't need to improve it for MIT, mayb for Harvard.</p>

<p>At the moment, your application is only relying on your math based activities and awards and even then, to put it bluntly, it doesnt compare to some of the math/sci awards and activities that other applicants will have.</p>

<p>Instead, i really recommend that if you take a few risks, do the activities you are really passionate about. (I am not saying that you aren't doing so already - its just a suggestion) A little bit of volunteer work is also helpful with applications.</p>

<p>Hence I believe that while HPSM are all reaches for you. and i agree with mc3 that "Dont be supprised if you get rejected from these schools at all. But dont be profoundly shocked if you get in either." In my opinion, your hardest options at the moment are stanford and MIT, but i have a feeling you will make princeton :)</p>

<p>Not sure about the others mate, sorry!</p>

5

<p>I think you're into WashU.</p>

6

<p>I suppose it's hard to show what I'm really passionate about with a simple list. Hopefully I can really express my interest in rap music and Shakespeare in my essay.</p>

7

<p>Those subjects work quite well together and will make for an impressive essay if executed carefully.</p>

8

<p>Rap and Shakespeare...interesting combinations lol</p>

<p>You'll get into GATech easily--it's surprisingly easy to get in despite its high rankings (e.g. 2nd for Aerospace), though from what I've heard it's harder to stay in than to get in. You're scores exceed their middle 50%.</p>

<p>At the others...you have the qualifications to attend but its a matter of demonstrating to them that you are what they're looking for (e.g. essays, reccomendations). As stated above, work on what you have passion for and you can derive amazing essays from that.</p>

9

<p>MIT</a> Admissions: The Match Between You And MIT</p>

<p>Here is some more information about what MIT is looking for in applicants.</p>

10

<p>ya honestly, since your focus is heavily on math team and shakespear, a top college expects these to be very very good (since you only have 1, shakespear as you seem to describe it is not really a big thing). Your math team success is not good enough I think. Getting into ARML is the only thing I think seperates you, because university competitions aren't very impressive.</p>

11

<p>I won't give a chance.. I'll just explain some strengths / weaknesses. Usually, EC lists by applicants give a somewhat okay idea of the person's personality / character. Right now, your EC's don't show passion (for schools like MIT), social ability, innovation, determination, or the desire to improve the world... But that doesn't mean that you don't have them...and that's why i feel chancing for HYPS is kinda pointless... Most of the factors i mentioned above can be shown a BIT through EC's, but they're mainly seen through personal statements, essays, recs, interviews, application questions. If you can write good essays / have good recs showing these things... then you're fine. Your grades / scores are fine... but that's just about 65-70% of the app. All I can say right now is that you're competitive, and you have the potential to get in.</p>

12

<p>Objective:</p>

<p>Potential environmental science / econ major</p>

<p>SAT: 2350 (M: 750, V: 800, W: 800)
SAT IIs: (a little low) Math II: 790, Bio (M): 720
GPA: 96.7 (UW), my school doesn’t rank haha.
APs: 5 on BC, 5 on Chem, 5 on World History, 5 on US History [school doesn’t offer that many APs so I self-studied the last two]
School: ranked top 10 high schools by US News and World Report (magnet, competitive)
Current load: Multivariable calculus, Spanish VI, Current Global Issues, English IV, AP Physics C, Engineering Design and Development
(self-studying for AP Spanish Lang and Lit exams, and AP Macro and micro exams)
AP Scholar with distinction
NMSQT Commended (lol a little low for PSATs haha)</p>

<p>Subjective</p>

<p>Model UN: president, international awards (Princeton, UPenn, UNA, etc. 1st places)
Newspaper: editor in chief
Yearbook: editor
Performing arts club: president
Student council participant
Independent research: several national and international awards, published twice (envi sci related)
Varsity rower - good 2k erg score
Drum major of marching band
First chair flutist
Technology student association: gold/silver/bronze achievement awards, 3rd at states</p>

<p>Volunteering</p>

<p>NHS member
Key Club participant
Founded research-mentoring program in my community / volunteer at middle schools around community to mentor kids
Candy striper
Open houses at my high school</p>

<p>Work experience/internships</p>

<p>Barclays Capital (this year)
Science internship in Meadowlands
Stars Challenge program</p>

<p>New Jersey Scholars Program
National Youth Leadership Conference
CTY</p>

<p>White, legacy at Brown/Harvard, middle class (ish)
Hook: crew recruit candidate at UPenn, Princeton</p>

13

<p>I agree with earlier posts, you may be well qualified in math, however schools like MIT and HYP etc have kids that apply there that have done something substantial such as research and take it as more than a class, you need to try to show passion for what you want to do not just high marks</p>