Chance Me, Please?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
1

Hi y’all!
Rice is my dream school, and I’m super anxious to get my decision in a few months. If anyone could chance me that would be great. I go to a really small private school and no one from my school has gotten into Rice. I’m the only senior this year :-S

Objective:
•SAT I (breakdown): 2080 (Math:700 Reading: 630 Writing: 750) (SS: 2110)
•ACT (breakdown): 31
•SAT II (place score in parentheses): Math 1: 720 Math 2: 590
•Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Unweighted- 4.0 Weighted- (Cumulative) 4.27
•Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): My school does not rank
•AP (place score in parentheses): My school just began offering AP courses last year and I was not confident in my test score because we had little preparation time so I canceled my scores. However, I did take AP Biology, AP Calc AB, and AP Psychology
•IB (place score in parentheses): N/A
•Senior Year Course Load: Honors Physics, AP English Language & Composition, AP Statistics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Government (also doing self-taught AP Chemistry)
•Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Math Student of the Year (3 years), Speech Student of the Year (9), Service Award (9), Student of the Year (9), Science Student of the Year (10-11), Crusader Award (10-11), Beacon of Volunteering Award (10), Outstanding Leader by Example (10), History Student of the Year (11), English Student of the Year (11), Director’s Award (11)

Subjective:
•Extracurriculars (place leadership in parentheses): School concession stand manager (4 years), Student Council (Treasurer 2 consecutive years, VP junior year, President senior year), National Honor Society (spring of sophomore year to present, VP & President), Assistant MS cheer coach (11-12), Model United Nations (12), Youth in Philanthropy (11-12), School Theatre Club (9, 11-12), Choir (4 years), Yearbook Committee (11-12), PALS (12), Teacher Aide (9-12), Praise Band (9-12), TAPPS (similar to UIL, 9-12), Student Ambassador (9-12)
•Job/Work Experience: Babysitting (ages 4-13), Tutor (1st grade - Pre-Cal), Camp Invention Leadership Intern (paid intern)
•Volunteer/Community Service: Special Olympics, Project H.E.A.L, Youth in Philanthropy (Junior & Senior year) - program in Fort Bend County for Juniors & Seniors that allows them to work with many different types of nonprofit throughout the year, Teen Service League (Sophomore year), Memorial Hermann (Summer after Sophomore & Junior year), The Beacon in Downtown Houston
•Summer Activities: Babysitting, Camp Invention, Volunteer at Memorial Hermann, SAT Prep classes
•Essays: They were alright (I’m a harsh critic)
•Teacher Recommendations: Great! (English and History teacher)
•Counselor Rec: Great
•Additional Rec: I’m thinking about mailing in 3 additional rec letters along with my resume (College counselor, Math teacher/StuCo adviser and Science teacher)
•Interview: I think the interview went okay. I was extremely nervous, so it might’ve shown. However the Rice Senior who interviewed me and I had common interests, so it made the interview go by a little easier

Other
•State (if domestic applicant): TX
•Country (if international applicant):
•School Type: Private w/ online curriculum
•Ethnicity: Asian
•Gender: Female
•Income Bracket: $120k
•Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): First U.S. born child to attend college in my family (parents and a few cousins went to school in the US after immigrating). Not really a hook but it’s something :confused:

Reflection
•Strengths: ECs & GPA, possibly essays
•Weaknesses: Test scores & APs
•Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: N/A
•Where else you are applying or have already applied: Accepted to UH & TAMU. Waiting to here back from UT & UTD

General Comments/Advice/Hindsight:

2

I also have 400+ volunteer hours.

3

i’d say it is a low-reach. the only thing bringing you down is your sat score. make those essays strong- when i applied to rice, strong essays really helped

4

Definitely a strong candidate in terms of ECs.
What is really bring you down as rafanadal said is your test scores.

Strong essays are key in giving you a spot.
If you feel comfortable, I can take a look at them if you want a better picture of your chances! Just message me!

(I was accepted into Rice ED)

5

That would be great! I knew my test scores were bringing my chances down… It’s nerve-wrecking waiting for this decision…

6

I don’t think your test scores are terrible. They’re just fine. I wouldn’t worry too much about them. I think as long as your essays were strong (as everyone else has said) you should be okay. What is your prospective major?

7

I’m hoping to major in Chem Engineering and minor in Business & Neuroscience

8

Reach. BUt being female and interested in engineering is a plus. The minuses are your Test scores, and the fact that there is no way to judge on a national basis how strongly you are prepared by your school to take rigorous courses at a school like rice since you cancelled your AP test scores. You are not taking Calc this year and there is no way of telling where you are in your Calc other than as having taken the AP course without any national assessment, but only assessment from a small school that is not used to sending kids to Rice. Your awards clearly show you are a “top dog” at that school, but that may mean little or nothing. That Sat2 score in Math 2 bodes ill in terms of how well you know your precalc/calc.

Look at theED threads and see where you would stand with your numbers. My guess is that you would have been deferred, but being a female engineering candidate and a top student is what your strengths are. But do you have the preparation to be able to manage the tough courses?