Chance me? Junior, a few ivies

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm still a junior but I was just curious I guess. sorry if this is a little haphazard/rushed! </p>

<p>middle class, little chinese boy in california (and out goes my chances). hello friends! I come from a pretty competitive school (probably top 70 in the nation) if that makes any difference. </p>

<p>Scores:
SAT I: 2320 (760 CR, 760 W, 800 Math, 9 Essay)
PSAT: 232
ACT: 36 (35 English, 36 Science, Math, CR)
SAT II: 800's Physics, Math II, Bio M, Chemistry, 750 USH
AP's:
5's: Calculus BC, Physics B, Statistics, Physics C Mechanics, Chemistry, Computer Science A,
4's: Biology, APUSH</p>

<p>GPA: I've had 1 B in freshman Spanish II, rest are A's. Not sure what my weighted is, unweighted is 3.97
Schedules was honors everything, AP stats in sophomore year, AP chem + bio + ush junior year.
senior schedule is AP calc, APENG, a journalism class, and nothing else really (slacking off) (the physics and calc tests were self studied in sophomore year)</p>

<p>EC's:
made AIME 3x,
ARML high team scorer
3rd place and 2nd place in science olympiad events at regional + state level (circuit lab + chem lab respectively)
2nd place in ocean science bowl regionals
national qualifier for this competition called TSA-TEAMS (i dont think many people have heard of it)
played first violin with a youth orchestra and toured eastern europe with them
writer and tech manager for our school's newspaper for 3 years
vice president of our schools science bowl + ocean science bowl + quiz bowl club
outreach officer (co-captain??) of a model rocketry team that competes in the Team american rocketry challenge (TARC)
coded a game at COSMOS summer before sophomore year with some professors + EA employees, will be doing research at SSTP this summer in physical or computer engineering</p>

<p>Volunteering shenanigans:
Probably 50 or so hours playing guitar for senior citizens (I've taught myself for a few years)
~180 hours: a combination of coaching science bowl for elementary kids + as a counselor for a local camp</p>

<p>princeton's my dream, but stanford would be closer and so would berkeley.
chance me for these three and ucla/CMU? Thanks, this is more out of curiosity right now. I want to be happy and fulfilled in college! please be gentle :)</p>

2

<p>Your chances are as good as anyone’s, I imagine, but Stanford and Princeton are “dreams” for the best and brightest, and nobody can tell you otherwise. Your chances should be pretty solid at the UCs, although I understand that the Engineering schools have brutal admissions. The same applies to Computer Science at CMU, evidently. If money is no object, apply ED to Princeton or Stanford. You have to submit UC applications before you’ll be notified, but you can always withdraw them. Maybe select a safety or two with rolling admissions and/or non-binding Early Decision. I would say you have nothing to worry about, except I’ve seen too many posts here from people with similarly stellar stats who have been bitterly disappointed. I would add Vanderbilt and Washington U (St. Louis) to your list, as schools that are very kind to applicants with perfect scores. Maybe add UCSD, if you are a CA resident with financial needs. </p>

3

<p>Just saying, colleges will NOT appreciate you “slacking off senior year”</p>

<p>Your stats are great, but that’s not enough anymore. Your EC’s are good, but nothing special compared to the people at stanford, princeton, or CM comp sci. Berkely and UCLA shouldn’t be a problem for you, and you might even get selected as a regent’s scholar, though that is uber competitive as well.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

4

<p>You have a good chance. You would definitely get into a lot of good schools, but Princeton… idk man. You are Asian so it’s hard to say.</p>

5

<p>yo are you even trying? 3.97?? with those stats, community college seems to be the only viable option!</p>

6

<p>Thank you all so much! @lanflan‌ @TannerSmith‌ </p>

<p>lanflan, I think I would be making up for it by devoting way more time to EC’s, would that affect this “lack of appreciation”? </p>

<p>I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you’re set </p>

<p>thanks again!</p>

7

<p>@fubnub‌ maybe, but I still think it’s pretty solid advice if I suggest you take more than 3 classes. Schools basically want to see you taking all 5 core subjects (math, science, english, history, foreign language) all four years. If you really have worked beyond what’s available at your school, at least supplement it with community college classes or something. Remember that extracurriculars are the cherry on top, but academics are still the meat-and-bones of what will get you into a top school</p>

8

<p>@fubnub: If I were a college admissions officer, I would reject you solely because of your senior year course load. “Slacking off” because you have completed all of the requirements demonstrates that you are not motivated to learn, and that is a major red flag.</p>

9

<p>@DiscipulusBonus‌ @lanflan‌ Thanks for the input! There is a little back story to my situation though; it might come off as more excuse than anything, but I think I should still tell it. I moved to my current school at the beginning of 9th grade, and came from a completely different environment where skipping up a year in classes was not possible. Here, everything was different, and though I tried many times to skip up a level, I wasn’t allowed to and resorted to self-studying, since I was learning almost nothing in school (no offense, I had many brilliant, passionate teachers). Part of the reason why my senior year course load might seem a little light is exactly <em>because</em> of requirements, specifically art and physical education, that I must finish to graduate. I didn’t want to take up class slots early on in high school since I was already behind a year and had no way of catching up, so I filled up those classes with courses that interested and challenged me and left art and physical education to senior year. Unfortunately, it may seem like I slacked off, but I was forced to choose these classes just to graduate. Hopefully that cleared it up, but I completely understand where you guys are coming from. </p>

10

<p>@fubnub: That sounds a lot more reasonable. Initially, I thought you were only taking three classes, but the addition of art and P.E. helps a bit. Just make sure colleges don’t think like we did. ;)</p>