CHANCE ME + Help! ~35 ACT & 3.9 GPA~

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi guys! I’m not ivy bound (obviously) but was hoping to get some info on my chances and some reassurance. Also looking for my strong points and what I should focus on.

OBJECTIVE

Gender: Male
Race: Asian
Household Income: 100k - 150k

UW GPA: 3.83
W GPA: 3.94

SAT: N/A

ACT:
~ English: 36
~ Math: 31
~ Reading: 35
~ Science: 36

~ Composite: 35

Class Rank: Top 25%

Major Awards:
~ President’s Award
~ AP Scholar with Honor
~ “A” Honor Roll

AP Classes: 9 HP or Honors: 5
~ AP Biology
~ AP U.S. History
~ AP Chemistry
~ AP World History
~ AP Psychology
~ AP Calculus (AB)
~ AP English (12)
~ AP Statistics
~ AP Physics

Major: Looking to go into the science field. Looking at:
~ Neuroscience
~ Biology
~ Microbiology
~ Genetics & Development

EXTRACURRICULARS

NHS:
~ 1 year
~ Multiple volunteer opportunities
~ Gave back to my community

Debate:
~ 2 years
~ A few awards/ limited success

Tennis:
~ 6 years
~ JV junior year
~ Varsity senior year
~ JV Captain

HOSA:
~ 2 years
~ Co-Founded HOSA at my school
~ Vice President junior year
~ President senior year
~ Won 1st at state in behavioral health
~ Qualified for nationals

Junior Achievement:
~ 2 years
~ Business club that creates its own business
~ Won 1st at state
~ 2017 JAUM Company of the Year

CHANCE Foundation:
~ 3 years
~ Co-founded foundation to send aid and educational supplies to kids in India
~ Raised $10,000+ for aid

Karate:
~ 6 years
~ White belt to second degree black belt

REAL Talk:
~ 2 years
~ Club that discusses and fights against racial discrimination at my school

Band:
~ 7 years
~ Not sure if this is EC but played in band for 7 years

Temple Youth Group:
~ 4 years
~ Hindu Temple Youth Board (leadership)
~ Put on fundraisers and dances for the temple
~ Raise awareness about hindu culture

Maple Grove Hospital (Volunteering):
~ 3 years
~ 100+ hours
~ Helped processing tools and restocking work

Temple (Volunteering):
~ 6 years
~ 50+ hours
~ Volunteered to teach kids about their culture and oversee events

Kumon (Work):
~ 3 years
~ Worked at Kumon as a tutor to young children in math and reading

Budget Blinds (Work):
~ 1 year
~ Office Manager for small business selling blinds

OTHER

Teacher REC’s:
~ Employer at Kumon (UMN grad, small business owner under 25, knows me well)
~ Math Teacher (Has had me for many years)
~ Temple Youth Coordinator (She knows me well and oversees all the volunteering and activities at my temple)

Colleges:
~ Harvard (Huuuuuuuuuuuuge stretch, Dream School)
~ University of Minnesota Twin Cities (Top Choice)
~ Iowa State (Safety)
~ UW Madison
~ Ohio State
~ University of Minnesota Duluth
~ St. Olaf
~ U Chicago
~ University of Nebraska Lincoln
~ Boston University

Looking for my chances as well as some insight into what I should focus on in my application/essays.Thanks in advance for any info!!

2

@Samarth00 You look like a solid applicant for any of those schools. U Chicago is a tough one to get into as well, but totally worth a try.

Have you visited any of these schools? Finding a campus where you will be happy is #, and can afford #2 and have the academic programs you are interested in #3. Many students do change their idea of what they want to major in, during the first year or two.

Visiting and developing a relationship with the Admissions staff are the best ways to help you decide if these schools are good fits for you. With your stats and ECs you will have a lot of options. You will get TONS of advice, on schools to add to your list.

How well do you know your HS guidance counselor? If he or she knows you, they are a great place to start. DEFINITELY meet with them before the end of the school year, and figure out which teachers you will ask for letters of recommendation.

Try to get some visits in this summer. Since it looks like you are in MN, and are interested in St. Olaf, you might want to attend MN Private College week, and check out Carleton, Macalester and Gustavus Adolphus, as well. We did and were able to get in 2 schools per day, as they special tours and events at 9 am and 2 pm, each day. https://www.mnprivatecolleges.org/mpcw or Google it.

Good luck and hope you find some fun in the hunt for your new home for the 4 years of college!

3

Harvard is probably going to be a distant dream… Just look at the common data sets for the number of students they admit in the top decile of their respective high school classes. Outside of Harvard and University “The level of Hell Dante Forgot” of Chicago, you’ll probably get into all of the other schools