So, I’m applying to quite a few reach schools including Stanford (EA), Princeton, Harvard, UPenn, UChicago, Berkeley, maybe MIT? I know that they’re all very selective schools (don’t worry, I have some safeties), but I just kind of what to get an idea of my chances at these schools. Thanks so much to whoever is taking the time to give me feedback!
SAT I: First try: 1520 (800 Math, 720 English/Reading, 19/24 Essay)
Second try: 1530 (790 Math, 740 English/Reading, 17/24 Essay)
Superscore: 1540
ACT: First try (I had a really bad day): 32 (33 Math, 30 Science, 32 English, 31 Reading, 10 Writing)
Second try (this was a lot better): 35 (35 Math, 36 Science, 34 English, 33 Reading, 10 Writing)
SAT II: 800 Math II, 780 Chemistry
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.38 (at my school I don't know anyone with a weighted GPA over 4.5)
My UC weighted might be 4.84? I'm not 100% sure I calculated that correctly
AP: Euro (4), Chemistry (5), Comp Sci A (5), Chinese (5), Lit (5)
Awards: National Merit Commended, AP Scholar, Degree of Excellence from NSDA, won awards from Science Olympiad state, Bilingual Seal
Extracurriculars: 4 years writing/directing community plays, 4 years Math Team, 3 years Speech (varsity), 2 years Science Olympiad (event leader), 3 years singing in youth group worship team (lead singer)
Job: 2 years Kumon tutor
Volunteer: volunteered in China to teach English and at an orphanage in 10th and 12th grade for a few weeks, lots of volunteering at my church
My common app essay is going to be about my experience writing/directing plays, and I think it shows my personality (though it doesn't have much to do with my intended major)
My teacher recs are probably pretty strong, but my counselor rec is probably more generic
Intended major: Applied Math
School Type: public, very large, maybe about 900 in my class
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: ~100,000
Let me know if I missed anything major, and thanks again! Any general comments or advice would really be appreciated as well!
@music724 Asian female / middle class demo is not doing you any favors. Good scores, good rigor, great GPA. Are you taking more APs rest of senior year?
The real “problem” I see is generic awards / ECs.
Your best shot is to craft an amazing essay on your writing/directing of plays. This is interesting and different, and could be the reason a top school wants you in their class. Consider submitting one of your plays as a supplemental document. Ensure one of LoRs is from the theatre teacher who will help convey how rare and incredible your talent is.
This will help differentiate you from the thousands of Asian female, math team, singers that volunteer at an orphanage applicants.
Ensure you have plenty of matches to add to your safeties, the schools you are going after are tough.
I think that it is very hard to know, but you certainly have done very well up to now. It is important that you have good safeties but I think that you have a decent chance.
I am guessing that you might be from California. Otherwise Berkeley is likely to be unaffordable.
I am wondering what a “bilingual seal” is. The seals that I have met only seem to speak one language.
@DadTwoGirls
I’m from Minnesota, actually. And the bilingual seal is called a “Bilingual Platinum Seal” from ACTFL? It might just be a Minnesotan thing, but I’m not 100% sure. I don’t think it’s actually very impressive at all
The California public universities do not offer any funding for non residents. Your parents would have to pay $55-$60K per year. I don’t think your parents would want to pay more than half of their income to have you attend school in California.
Yes, the State of California does not have money to fund (with scholarships or loans) any students who are not residents. The State and its taxpayers have decided, as of two years ago, no more non-resident funding.
Even under older policies, non-residents did not get that much financial aid, unless they got something like a Regents’ scholarship. Current policy is no non-resident financial aid, though non-residents are eligible for merit scholarships (which are not that numerous, particularly the big ones).
As far as your chances go, all of the schools on your list are reaches (note that for Berkeley, you presumably need a Regents’ scholarship to afford it, so your chances have to be based on the scholarship). But that should have been obvious before you posted.
Will you be applying to Minnesota and Wisconsin public universities?
Well, if you doubt what most posters will tell you, you can try and find out for yourself. You will receive a bill for full fees.
Also, it is a political hot potato, in that, most of my fellow taxpayers in California have put a lot of pressure on our lawmakers to admit more California residents to our public universities. We pay HUGE taxes in our state, for years, and our resident students have been pushed aside to allow room for non-residents to attend our universities. Now the state is putting caps on OOS students. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-uc-nonresident-enrollment-20170509-story.html
FWIW: Nine years ago, my dd received a full ride for her upstate NY university. Now the scholarship does not exist.
Let me give some perspective here: your stats (like GPA, test scores only) are strong enough that you will be in the conversation anywhere you apply. Obviously, there’s much more in the admissions process. BUT, if you kill the essays/interviews, then you have a good shot. Colleges are looking to accept people, not resumes. Just be super super genuine and you’ll get in somewhere awesome