Chance Me: Stanford, UC Berkeley, Michigan

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m currently a rising senior. As noted in the title, my short list is Stanford, UC Berkley, and University of Michigan. I’m also considering MIT, Brown, and Caltech.

Personal Info:

  • []Physical: White, Male
    [    ]Income: ~$200,000 per year.
    []Parents: Both parents attended college, but I wouldn’t have legacy for any of the schools I would want to go to.
    [    ]Location: MI, US
    []School Ranking: Public school. Top 5 in the state.

Stats:

  • []GPA: Unweighted 4.0, Weighted 4.277, UC GPA 4.58
    []SAT I: Taken twice, 1st: 1570 (770 reading, 800 math), 2nd: 1580 (800 reading, 780 math). Superscore: 1600
    [    ]ACT: Composite: 35 (35 English, 35 Math, 36 Reading, 35 Science)
    []SAT II Subject Test: Math II (800), Chemistry (800), Physics (800)
    [    ]AP Tests: Calculus BC (5), Chemistry (5), German (5), Physics C: E&M (5), Physics C: Mechanics (5), Government and Politics (5)
    []PSAT/NMSQT: 1490 (740 reading, 750 math)

**ECs:/B

  • [li]Robotics - I’ve participated in FIRST from 7th grade to present. I lead a programming team (for 10th, 11th, and likely 12th grade) of about 15 students large. The entire team this year consisted of freshmen, so I ran courses teaching them Java and Python. We’ve made it to the world championship the past 3 years.[/li][]Volunteer Tutoring/ Mentoring - My cousin runs a community center/ mentoring program in a nearby underprivileged area. I volunteer there weekly during the school year, helping to tutor the kids. I’ve been volunteering sporadically there since 7th grade, when I helped to renovate the location at the start of it. I’ve developed a pretty close bond with a lot of the kids there, and have done some science demos/ presentations to get them interested in STEM.
    []After School Classes - I taught a weekly class to Kindergartners on very basic STEM topics (for 11th, likely 12th grade)
    [    ]Tutoring - I’ve done paid math tutoring every year of high school.
    []Boy Scouts - I did scouts from cub scouts until I lost interest in the 10th grade. I achieved the rank of Life, but have not and will not get Eagle. I held various leadership positions throughout.
    [    ]Cross Country / Track - I did track in 8th grade and cross country in part of 9th grade, but my season got cut short in 9th grade after I got hit by a car, leading me to join robotics instead (essay topic maybe?).

Honors/ Awards:

I haven’t really won anything major. AP Scholar with Distinction. Each department of the school gives out awards to who they consider the top / most passionate student; I’ve won 3 or 4 of those.

Employment:

  • []Washing dishes at a fast food place last summer
    [    ]Currently starting a statistical analysis thing for a decently sized company. I’m helping them to determine a new distribution location by analyzing shipping data. This is just starting however and may end up falling through.

Senior Course Load:

Ceramics, Engineering Design 1, Current Issues (basically a debate class), Literature of the Strange (nonhonors language arts course), Composition, AP Micro Economics, AP Computer Science (2 semesters), and 16 credits of math at a nearby 4-year university. I’m taking Ceramics and Engineering Design 1 solely because I need to fill an art credit.

Passions:

  • []I am very passionate about math and computer science. I’m currently taking Calculus III over the summer at the nearby university. The university is a 4 year university, but it’s not at all prestigious. In the fall semester, I will be taking a 400s level Abstract Algebra 1 course and doing an independent study on algebraic curves. In the winter I will be taking Abstract Algebra 2 and continuing the independent study on algebraic curves. The independent study is essentially a research project I’ll be working on with my professor. As I haven’t actually begun it yet, all I know is it involves writing some code for a database of genus 2 curves to facilitate look ups using the Igusa invariants of the curves. I may also help to begin creating a database of genus 3 curves. My professor says that we can publish a preprint before November so that I can put it on my applications.
    [    ]Although my passion has shifted now, I’ve was also very into chemistry and pharmacology for a bit. Over the course of a year I accumulated a pretty substantial amount of lab equipment using the money I earned from working fast food, and I have fiddled with some organic chemistry syntheses. I ran out of time and money however, and I now focus more on math.
    []I’m pretty big into skateboarding and longboarding. In the winter I ski and snowboard.

**Req Letters:/B:

  • [li]10/10 for all the teacher ones. There are about 5 teachers I’m debating between asking who, being immodest, adore me and will write very good req letters.[/li][]I’m not that close with my counselors as I’ve essentially only spoken to them to try to figure out my dual enrollment situation, but I’m trying to improve my relationship with them, and they at least know my name and seem to like me. I also have some robotics mentors who would write complimentary letters.

Summary:

  • []Strengths: I have pretty good scores. My statistical analysis job, graduate level college courses, and research project seem to adequately show my spike in math and computer science. The chem lab thing might be unique too. I’m also rather social/ talkative and can interview and speak quite well. I haven’t finished writing my essays yet, but I have what I’d like to think are interesting topics and am a strong writer. I legitimately love learning, and I believe that shows.
    [    ]Weaknesses: My ECs feel like they’re lacking. I dropped out of Boy Scouts before I got Eagle. There are no sports or instruments I have spent years working at. My only big things are robotics (and it is quite big, usually 20 - 30 hours a week during build season) and the volunteer work, and I feel like those are both rather common.

Anyone have any thoughts? I am fairly confident I should get into Michigan, and am almost treating that as a safety school, but I’m really not sure on the rest of them. Do I have a decent chance of getting into a Stanford, MIT or the likes, or should I aim lower? Thanks in advanced.

2

Your transcript + scores are pretty solid. But it just proves that you can survive at their school.
Your ECs are pretty good. Your passion computer programming by participating in FIRST robotics world championship and teaching kids about STEM really do sound great. Your ECs do back up your passion for computer science.

With bomb essay and recs, I am sure you will make it in Berkeley and Michigan. I wouldn’t worry too much about your weaknesses. Good recs weigh a lot and make sure to pick teachers that loves you the most (will write paragraphs about your character other than “huehueheu this kid got an A in my class and turned in his hw on time”).

It is pretty difficult to get into Caltech, MIT, Stanford, and Brown. But it really doesn’t hurt to try since you have a lot of time to write essays (and $ shouldn’t be a problem either because of your family income).

3

I don’t know, its pretty hard to get into Berkeley and Michigan also, and I see you are from Michigan. It may be easier then, based on your residence. Brown, I think would be a little easier coming from the Midwest vs. New England.

4

@lowgravity
UCB- High Match/Low Reach
Stanford- Reach
UMich- Low Match/ Match
I can’t see you being denied from UMich due to legacy and instate status. It might be a high safety, but that’s a stretch. As long a you add another good safety to the list, aim as high as you want to.

5

@lowgravity
UCB- High Match/Low Reach
Stanford- Reach
UMich- Low Match/ Match
I can’t see you being denied from UMich due to legacy and instate status. It might be a high safety, but that’s a stretch. As long a you add another good safety to the list, aim as high as you want to.

6

Solid stats. Focus on essays for all your applications. Hope you have a larger list with the reach, match, and safety thing.

7

Stanford: Always reach.
Berkeley: Always reach for EECS. Probably high match for L&S, but then you would need a 3.3 college GPA in prerequisites to get into L&S CS (math is not a restricted major). No financial aid to out-of-state students without rare merit scholarships.

8

Berkeley is possible but because you are OOS, your priority for admission is limited. You’ll be paying full fees at $60K per year. There are no “scholarships” for OOS students. Given your parents’ budget, it may be doable, but that’s a big chunk of change from their income.

Stanford is a reach and their freshman classes are typically full with national “winners” that they bring in (olympians, celebrities, etc). There is only so much space.

Caltech is even smaller and they have a slew of “tech” kids applying. The majority of students there are NM winners. Your essays and LOR’s are key. Your parents are okay with $70K per year?

Big hint: don’t include anything before high school; you’re “stretching” when you do that.

The one course that sets you apart and is interesting is the one course you seem to belittle: Ceramics.
The UC’s, especially Berkeley, believe strongly in the exposure to the fine arts, which is why it is an IMPORTANT requirement (“f”) for admission. Remember, this IS California. Visit Berkeley and you’ll see what I mean.

FWIW: At one point, my son’s BS troop, and neighboring troops, who made Eagles, were all admitted to Berkeley. At that point, Berkeley really seemed to like Eagles.

9

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/a-g-requirements/index.html indicates that the high school art requirement is for a year long course or two semester long courses in the same discipline (e.g. two semester long ceramics courses). An AP art or music score of 3 or a college art course (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits) is also acceptable.

10

I think that you have a very good list and will do very well.

Being in-state with excellent stats, you should have a very good chance at Michigan and it is a GREAT school (the best software engineer that I ever worked with is from there and he has done very well – I also have known other very strong students / engineers from there). Stanford, UC Berkeley, MIT, Brown, and Caltech are all reaches, but probably worth applying to. I am not sure that they are worth spending more to attend compared to Michigan, but you will see when the offers (and probably a rejection or two) come in.

I have heard that the UC’s, including UC Berkeley, offer very little aid for out of state students. As such, the chance of it being economically worth attending compared to Michigan seems low to me. The last that I heard MIT did not give merit aid, which given your family income leads me to the same expectation.

I do wonder whether you should consider Michigan as a “fabulous safety”, or a “solid match”. If the latter you might want to add Michigan State just to handle the very unlikely case that you don’t get into Michigan.

11

UMich would be your best bet and best deal. None of the schools would make it cheaper than UMich instate as you are not eligible to much if any financial aids. Of course, if money is no mattter to you and your your family at all, then you may pick any school you want. My D1 had similar stat as you and received multiple scholarships at UMich CoE.