<p>So I think I have a good chance for all schools up to no.11, dartmouth, so HYPSM are all very questionable. Some suggestion on what I could do more would be awesome:</p>
<p>Male
Indian
Junior
ACT: 30 (I know I know.. I'm aiming for a 32 next time)
-Math: 30
-Reading: 30
-English: 33
-Science: 27 (meh...)
GPA (UW): 3.9
Courses: Only APs @ my school are in eng and hist. I switch from IB to AP school (moved across country)
11th grade:
-AP Eng 11th
-AP Eur. Hist
-Chemistry (not honors :(.. )
-Trig (not honors..)
-Spanish 3 Honors (yayy)
-Band
-From 9-10th I took highest course rigor
-Because my schedule got messed up in my new school I'm taking lower rigor courses, but making up for it senior year:
-During summer taking Calc 1 @ college (so its like AP I guess..)
Senior Year
-Calc 2 1st semester Calc 3 2nd
-Orgo (hnrs.)
-Physics (hnrs.)
-AP Eng 12
-Gov. and Econ.
-AP Music Theory
-AP Computer Science
ECs:
-play guitar - taught myself bass, piano, drums, and saxophone</p>
<p>-Have numerous music awards ranging from district to national level
-At my new high school, I started the jazz band, we now play at school concerts and gatherings
-Helped organize Make A Wish benefit concerts at old high school, grossed over $5000
-Volunteer at hospital (aiming for 300+hrs)
-Am writing pieces for the concert band @ my new school
- I've been making footpedals and effect for guitar and am now working on a patent (I'm hoping that that will make me more competitve)
- I'm teaching myself how to program so I can write a music (kind of) related program and put it online and on the app store. </p>
<p>The biggest thing I'm worried about is that I don't stand out enough and my act score is low; if you all could tell me my chances now and with something like a 32 act that woukd be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for all of the replies!</p>
<p>I think that every school in the US News top 25 is a reach for you at this point.
If you get a 32, then a few of them like Berkeley, UCLA, USC won’t be reaches, but the rest still will be.</p>
<p>Anything i could do to get into ones like Northwestern, WashU, Cornell?</p>
<p>Just get the ACT score up. Once you’re in the 32, 33 range then you are on the level of many of the applicants. 30 stands out… in not such a good way. Once you get that up you are on the right track.</p>
<p>Chance me? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1324466-my-gpa-too-low-these-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1324466-my-gpa-too-low-these-schools.html</a></p>
<p>Agreed…
with a 32/33, those schools will be low reaches…</p>
<p>Cornell ED with a 33 and your music background would be a high match, depending on the selectivity of next year’s admissions there…</p>
<p>I thought Rice ED was a high match for me this year, but their ED acceptance rate went from 30 to 24… so you just never know</p>
<p>What about regular decision with a new act score? Anything more I can do regarding extra curriculars? Are HYPSM low reaches as well or high reaches for anybody? I’m just full of questions…</p>
<p>Another question- does being from a really small (in population) state help? In my school there are usually at least a couple of kids (who aside from good gpa and act are relatively normal as far as ecs goes) who get into upenn, stanford, columbia etc.</p>
<p>HYPSM are currently out of reach as is Dartmouth, and would remain so with a 32. A match would be NYU level.</p>
<p>So Northwestern would be high reach?</p>
<p>With a 32, a reach.</p>
<p>HYPSM wouldn’t be even in reach at a 32/33…
Dartmouth would be a very high reach</p>
<p>But like said above, Cornell, WashU, and NW would all be mid-level reaches with those scores</p>
<p>maybe you should try the SAT! I know some people do better on one test than they do on the other.</p>
<p>I agree HYPSM seems very unlikely for you and Cornell, WashU, and NU seem pretty unlikely unless you get your test scores up to 34+ (yes 34+. 32-33 will be harder especially since you are indian). But you seem to have some pretty damming achievements in music, so depending on how good they really are and how much you impress the music departments, you may find yourself accepted to at least one Top 10 school.</p>
<p>Again, will being from an underpopulated state help? My brother got into WashU with only a 28 act and IB courseload only 2 years ago. He applied regular decision too.
With regards to the music thing, do you think that my best top 10 chance would be at stanford? They have a research center, the CCRMA, that focuses exactly on what I want to do and have done: combining music with science and research. If I can relate to their school and show that I can be a useful student in my application, will I have a chance?
In the mean time I guess I’ll try to get a 32/2100.</p>
<p>So for selective schools, does being in the range for test scores only signify reach? I think some of my preconcieved notions of being in good standing for places like NU/Cornell/Brown sprouted from me seeing the average ACT as 30-34. I guess that for one to be a low reach/high match (not for top 10) one would need to be on the higher range of the scores.</p>
<p>The kids in the lower end of that ACT spectrum are URMs, hooked students, and recruited athletes. For a top school to NOT be a reach, you have to basically be in the top 75% of their accepted score range, 1-2 in your class, with impressive achievements, great essays, and an overall outstanding application.</p>
<p>Almost everyone who applies to NU, Cornell, Brown has ACT scores either in or near that range.
Many even have scores 34+ and still get rejected…</p>
<p>And your best chance will CERTAINLY not be at Stanford… lol
Stanford is one of the most selective because they get flooded with SOO many applications. Your best bet will be at a NU/Cornell type school…</p>
<p>And about your brother, WUSTL is getting exponentially more selective every year, just like everywhere else.
Acceptance rates are dropping across the board…</p>
<p>Yeah I was asking about 12+ ranked schools not stanford haha. So I guess getting 32+ is another priority ok my list. Anyone know if legacy will work with parents who went to grad school of the institution, specifically Northwestern?</p>
<p>*on my list
thanks for all of the replies!</p>
<p>jimi, I also saw your post in the music thread. Your stats are interesting, but not amazing for HYP type schools only because they are so selective even if you could get your ACT up a few points. You should just consider any of those in the top 20 reaches. Pick one or two that you really like and apply, but set your sights on more reasonable matches (NYU, Boston U, Maybe Cornell, U. of Rochester, Oberlin, etc.).</p>
<p>Also, don’t count up volunteer hours … that’s lame for highly selective schools. They want to know what you did, and they want to read between the lines to know in some way that mommy or daddy weren’t behind the scenes clearing the path for you to put stuff on your resume. This includes your foot pedal patent … do it because it makes sense, not because it will look good on your application.</p>
<p>You are bright and your stats are great by most measures … look inside yourself more closely and figure out the root of what motivates you. Follow that and the college application process will become more clear because everything you do will connect up to that core passion.</p>