Chance me: T20 Asian Male 2024 - Econ and Math

Chance Me / Match Me!
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US Citizen, 2nd generation Chinese, Male
Michigan
Large Public High School; Basically a feeder for U of M but also not high ranked.

Maybe legacy for UChicago? Brother went there

Economics and Math

3.984

3.989 Unweighted GPA, School does not have a weighing system.

PSAT 1480

ACT:35.25 first try 35.75 second try.

8th grade: Took APCSA test. Got 4. -.-
9th grade: AP CALC BC, AP CHEM, French, Orchestra, nothing else very noteworthy. B+ AP calc first semester, but all A’s otherwise. 5s in AP CALC BC AP CHEM and one 4 in AP Chinese that year.

10th grade: AP Micro/Macro, AP Stats, APUSH, french, and orchestra again. Other classes are not worth noting. All 5s and all A’s

11th grade: Calc III at U of M, Organic Chem at U of M, AP lang and AP Gov. French and orchestra still. All A’s so far (Top 100 in Organic Chem)
Awards
AP Scholar with Distinction
Qualified AIME 10th and 11th grade, certificate of distinction.
USNCO top 125 Hoping for top 50 this year.
DECA international finalist
Scholastic critical essay gold medalist
Scholsatic drawing and illustration gold medalist.
Two-time gold president volunteer service award winner.
USACO silver

EC’s

  1. Econ club president and (re)founder. Captain of A team in the Wharton stock challenge and Chicago Fed Challenge
  2. Eagle scout and Assistant senior patrol leader.
  3. Swimming 9 and 11th grade and Water Polo 9,10, and 11th grade. Made varsity for water polo.
  4. Level 12 pianist by SATD Michigan or whatever
  5. Solo and ensemble state qualifier for viola
  6. Did research in org chem at U of M for summer of 10th grade and doing it again 11th grade. Paper is likely
  7. most of the rest are in my awards section
  8. Kinda of weird but active quest implementer in huge Skyrim mod project.

My essay writing is very inconsistent, but I think I will be okay :slight_smile:
My LORs are from my APUSH teacher, the professor overseeing my research and my AP Lang teacher. Also one from my counselor, who knows me quite well for someone who oversees 400 kids.

There are no cost constraints my parents are upper middle class, and they paid the entire way for my brother.

I think safety is the university of Michigan State. I think my match is U of M but I’d really love to go to Uchicago or any school better than it and I’ve already spent a year here. Leaning towards Columbia as a reach and Stanford as a far reach.

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These analyses, which are based on faculty scholarship, may offer you insight into economics departments:

https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.usecondept.html

https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.uslacecon.html

In addition to universities, you may benefit from considering undergraduate-focused schools such as Williams, Claremont McKenna, Amherst, Hamilton, Swarthmore, Pomona College and Bowdoin.

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Which post-graduation goals are you considering?

  • PhD study in math
  • PhD study in economics
  • Work in finance
  • Other
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Your ACT score is a 35. Maybe someone can correct me…but I don’t believe that the fraction parts are reported.

You have as good a chance as anyone else who applies. Remember for the highly rejective schools more than 90% are rejected,

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Please note that the Composite score is obtained by rounding the average of the four underlying scores to the nearest whole number. In the OP’s case, his Composite scores are 35 and 36. Also, the 36 will supersede the 35 at most colleges. Nonetheless, results on certain sections may be valued more highly than others.

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Work in finance, with dreams of becoming a Quantitative analyst

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As a math and econ major, you will need an LOR from a STEM teacher in addition to one from a humanities teacher.

College costs have continued to rise rapidly. Just make sure your parents know that the costliest schools can cost over $83k/year now and that they’re ok with it.

Sounds like Princeton and Harvard will be better super reach choices for you than Stanford. I think they even do better than Columbia, in IB/quant placement.

What are your other target and likely schools?

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The professor overseeing my research is also a chemistry professor, would that count for a STEM teacher LOR?

My targets other than Uchicago are UPenn and Duke. I’m not sure about likely schools outside of U of M

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U Chicago, Penn, and Duke are all high reaches, not targets. U Mich is a target, although as in-state, I think it’s more of a likely.

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His ACT score should be a 36. 35.75 rounds up.

Understanding Your Scores | ACT Test Scoring | ACT.

  1. Your Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, science) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high). The Composite score is the average of your four test scores, rounded to the nearest whole number. Fractions less than one-half are rounded down; fractions one-half or more are rounded up.
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Do you think EDing Chicago would put it within target range?

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No, but I expect applying ED would increase your odds of acceptance.

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Any estimates on about what those chances are?

Give it to me straight doc :skull:

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You will be a competitive applicant at any college but IMO It is impossible to estimate chances of acceptance at hyper-competitive colleges.

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No. You are the “average excellent” student. If you really want U Chicago, go ahead and ED. Another option you might look at would be Carnegie Mellon. There, as full pay ED, I think you might get in. But U Mich is perfect for what you want, and it’s gonna cost 200K less than any private college will, if you get into one. You probably should have a frank discussion with your parents about your career goals, finances, etc. You won’t need them to pay for grad school (unless it’s an MBA). Since they willingly paid for U Chicago for your sib, perhaps they might agree to do something to even things out, like put the 200K toward a first apt or house for you down the road, if you go to U Mich. If their attitude is that you can only use that extra 200K towards education, then sure, go ahead and apply to all the dream schools you can come up with.

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You need to identify more targets and likelies.
As a “typical excellent” applicant, you may get into one or more of your reaches but you could just as easily be completely shut out. Happens to lots of academically amazing kids every year.

No you need a HS STEM teacher.

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You are the “average excellent” student

I’m kinda of confused about what that means. Are my EC’s lacking?

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That’s what he is hoping for 35.75. Currently has 35.25….that wouldn’t get round up, would it?

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I’ve already gotten the 35.75

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Then your ACT is 36 as mentioned.