Chance me por favor

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, I’m an Asian male who goes to school in NJ. I want to be a math major, can you please help to look into my chances for getting into the schools on my college list.

Academics:
GPA- 96(unweighted), 101(weighted)
SAT: 1580- 780 English, 800 Math
SAT II: Math II- 800, Physics- 800
AP Calc BC- 5
AP Physics C: E & M- 5
AP US History- 5
AP Statistics- 5
AP Physics C: Mechanics- 5
AP Chinese Language- 5
AP Physics 1- 4
AP Computer Science A - 4
AP English Langauge- 4

Also, I’ve taken Multivariable and Differential Equations in my junior year.

Extracurriculars:
Varsity Swimming (2015-2018)
Math Team- Vice President (2015-2018)
Robotics Team (2017-2018)- Captain
Vex Robotics (2017-2018)- All State
Bridging the Gap- Vice President (2017-2018)
Marching Band All-State Champions (2016)
Tri-M Music Honor Society (2015-Present)
National Honor Society (2017-2018)
Science National Honor Society (2017-2018)

Local Youth Orchestra- First Violin (2015-2018)
Code Club (2017-2018)
Charity Organization (2018)

Summers:
2017- Robotics, Theoretical physics research with a college professor
2018- Worked in a restaurant as a dishwasher/prep cook (I really like cooking), more physics research, Robotics, took a Discrete Mathematics course in a local community college

Schools:
Reach- UPenn or any other ivy that wants me, MIT, Franklin Olin, Caltech, Berkeley
Target- Carnegie Mellon, UMich, Boston College, Georgia Tech
Safety- Binghamptom, Stonybrook, Lehigh

One thing I regret was not participating in more math competitions such as the AMC, and I think that might be a weak point in my application as a math major. Also, my school has a bad record for MIT; no one has gotten in for around 10 years.

Thank you for your time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

2

I think you would be a match target for Berkeley.

Why isn’t Rutgers on the list? They should high up there in ranking for Math.

3

While I think you’re stats are excellent, I’m not sure I’d call UMich (OOS), CMU and GT “targets” anymore.

4

Despite your stellar scores the reality is you have a pretty average application among Asian males trying to get into top math schools. Consider a way to make yourself stand out from the rest. It is clear you have the science/math background to succeed, but so do a lot of people. Unless you have some amazing achievement in your robotics ec’s this won’t be enough for top schools. What is unique about you? How can you differentiate? How are you different from the hundreds of other Asian males with the exact same resume as you that your reader will also review? Maybe you can somehow tie your passion for cooking into wanting to study physics/engineering/applied math? Done successfully, that’s the kind of thing that will make you stand out and get you in.

5

I agree with @sushiritto that Michigan (OOS), CMU, GT, are reaches, not matches. Lehigh would be a match, not a safety.

6

Since you’re considering west coast schools, you might want to look at the others that are in the top 10 feeder schools to math PhD programs: Harvey Mudd and Pomona in the Claremont Consortium, and Reed in Portland. (The Claremonts, in addition to extremely strong undergrad programs, also have graduate-level math offerings through Claremont Graduate University.) Geographic diversity will help you a bit when applying farther from home.

Also in the top 10 but not on your list: UChicago, Rice, and Swarthmore.

You’re well qualified, obviously; you’re just in that range where your “match” schools are so selective that they’re really reaches for everyone. Reed could be considered a match, I think. Anyway, you have top-notch in-state safeties so you’re not flying without a net; and I think you’re likely to get into at least a few of your reach schools. Good luck!

7

I totally agree with @SDC1719 - that is excellent advice. Especially for a math major, you’ll need to set yourself apart from other applicants with similar scores at these top colleges. Good luck!

8

Thank you all for the advice and constructive criticism. I did not realize that the acceptance rates for UMich, GT, CMU, and Lehigh have gotten so low recently. I will revise my college list. You guys are right. There are so many other asian males with the same resume. I need to find a hook or something to stand out from that group.

9

Also, can an admin delete this thread. I created a new one because I formatted this one poorly and didn’t have my gpa in 4.0 scaling. Unfortunately I can’t delete the old one.

10

Your stats are excellent, although I dont know what 96 GPA means.

Michigan CMU would be flattered to have you, not qualified to comment on others.

I know there arent thousands of 1580 SAT and 9 APs out there.

I would not consider cal schools, they offer little need base grants. Plenty of good schools out there ready to have you.

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