Chance me? :)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Intended Major: Computer Science
Intended Minor: Physics/Applied Math</p>

<p>Gender: Male
Location (State): New York
Income: 11k
Hooks: First-Generation Student, low income</p>

<p>GPA: 96.9 UW / 100.0 W:
8th grade - 3 credits, 96.3 UW / 99.5 W
9th grade - 7.5 credits, 95.8 UW / 99.1 W
10th grade - 7.5 credits, 96.8 UW / 98.6 W
11th grade - 7 credits, 98.4 W / 102.6 W
All honors/accelerated/AP courses with electives. I've gotten 90+ in every one of my classes except for AP European History, which I got an 89 in.</p>

<p>Class Rank: about 10-15 out of ~450 students</p>

<p>SAT (took once): 2270 - 670 CR, 800 Math, 800 Writing (retaking)
ACT (took once): 33 Composite - 35 English, 36 Math, 30 Reading, 32 Science (retaking)
Subject Tests (one sitting, no retakes): 800 Physics, 790 Math 2, 760 U.S. History</p>

<p>AP courses:
Sophomore - European History (4)
Junior - U.S. History (5), Physics B (5)
Senior - Chemistry, Psychology, Computer Science A (self-study), Calculus BC, Physics C Mech, Physics C E&M
School offers 15 AP courses starting next year, offered 13 before then. Only a few students in my school take more than 5 APs in total.</p>

<p>ECs:
Acceptance Coalition for LGBTQ youth. Recited a speech about my personal experiences with LGBTQ discrimination. Passionate about human rights. (Potential essay?)
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) - Vice President and Secretary.
Editor and Writer for the School Newspaper
Helped design and/or maintain websites for Acceptance Coalition, SADD, and the School Newspaper
I tutored a Latin student on a weekly basis throughout my Junior year at the local junior high school
Misc: Key Club, Math League, Peer Tutoring, Student Council, National Honor Society, Junior National Honor Society
Will be joining Science Olympiad next year, as well as Computer Programming Club (will hold leadership position)</p>

<p>Other stuff:
Helped people design/maintain websites and layouts for MySpace. Had my own running MySpace and website layout site for ~4 years. Taught myself HTML and CSS this way and grew to love computers. (Potential essay?)
I don't know if this is important, but I became top ranked in the Western Hemisphere at Mario Kart DS. It's very important to me and it shaped me as a person to play the game and grow on the website forums. (Potential essay, but maybe too immature)</p>

<p>Awards - Highest Latin Average, 2 Media Art awards, National Merit Commended Student (208 on PSAT)</p>

<p>Volunteer (probably unimportant):
Frequently tutor classmates and younger students in various subjects
Participated in a few fundraising activities for the girls' crew team
Waited on tables at a few dinners for Student Council</p>

<p>Intended Teacher Recs: 11th grade AP Physics B teacher (can describe my enthusiasm and passion for learning); 11th grade AP U.S. History teacher (can describe the maturity/professionalism change I experienced throughout the year), Guidance Counselor (somewhat generic)</p>

<p>I'm looking at Cornell (first choice), Carnegie Mellon (second choice), Princeton, MIT, Yale, UChicago, Northwestern, UMichigan, Boston University, Boston College, SUNY Geneseo, and SUNY Stony Brook. Any suggestions for other colleges would be appreciated too :)</p>

<p>I'll chance back for any person who wants my advice.</p>

2

<p>Outside shot at the Ivies (you’ll make one or two, definitely), likely at Chicago and Northwestern, and I would say everything else is just about very likely. :).</p>

3

<p>Thanks! Anyone else? Also, any suggestions on how to improve my app?</p>

<p>If it helps, I got a 12 on the SAT essay, a 10 on the ACT essay, I have 50-60 hours of community/volunteer service (will be much higher before I apply), and I may become a paid tutor soon.</p>

<p>Also, financial aid is very important.</p>

4

<p>Apply Cornell ED and you have SOLID shot. I think LGBT is a hook…good essay topic maybe. Talk about your experiences and how they shaped you. But otherwise, you have unique array of activities and solid academics to go with it. You’re also good for CMU, though CS might be tougher. MIT, Yale, Princeton are tougher, but your ECs and hooks may give you a boost.</p>

5

<p>I think you stand a great chance of getting into any of the universities that you have listed, except the Ivies because they a crap shoots. Your ACT/ SAT scores are great. Your GPA is great, and your ECs show a lot of determination and interest. By the way, superb SAT II scores. I wish you the best of luck.</p>

6

<p>I agree with the above. You stand a great chance at all of the colleges up to MIT, Princeton, and Yale. You stand a good chance with the top schools but you’re also at the mercy of fate like the rest of us. The LGBT & low-income student & first-gen student are all in your favor. I would discourage you from mentioning the video game thing, but other than that all your potential essays look good. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>I agree as well, being LGBTQ really helps, it’s a good hook. Also, everything else looks good. I’d say you’d get into Cornell ED too. I don’t think you’d make it into Princeton, MIT or Yale. But you have a great shot at everything else.</p>

8

<p>(for reference) I’m looking at Cornell (first choice), Carnegie Mellon (second choice), Princeton, MIT, Yale, UChicago, Northwestern, UMichigan, Boston University, Boston College, SUNY Geneseo, and SUNY Stony Brook. Any suggestions for other colleges would be appreciated too </p>

<p>Really nice stuff! I would say you have a medium-high chance for cornell and carnegie. you have an outside chance for the ivies and you should secure admission for the Bostons and the SUNY’s</p>

<p>chance me :slight_smile: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1178445-ill-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1178445-ill-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>You have a very good shot at Cornell my friend, very good shot. A friend of mine got into Cornell and she wasn’t half the student you were (90.2 GPA) and beside being our student body VP, had barely any extra curricular activities.</p>