Chance me?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>I'm an international student studying at an international school. My circumstance is quite unique (This is my third school, went to US for freshman year, came back for sophomore year, and changed to another school in junior year because I ran out of courses at my old school). All my leadership positions are attained this year since I'm a new student to my current school. </p>

<p>Right now I'm thinking of
1. Doing Yale/Princeton SCEA which are my top choices </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Doing UPenn Wharton ED with UChicago EA (I'm going to a program at UPenn this summer, past participants have nearly 100% success rate at applying early decision wharton/M&T program). </p></li>
<li><p>Doing UChicago and Georgetown EA (which leaves me RD round for applying to my top choices Princeton and Yale). </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Can I have some advice on which option to choose and what is the possibility of me getting in? (Please feel free to suggest less competitive schools if my application is not strong enough). Thank you very much!</p>

<p>SAT 1: Taking it this saturday, according to mock should be around 2250.
SAT 2: Haven't taken it yet (I know one of my biggest mistakes is not to register for all these tests earlier)</p>

<p>GPA: Freshman Year: 93 ish Sophomore year: 3.96 Junior Year my first semester dropped to 3.83 (this school is significantly harder) but second semester is 3.95. (The average GPA for accepted students at Georgetown/UChicago from my current school is 3.76, for Yale it's 3.88, and for Princeton it's 3.91). </p>

<p>APs: Sophomore year: AP Physics B (4), AP World History (5), AP Calculus BC (5 Self-studied), Junior year: AP Physics C (Mechanics & E&M), AP Comparative/US Government, AP English Language, AP Macro/Micro Economics</p>

<p>Senior Courseload: AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Eng Lit, AP Statistics, French, AP Psychology</p>

<p>Awards: AP Scholar, Steinway Piano International Competition Regional Gold, Asian Open Piano Competition Outstanding, some school honors. </p>

<p>Clubs: Forensics (Vice President at my old school, numerous awards), MUN (numerous awards), Math and Science Tutor, Service Club 1 (Senior Director), Service Club 2 (Senior Director), Service Club 3 (Manager for Fundraising), Political Union (Founder & President), Investment Club (President), Staff writer for school newspaper, Piano/Saxophone (12&4 Years), </p>

<p>Summer Activities: UPenn Program this summer, Yale Ivy Scholars last summer.</p>

<p>Volunteering: Volunteer for Virginia Paralympics. Been to Fiji, Cambodia, and Indonesia for short term services (2 weeks ish). </p>

<p>Recommendation: One teacher knows me really well and wrote me my recommendation for a quite competitive summer program (I got in so should be at least decent), the other not sure (I was a top student but not sure if he likes me). </p>

<p>Financial Aid: Not applying
School Type: highly competitive private (around 10 to 15% to ivies each year) (although some are legacies)
Ethnicity: Asian
Hooks: First gen for asians..don't know if that helps.</p>

<p>Any advice is welcome, thanks a lot!!</p>

2

<p>Yale: Reach
Princeton: Reach
U Chicago: Reach (can you write stellar essays?)
Georgetown: Reach
UPenn: Reach</p>

3

<p>Thanks Catria, any ideas on what may be matches or low reach for me?</p>

4

<p>Do you have major(s) in mind? What matches/safeties I could recommend you depends on the intended majors.</p>

5

<p>I intend to do a combined major of politics and economics…thanks in advance!</p>

6

<p>Seems like you’re relying on stats and trends of others from your school and/or miscellaneous programs to speak for you. Sure, your school and these programs might garner a favorable look from the colleges on your list, but there are plenty of other applicants with equally impressive experiences. Lots of leadership in scattershot clubs, prizes for musicianship, solid scores and course choices (need to take those SAT IIs; and really no need to pack in quite so many APs, unless you think you can manage them). Otherwise, who are you? </p>

<p>What seems to make you most unique, and could be your “hook” for essays, is all the moving around and readjusting you’ve had to make. Brief service trips abroad and tony summer programs at Ivies (unless they were by competitive application) will not necessarily wow the way you think they might. </p>

<p>I only say this because students at my D’s high school who won national awards/ titles for various things, who piled on every AP, etc., were mostly denied from first-choice Ivies, et al., while one or two kids who kept their work and volunteer efforts close to home, who were engaging and resourceful and enterprising in addition to being bright, and who–dare I say–might have been considered “lopsided”, got into Ivies and other top schools.</p>

<p>Research best undergrad programs for politics and economics to get an angle on some fine matches/ safeties. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Hello gondalineNJ, thanks for such a detailed response. I do realize that I really don’t have anything special and is just frankly speaking “like any other asian”. It is quite hard to really find a point that differs me from other equally and more impressive applicants. With regard to the programs I mentioned, yes indeed they were by competitive admission with lower than 25% acceptance rate according to them. </p>

<p>Right now I’m really torn between the three options I mentioned for early…should I give it a try for HYP even though I may not be of that caliber? or Should I apply for UPenn ED just because it gives me an advantage although it’s not really my first choice…or should I EA UChicago/Georgetown, hopefully gain acceptance from one of them in december, and try HYPS in RD round? I’m really lost…thanks again!</p>