Chance me: Looking at Ivies and other top schools for Environmental Studies

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hey, so I'm looking to major in environmental studies or bio engineering and I'm wondering which top schools are best at that.</p>

<p>I have a 4.6 weighted GPA and 790 Verbal, 780 Writing, 800 Math SAT scores. I'm currently a rising junior and technically primed to graduate a semester early but I don't know if I should. My adviser says I should maybe take college level courses my last semester at the state university - is that a good idea? </p>

<p>So far my APs have been in Biology, US Government, and French. I took AP French my freshman year and got a 5, I've been doing well on the practice tests for Bio and US Govt and getting As in the class so hopefully that bodes well. Next year my schedule is AP World, AP Calc BC, AP Spanish, AP English Language, AP Macro, AP Chemistry, and Music Composition. I've been on the Varsity Volleyball Team (as setter) since my freshman year and I hope to continue playing all throughout high school. </p>

<p>But I worry my extra-curriculars are lacking compared to other students who get into those top schools! I've completed all my volunteer hours and then some working at animal shelters and I've had a paid part time position as an assistant/receptionist at an animal hospital/vet clinic. I have done training to be a lifeguard and I'm volunteering at the local pool. Joined Model UN this year. </p>

<p>When I was younger I participated in the John Hopkins CTY program. Should I consider doing that again this summer?</p>

<p>I did a marine biology/environmental studies summer program in Hawaii, which is what got me interested in majoring in bio, bio engineering, or environmental sciences/sustainability. Should I write my essay about that experience?</p>

<p>What right now are my chances at the top 15 or so schools? Like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Amherst, Williams, Wesleyan, etc. Which don't have good programs in the fields I'm interested in and therefore shouldn't bother applying too? </p>

<p>What can I do to improve my chances and round out my application?</p>

<p>Should I try to be noticed as an athlete, I understand schools like that, and how would I do that?</p>

<p>Some people were saying that IBs are looked at with more respect than APs, the way my school system is set up I can do either so should I switch to IB?</p>

<p>Another thing is I'm half Asian and I know Asians are already overrepresented as a minority so does that diminish my chances? Especially since the other half is white?</p>

<p>Thanks all!</p>

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<p>For those of you who might prefer the easy reader version:</p>

<ul>
<li>SATS: 2370</li>
<li>4.6 weight GPA (4.0 unweighted)</li>
<li>Lifeguard</li>
<li>Varsity Volleyball Setter, most likely to be Captain next season</li>
<li>John Hopkins CTY Participant</li>
<li>Animal shelter volunteer (I have 5 adopted dogs)</li>
<li>Paid assistant at animal hospital </li>
<li>Come from a military background (marine dad), half Asian</li>
<li>Model UN</li>
</ul>

<p>Would really like pointers on how to boost my app too!</p>

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<p>hahaha thanks for the easy reader version C: just FYI, I’m a high school senior, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. I tried inserting as many “in my opinion” type of things as possible so you won’t take me too too seriously C:</p>

<p>In my opinion, if your school still has challenging courses to offer (APs and the like), then you should stay there and take them. That way, you’ll have a rigorous courseload but at the same time you should be able to be a senior and hang out with your friends. Then again, I’m biased because at my school, taking state university classes is considered to be a bit of a cop out compared to taking APs. I’m not sure how college view it, though.</p>

<p>Your work experience and community service seem to be good. While your ECs seem a little bit lacking, they’re really about quality over quantity. If you’ve spent significant time/effort on the animal shelter/hospital and can write about it well, then it should be fine.</p>

<p>yayyy CTYers C: As much as I love CTY, it’s not the absolute best summer extracurricular for colleges unless you write an amazing essay for it. (at the same time and as a 6-year participant, I convinced myself/my parents that life shouldn’t be all about college and I kept on doing CTY because I loved it.) but you could also consider doing more volunteer work, getting a job, or getting a summer internship.</p>

<p>You should definitely write an essay on your summer program - actually, a lot of schools ask why you want to study the major you’ve chosen, so it may be a good idea. However, don’t get your heart set on making it your commonapp essay because it might be more appropriate as an essay for you supplements. It really depends on what schools you’re applying to and what essays they require.</p>

<p>Right now, your stats put you in a good position and you’ve got a shot at top schools. However, top colleges are often a crapshoot.</p>

<p>As an AP student, I disagree that IBs are looked upon more favorably. (of course, I’m extremely biased on the subject.) Honestly, take whatever your school is stronger at. For me, I chose AP because the IB program at my school is a trainwreck. You seem to be doing well in AP thus far so it won’t hurt you to stay in the AP program. As long as you succeed in whatever you take, I don’t think colleges care all that much.</p>

<p>From personal experience, I don’t think being half-Asian will diminish your chances; it just won’t help you.</p>

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<p>@navie64 oh wow thank you so much for your reply! :smiley: I really appreciate it.</p>

<p>I have 250 or so hours at the animal shelter so far and I want to continue to volunteer there all throughout high school, and probably college.</p>

<p>I think the reason college classes might be good for me is because I live in VA and my local school is UVA - a top ranked state school. </p>

<p>I think I want to go to the CTY Hawaii program this summer but man did navigating their site get harder from a couple years ago lol. </p>

<p>Do you think it would help if I did environmental work? I do want to major in that but it seems like there aren’t that many options besides just helping to plant trees in my community. Should I search for a specialized one? Do college frown upon paid comm service programs? I know a couple jr friends who are taking a trip to costa rica to build houses or something but they’re paying for it to an organization. I heard doesn’t look as good to colleges because it’s more about your ability to pay than your desire to help or something. </p>

<p>Woo - half Asians unite! There are a fair amount of us at my school it’s kind of hilarious.</p>

<p>What schools do you think I have a better chance at in terms of Ivies and which ones are much harder? Like would you say I am more likely to get into Brown or Cornell than Harvard or Yale? Or are my chances equally um chancey? haha</p>

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<p>@ntrading huh? why is it better to say I’m white?</p>

<p>Haven’t taken SAT IIs yet aside from French (780). I’ll probably take SAT IIs in my AP subjects I get 5s in.</p>

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<p>not a problem C:</p>

<p>Actually, I’m 100% Asian, which probably helps me even less ^^’
The only thing that may help you in terms of ethnicity is if you say you’re other/biracial, but don’t really worry about it. Say whatever you identify yourself as.</p>

<p>Ohh, I see your situation with UVA. Yeah, it might look good to do that.</p>

<p>hahaha wish I could help you with the CTY site, but I’m a year and a half too old so I don’t really remember how to navigate it anymore XD</p>

<p>I think it’ll definitely help to do environmental work. While it’s not great that you’re paying for it, if you can write a good essay regarding the work you do or what you learned, etc., I think it’ll help you.</p>

<p>But if you’re able to, especially since you’re near a great state school like UVA, check their website and contact their environmental department to see if there’s any research/internship work you could do. That would definitely look great for colleges.</p>

<p>In my opinion, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford are always a crapshoot. I think you’ve got a better shot at Cornell, Brown, and Dartmouth – especially if you apply to one of those schools ED. I know people with similar numerical stats as you who were accepted into those schools ED (engineering for Cornell/Brown, I think biomed or biomedical engineering for Dartmouth), but they had a couple more ECs and the Brown girl had an internship. But if you keep up the volunteering and do something over the summer, I think you have as good a shot as anyone C:</p>

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<p>Thanks so much navie64!</p>

<p>Do you think I could increase my chances if I applied to Stanford ED? That’s my dream school haha. Cornell would be a close second, and tied first if it wasn’t in the middle of nowhere. </p>

<p>I will definitely look into doing a research internship at UVA, even being a research helper, that will definitely help my app and give me more experience into the workings of ES!</p>

<p>CTY actually does this really amazing comm service/leadership program at Berkeley so I am going to apply to that!</p>

<p>I bet if I fundraised for my environmental comm service abroad trip it would look better than getting my parents to pay for it right? Or maybe I should fund-raise the amount but donate it to charity and then get my parents to pay for it? Haha. idk. </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

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<p>Stanford doesn’t have ED, only restrictive EA (so you can’t apply to other schools early, but you’re not bound to Stanford if accepted). I heard that Stanford accepts more students in the early admissions round, but that could be due to a number of factors (for example, more competitive applicant pool). Honestly, I don’t think it’ll help much for Stanford, since it’s not ED.</p>

<p>Fundraising would definitely look good, but you don’t have to connect it to the program you’re doing. Maybe start a new club at your school, if you’re really passionate about it?</p>

<p>no problem C:</p>

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<p>I think you’ve got a good shot at all these schools. I would look around to see which have good field studies programs- for example, some schools including Middlebury have a program at Wood’s Hole, MA- world renowned marine biology facility. The basic science programs at any top school will be fantastic, and you likely won’t want to completely specialize in your undergrad years.</p>

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<p>Whoops- I posted above. That was my friend’s account that I was logged into by mistake!</p>

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<p>@navie64 Thanks again! Man that makes me sad. I guess I’ll just have to really work and improve my app for Stanford. Do you think it’ll help if I join the rowing team? I’ve got the build for it and I just was researching and Volleyball for men isn’t even an option at Ivies. Damn. My choices are soccer or rowing but I know my school’s rowing team is pretty excellent - does that give me a better or less short of getting noticed?</p>

<p>@peggysue Thanks! I will definitely look into Middlebury</p>

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<p>I’d say that you have a better shot than most people do, especially because you have excellent grades and phenomenal ECs.</p>

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<p>I would use the extra term to beef up your ECs. Does your school allow internships? </p>

<p>I’d add Duke and Penn as top schools for bioE.</p>

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<p>Thanks 2college2college and powerbond - I’ll add Duke and Penn to the list.</p>

<p>I’m not sure if they do but I’ll definitely ask and see if I can do research that term. I’ve been looking into the Duke TIP, Davidson, and MIT summer high school programs - anybody have any idea of they look good to colleges or just like well off kids wasting money? Though the MIT is free of charge and Davidson is super competitive to get into so I hope if I do get in that looks good. </p>

<p>I’m considering doing a research project for Intel or Siemens but honestly, I have no clue how to go about doing one and I think my competition is too stiff here in VA what with TJ around. Any one know of any good science competitions that are crazy intense?</p>