chance me please?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to chance me! Do you mind indicating either ‘match’, ‘reach’, ‘slight reach’, ‘safety’? (I don’t think I have any safeties here… my safeties are located in Canada)</p>

<p>Female
Born and currently living in: Vancouver, BC, Canada (international status)
Family background: East African</p>

<p>Applying to: Yale SCEA or Yale Regular Decision, Brown, Berkeley, Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Stanford</p>

<p>First Choice is Yale, please give advice on whether to apply SCEA or Regular Decision! I appreciate it!</p>

<p>High School type: public, highly competitive
Rank: doesn’t rank
GPA: not sure exactly, but I’m pretty sure if an A is 4.0, I have a 3.95? (Can someone please explain the GPA system in the US? Also, what is the difference between weighted, and unweighted?)</p>

<p>Grade 9 courses:</p>

<p>A Math 10 Honours
A Social Studies 9/10 Honours (meaning we get credit for both 9 and 10 in one year)
A Science 9/10 Honours
A English 9 Honours
A French 9 Honours
A P.E. 9
B Intermediate Band (clarinet)
A Leadership 9</p>

<p>Summer School: Social Studies 11: B</p>

<p>Grade 10 Courses:</p>

<p>A Math 11 Honours
A French 10 Honours
A Chemistry 11
A Physics 11
A English 10
A Peer Tutoring 11
A P.E. 10
A Planning 10 (mandatory course)</p>

<p>Grade 11 Courses:</p>

<p>A Math 12 Honours
B French 11 Honours
A Chemistry 12
A Biology 11 Pre AP
B Physics 12
A English 11
A IT 12
A P.E Weight Training 11</p>

<p>Grade 12 Courses: (for this coming sept)</p>

<p>AP Computer Science 12
AP Calculus AB
AP French Lang 12
AP Biology 12
Psychology 12
English 12
PE Weight Training 12
(Study Block)</p>

<p>SAT SCORES</p>

<p>SAT I : 2060 (retaking, expecting a 2250 at least)
Math: 750
CR: 630
Writing: 650</p>

<p>SAT II: Math IIC: 750
Math IC: 790
Chem: 710
Taking French and Biology M expecting 750+ on Bio and 780-800 on French</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars:</p>

<p>Grade 9:</p>

<p>In School:
Junior Debate Team
Student Council
Karing for Kids
Juvenille Girls Basketball Team
Girls Weight Training Club
Junior Netball Team (won bronze medal in provincial championships)
Volunteer at school library</p>

<p>Outside of School:
Volunteer for the Ismaili Muslim Volunteer Corps
Volunteer for the summer at a local kids summer camp for the month of July
Classical Guitar Lessons
Ismaili Walk for Kids Volunteer
Vancouver Marathon Volunteer
World Partnership Walk Volunteer </p>

<p>Grade 10:</p>

<p>In School:
Junior Debate Team
Student Council
Model UN
Junior Netball Team (won gold medal in provincial championships)
Girls Weight Training Club
Girls Kickboxing Club
Administrative Helper with the Mentor/Tutor program at our school
Volunteer at school library</p>

<p>Outside of School:
Appointed Junior Leader for Girl Guides of Canada (weekly meetings 2 + hours… additional events and camps)
Volunteer for the Ismaili Muslim Volunteer Corps
Vancouver Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir (alto, co-student representative)
Classical Guitar Lessons
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program: BRONZE LEVEL
Ismaili Walk for Kids Volunteer
Vancouver Marathon Volunteer
World Partnership Walk Volunteer </p>

<p>Summer after Grade 10:
Employment at a month-long day camp
Employment as a tutor for 4 hours/week</p>

<p>Grade 11:</p>

<p>In School:
Student Council
Amnesty International
Senior Netball Team
Girls Weight Training Club (President)
Girls Kickboxing Club
Freshman Mentor
Volunteer at school library</p>

<p>Outside School:
Appointed Junior Leader for Girl Guides of Canada (weekly meetings 2 + hours… additional events and camps)
Literacy Program Volunteer at the Down Syndrome Research Foundation
Vancouver Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir (soprano 1, student representative)
Vancouver Ismaili Muslim Youth Chamber Choir (soprano 1)
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program: SILVER LEVEL
Level 1 American Sign Language Course
Executive Member of the Ismaili Youth Clubs Committee
Volunteer for the Ismaili Muslim Volunteer Corps (appointed Team Leader for Young Volunteers Program)
Employed as a tutor for Math 10
Ismaili Walk for Kids Volunteer
Vancouver Marathon Volunteer
World Partnership Walk Volunteer </p>

<p>Summer after Grade 11:</p>

<p>-Accepted into prestigious Canadian summer program for science and technology called Shad Valley. Includes a month of staying at a university campus (McMaster University) in residence and participating in various lectures and activities with university professors.
Won ‘Best Business Plan’ for product ‘EcoDry’ entered into the McMaster division of the Royal Bank of Canada Cup.
-Continued work with the Ismaili Muslim Volunteer Corps as a Team Leader for Young Volunteers
Employed as a tutor for Math 10</p>

<p>Grade 12 (this coming sept)</p>

<p>In School:
Get Down With Down’s (Founder) (club dealing with raising awareness of downs syndrome, all money goes to DSRF)
Student Council
Amnesty International
Model UN
Senior Netball Team
Girls Weight Training Club (President)</p>

<p>Outside School:
Appointed Junior Leader for Girl Guides of Canada (weekly meetings 2 + hours… additional events and camps)
Literacy Program Volunteer at the Down Syndrome Research Foundation
Vancouver Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir (soprano 1)
Vancouver Ismaili Muslim Youth Chamber Choir (soprano 1)
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program: GOLD LEVEL
Level 2 American Sign Language Course
Executive Member of the Ismaili Youth Clubs Committee
Volunteer for the Ismaili Muslim Volunteer Corps (appointed Team Leader for Young Volunteers Program)
Employed as a tutor for Math 10
Ismaili Walk for Kids Volunteer
Vancouver Marathon Volunteer
World Partnership Walk Volunteer </p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>Academic Honour Roll 2004-present
Work Ethic Honour Roll 2004- present
All Around Student Award 2004
Principals List Award 2006/2007
I-STAR Academic Honours Award 2007
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: Bronze
Duke of Edinburghs’s Award: Silver
Red Cross Emergency First Aid Level B</p>

<p>Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! I really appreciate all sorts of feedback! I am really really keen on going to Yale, but honestly I know it’s a reach, and I want to know if I have any chance… please give your input on applying early action. It has been my dream since I was 10 years old, much like everyone else who is applying there! Thank you!!!!
PS I know the SAT scores are a little low, but I am positive that I will do better in October! Thanks again!</p>

<p>Almost forgot, my intentions are to eventually go to Med school… and my major will be in biology, perhaps biochemistry.</p>

<p>:)</p>

2

<p>I forgot to say that I have excellent teacher recs, and I’m counting on my essay to be kick-ass too!</p>

3

<p>GPA usually is A=4.0, B=3.0, etc. Some colleges might calculate A- as 3.67 and B- as 2.67, etc.
For weighted, it usually varies depending on your school but it really doesn’t matter that much except for class rank. What’s more important is that you’ve taken the most rigorous course load your school offers and the unweighted GPA in those classes.
As far as schools go (I’ll assume the 2250 on your SAT):
Reach - Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford,
Slight Reach - Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Brown, Duke
Match - Berkeley
By the way, I didn’t read through all of your extracurricular resume, and I have a feeling that admission officers aren’t going to want to read through a lot of fluff either. For activities, what counts is how focused and dedicated you are and what you contribute, not how many activities you’re in. You want to show what you are passionate about, not join every club for the sake of college applications.
Good luck with the admission game!</p>

4

<p>i think u have a chance of getting in anywhere…ur activity list is longer than any i’ve seen!!</p>

5

<p>thanks! that may just be because i listed per grade, and theres some repeats, but i appreciate it</p>

<p>i realize its long, and in another thread i got some feedback saying it was like a laundry list. i realized this was true after haking a good look at it, and my intentions certainly weren’t to make a list.</p>

<p>so for fture chancers:</p>

<p>my extra curriculars mainly focus on community service, particularly with children. i realized my interest of working with children after volunteering at a summer camp, and then it grew form there. eventually i was appointed as a junior leader for girl guides. i have held that position for nearly 2.5 years now, and i was in girl guides for 8 years b4 that.
i have also started volunteering at the down syndrome research foundation, with children and teens in their literacy program. this revolves around my interest of working with children and my interests in research and medicine.</p>

<p>You can look at the above list for more information on smaller leadership positions held</p>

<p>Any more chancers? I really need your input… </p>

<p>you HONEST input!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Bump bump bump</p>

6

<p>with the focussed ec’s your application will look better i think, but trust me that is a long and impressive list of accomplishments…try to get that 2250/2300 on the SAT and i think ull have a shot anywhere…thing is though with places like stanford and harvard u can never say…good luck none the less!!</p>

<p>chance me back in return if u get time!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/550160-chicago-john-hopkins-princeton-u-mich-chance-me-plz.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/550160-chicago-john-hopkins-princeton-u-mich-chance-me-plz.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>thanks! yeah thats the stressful thing I\m focussing on right now! yea I’ll chance you too</p>

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<p>bump bump bump</p>

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<p>All my chances assume that you will get the SAT score you hope for, 2250.
Yale SCEA - Crapshoot<br>
Brown - Reach<br>
Berkeley - Reach (OOS)
Harvard - Crapshoot
Princeton - Crapshoot
Duke - Low Reach<br>
Columbia - Reach (However, your culture and EC’s might get you in)
Cornell - Low Reach
Dartmouth - Low Reach (Huge numbers school, SAT and GPA will make them smile)
Stanford - Crapshoot
for schools in canada, i suggest to apply to Toronto, UBC, and McGill.</p>

<p>chance me in return? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/548705-let-s-put-smile-face-chancing-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/548705-let-s-put-smile-face-chancing-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>List the 7 most important ECs (as done on the Common App), and include a brief summary so it’s easier for people to chance. It’s kind of confusing and too long in the current format.</p>

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<p>unweighted gpa is A=4.0, A-=3.6, B+=3.4, B=3.0, B-=2.6, C+=2.4, C=2.0, and i doubt you need more than that.
weighted would be like, some schools add extra points for honors/AP. typically, AP is A=5.0, A-=4.6, etc.
some schools weight honors as well. the amount varies. sometimes an A in honors is a 4.25, sometimes is 4.5, sometimes it’s 5.0.
and then some schools really confuse things and make an A in an AP a 6.0.
but if you want to calculate yours, don’t add anything for the honors and add 1.0 for the AP. that’ll be a safe estimate, if anything it’ll be lower than what it really is, as schools might add for honors.</p>

<p>your extracurriculars seem incredible to me, your GPA should be fine, but your SATs seem a little low for such ridiculously smart schools. retake a few times, can’t hurt. pick a few that are your favorites, visit if you can, apply to them, and then make sure you apply to some matches/safeties. i wouldn’t go with JUST ivy leagues, and then some way lower safeties that you really don’t want to go to, because then you’ll be disappointed. look into some other competitive (but not DEATHLY competitive) american schools, there are so many, i’m sure you can fine some you’ll love. realize that the ivy leagues are a reach for everybody, even people with 2400’s, you never know.</p>

12

<p>no worries my SAT scores are going up by the minute with all this studying LOL</p>

<p>for the 7 most important and brief descriptions that were requested… here you go!</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Junior Leader for Girl Guides of Canada- 2.5 Years. Committed to GG for 8 years prior. This includes a weekly committment, in addition to 3-4 day camps and other activities. (I currently hold 800-1000 hours!) Dealing with parents, working with kids, booking events, and planning activities.</p></li>
<li><p>Vancouver Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir member.2 years ( Student Representative. ) Moved up from Alto, to Soprano 2 to Soprano 1. In my second year I was accepted into the competitive Chamber choir. (weekly commitment) sometimes have performances 3-4 days in a row</p></li>
<li><p>Literacy Program volunteer at the Down Syndrome Research Foundation. ! year. once a week commitment (2 hours each time) Working with kids and teens with downs to improve literacy skills. FOUNDING club this fall at school to raise awareness and money for research.</p></li>
<li><p>Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program. Prestigious and competitive award program that consists of three levels, each of which takes 6 months or 1 year to complete. It includes comm service, phys recreation, skill, and outdoor expeditions, as well as a residential project. I have completed Bronze and Silver levels, and I am half way through the gold. </p></li>
<li><p>Volunteer for Ismaili Muslim Volunteer Corps. Appointed Team Leader for young volunteers (1 year so far) and have been a volunteer for 6 years prior. This includes a biweekly comittment of a few hours each time. </p></li>
<li><p>Netball- Member of Junior and then Senior netball team at school for Gr 9-12. Won provincial gold awards twice, silver once and bronze once. </p></li>
<li><p>Shad Valley summer program at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Highly comeptitive Canada-wide summer program to get into. Spent a month in residence working with science professors and working on creating an entrepreneur project that won the ‘best business plan’ award at the McMaster Shad division of the Royal Bank of Canada Cup. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>And theres much more that you can see above!</p>

<p>Thanks to all of you!</p>

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<p>You seem to be really passionate about a number of things and determined to make an impact. Academically, you’re strong as well. As long as you write your heart out, incorporate your tentative major or academic leanings, and basically define yourself as someone those schools need, you’re good!</p>

<p>I’m east african too! Please chance me; absolutely no one has even looked at mine! :[ It’s called “Stanford EA?”</p>

14

<p>sure! I’ll go ahead and do that</p>

<p>thanks to everyone!</p>

<p>still looking for more people to chance me and give me advice on whether i should apply early!</p>

15

<p>bump bump 10char</p>

16

<p>are there any more chancers?</p>

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<p>any more? 10char</p>

18

<p>thank you to everyone, still looking for more input!</p>

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<p>I think you have a great shot for those schools. With your new great SAT score, and GPA I think you’ll be fine. Try really hard to get straight As first semester of senior year though. Your second post of 7 detailed activities is more appealing (I read through it all) and that’s all you should really put - the most important activities you were involved with. You are competitive with all the other kids applying but it ultimately is up to luck. :)</p>

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<p>thank you so much!</p>