Chance me? :] MIT/HYPS/Columbia/Caltech

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I've been to three different high schools in two states (one fresh year, one soph year, one junior/senior year) so it's been hard to get strong recommendations and also to be consistent with extracurricular activities.</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>Basic info:
Gender: Female
Race: Asian
Location: South Carolina
School Type: Public, sends very few students to top schools each year
Intended major: Mathematics</p>

<p>School stats:
GPA: 3.92 UW, 4.95 W
Class rank: 9/450</p>

<p>Test scores:
PSAT: 223
SAT: Taken twice, 2230 subscore (730R/800M/700W)
SAT II: 800 Math 2, 770 Biology M
ACT: One sitting, 35 composite but 8 essay :[
Taking the SAT again in December. Last two times I took it with little/no preparation, but this time I'm preparing.</p>

<p>AP Scores:
5s on: Biology, Calculus BC, AB Subscore, Chemistry, Physics B, Physics C Mechanics, Statistics, US History, World History
4s on: Psychology, English Language</p>

<p>Courses:
Overall course load: Most rigorous
Senior courses: Dual enrollment Vector Calculus/Differential Equations @ University of South Carolina, AP English Literature, AP Macroeconomics/AP Government, Masterclass Orchestra, Research 1 Honors, Desktop Publishing I (Online for grad. req)</p>

<p>Awards:
National Merit Semifinalist
National AP Scholar
USAJMO Qualifier (2010)
AMC 10A/10B SC State Winner (2010)
3x AIME Qualifier (2009, 2010, 2011)
3x winner of Columbia College Math Day for Girls
Numerous awards (over 30) in local, state, interstate, and national math competitions
Semifinalist in regional JSHS competition for a research project in math</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Math team/Mu Alpha Theta (7-8 years), team leader (9/10/11), co-President (12)
SC All-State/ARML Math Team (3 years)
Florida ARML Math Team (1 year)
Science team (2 years), event leader (12)
Quizbowl (3 years)
National Honor Society (2 years)
Beta Club (2 years)
Ocean Science team
Junior Civitans
Heath Occupational Students of America
Junior Classical League, historian (9)
Dance crew</p>

<p>Volunteer work:
MathCounts coach at local middle school, meets once a week, about 30 weeks a year (100ish hours?)
Volunteered at Habitat for Humanity over the summer for a month
Tutored math/volunteered at math competitions through Mu Alpha Theta</p>

<p>Work:
Test writer for the Florida Association of Mu Alpha Theta (since July 2010)</p>

<p>Applying to:
MIT (EA)
HYPS
Columbia
UChicago
Cornell
WashU
Caltech</p>

2

<p>your scores and gpa are not that impressive.
however, your math achievements are good and you are a female (asian or not).</p>

<p>i think you have decent chances at MIT (EA), Cal Tech and Chicago.
HYP: who knows?
Cornell and Wash U*: good chances</p>

<p>Wash U: great chances if you do not apply for FA</p>

<p>good luck to you</p>

3

<p>thankyou! & bump</p>

4

<p>Do you have any safeties? All of these schools are reaches.</p>

5

<p>You are a very qualified candidate, your test scores reach the threshold (but aren’t particularly exceptional (better than mine:(). I think your math accomplishments are clearly the strong suit of your application, other than that, it’s just as much of a crapshoot for you as for most other candidates. </p>

<p>Care to answer my question? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1247527-how-badly-does-hurt-my-chances-top-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1247527-how-badly-does-hurt-my-chances-top-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>Mit and caltech will like the math stuff, HYPS is still a reach, u shold be good at the rest</p>

7

<p>I applied to University of South Carolina Honors College as a safety.</p>

<p>I’m also thinking about UC Berkeley, UNC Chapel Hill, and Rice (Those don’t really count as safeties though…)</p>

8

<p>

</p>

<p>…not. Her ACT scores are well above average at all of the schools she’s applying to, and overall she’s well rounded applicant. I think she has a good chance at admission to all the schools she’s applying to, but of course, you never know with HYPS.</p>

9

<p>It looks like, given your circumstances, your extra-curriculars and recommendations will be fine. But, to be safe, your SAT might need a little more nudging.</p>

<p>Chance back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1247577-any-recommendations.html#post13499021[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1247577-any-recommendations.html#post13499021&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>@20more, a 3.92 GPA is not low at all…</p>

11

<p>Wow! I think you have a great chance at those schools, you’re obviously very intelligent with your strong academic background so you should have a chance at HYPS. Don’t worry about your SATs, they’re secure, all you can do now is apply and hope for the best. Are you applying ED, EA or SCEA?</p>

<p>Chance me back!
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1247460-chance-asian-harvard.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1247460-chance-asian-harvard.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

12

<p>You qualified for USAJMO, and are obviously really really smart. I think that you’ll get in, especially at MIT EA. Good luck with the rest of your applications!</p>

13

<p>Thanks! :] and MIT is EA.</p>

14

<p>Just looking at class rank and SAT alone, those schools look like a tough sell. However given that you’re a female (albeit an asian one) who has obviously achieved in math, you’ll catch the attention of places like MIT and Caltech which have higher female acceptance rates in order to balance gender difference. (Last I heard, MIT’s is 25% for females, and most of those i’m sure have less impressive math accomplishments). With the non math/science schools (namely HYPS/Columbia) you would have to show more leadership (of which you seem to be completely lacking), initiative, etc. It seems like your activities could have been a little more balanced (distinguished in areas other than math) and applying to these schools from a school that “ends very few students to top schools each year” I’d be hesitant to say you have very good chances at those schools.</p>

15

<p>@dblazer, I know I don’t have much leadership but I’ve had to go to three different high schools in three different areas, so do you think they would consider that when looking at leadership? I think I’ve done the best I can as far as leadership goes given my circumstances.</p>

16

<p>No matter what the others have said, I’m going to say it like it is…</p>

<p>You have a GREAT chance in all of your choices. The most difficult part will be in choosing one.</p>

<p>A female math achiever is a gem. EVERY school, including the Ivy’s, are going to be clawing each other to get you. You have an excellent record for getting into a math program. If you were interested in politics, history, or some other soft field, I would say that you’d need more of a “fluff” background in your extracurricular activities (ie leadership, etc); but that is not the case. </p>

<p>You won’t even need luck. You’re in…EVERYWHERE.</p>

17

<p>Hmm…I missed that but I presume they’d consider that. I know it probably wasn’t your choice but you shouldn’t have moved! because it makes it tough. Given these circumstances, schools will try to see if you have demonstrated initiative or leadership in other ways (not just school clubs) which I know is hard to demonstrate but still wouldn’t be clear through your activities. I kinda agree with the above poster, if you apply for math major, that’s a semi-hook that would help you being female. I’m not as strong as him/her because your class rank/SAT don’t look stellar, and b/c of your moving, other qualities are vague. Hopefully it’s more clear through your essays.</p>

18

<p>I’d recommend retaking the SAT and getting a higher score. It will have a profound impact on your chances. People who go to MIT or Caltech don’t want to be writers, but they’re all excellent writers. With your SAT scores they are reaches.</p>

<p>Also, in spite of you being a superior student to me in every other way, I am taking abstract algebra for my senior year, an upper-division mathematics course, whereas what you are taking is merely lower division:)</p>

19

<p>There is no shortage of Asian female STEM applicants at any top college.</p>

20

<p>There is no shortage of Asian female STEM applicants at any top college. </p>

<p>+1</p>