Chance me?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>My last thread died so here's my second attempt at a chance thread. Thanks!</p>

<p>Colleges looking at: Cal Tech, Cornell, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Northwestern, Stanford, Rice, WashU, UCB, UCSD, UCLA and UCD. (I need to narrow my list down, help?)</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Asian (Chinese)
Gender: F
School: Competitive public school in CA. Sends many students to top schools
Rank: Top 4%
GPA (UW): 3.97
GPA (W): 4.24 (4.37 if I get all As for first semester Senior)</p>

<p>Courses
Freshman (school doesn't offer honors for frosh): Literature/Writing, Geometry Enriched, Biology, Spanish 1, Electronics, Drama, PE 9
Sophomore: World Lit, World History, Algebra II/Trig, Chemistry H., Spanish 2, Oral Composition, PE Dance.
Junior: American Lit/Writ H., US History, Pre-Calculus H., AP Biology, Physics H., Spanish 3, Lab Assistant
Senior: AP Lit, AP Econ, AP Gov, AP Calc BC, AP Chem, AP Physics, Spanish 4 H.
College courses taken: Psychology, Statistics, Music, maybe also a marine bio /physio class later</p>

<p>SAT: 2350 (770 CR, 800 M, 780 W) This is from two tests. Best single sitting:2290
SAT II: 800 Biology E, 800 Chinese, 800 Math IIC (Will Also take Chem and Physics)
APs: Bio, Chinese, Stats, Psych, English Language (all 5s) I will also take Gov, Chem, Econ, Lit, Physics by end of senior year.</p>

<p>ECs
Biology Club-Co-president
MUN Club-Co-founder
Speech and Debate Team-Member
California Scholarship Federation-Life Member
Octagon Club-Member
Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra-Second Chair (May be section leader next year)
Pipa Player-6 years
Work at Veterans Hospital-Volunteer/Research
International School of the Pennisula-Work</p>

<p>Awards/Recognitions
National Finalist-USA Biology Olympiad
Program Recognition-National Merit Scholarship (Probably be finalist/semifinalist)
Wondercup Semifinalist
AP Scholar with Distinction
Top 4%-UC Recognition-State
National Society for High School Scholars (Is this even valid?)</p>

<p>Volunteer: around 250-300 hours from Octagon, CSF, and Veteran's hospital</p>

<p>Recs: Projected to be pretty good. My bio teacher knows how much I adore bio and how much effort I put into it and my history teacher wrote in my year book that I'm a strong young woman and asked why couldn't all her students be like me.</p>

<p>Essays: Projected to be good. Thinking about writing my USABO experience, the first time I fell in love with bio (visit to an aquarium), or my first airplane trip alone when I was labled a security risk, lost my wallet, AND missed a plane but a nice lady helped me and gave me 10 dollars for lunch. (which one do you think I should write about?)</p>

<p>Other things: I plan to organize a fundraiser to raise money for either orphanages or research institutes and also start a tutoring program. (Any advice for this?) I may also write for a science magazine newly formed at our school next year as well as find the Science Bowl team/club. Perhaps also enter the Intel/Siemen's competition.</p>

<p>Thanks so much! I know I wrote a lot of stuff >_>"</p>

2

<p>I'm not going to be of too much help, but:</p>

<p>1) About narrowing down your schools: if the CA schools you mentioned are mostly safeties, or if you don't really want to stay in-state, you could probably take 2-3 off of that list.</p>

<p>2) About the essay topics you mentioned: I'd go with the second one, probably. Although the 3rd could be potentially good and unique as long as it's not just retelling a story, but rather showing how that event changed you in some way.</p>

<p>Hope I helped :]</p>

3

<p>alright, thanks. I'll keep your advice in mind.</p>

4

<ol>
<li><p>Since you are in state, and since you have the academic stats that you have, UCB and UCLA will be safeties/matches for you. I'd recommend taking off UCD and UCSD because you WILL get into some of the other colleges on your list, and I'm assuming you only added these as safeties. Are you going Pre-Med? If not, take off Johns Hopkins. Are you going some sort of engineering/science/math major? If not, take off MIT/Caltech. (But I'm assuming you are seeing how much you adore Biology).</p></li>
<li><p>I think that all the essay topics you included are good/can be worked with. The first one is good because you obviously love Biology and I can see you really expressing that well here. The second one can show your skills as a writer and creativity as you describe the Aquarium/why it started your love for Bio. The third one can show how that event changed you as the above poster said. But w/e, it's your essays so you should do what you feel is best. </p></li>
<li><p>Why exactly do you want to raise money/start a tutoring program? If it's for college I wouldn't recommend it because it really just looks like ECs you put in to impress adcoms. </p></li>
<li><p>Writing for the Science mag/starting the Science Bowl team are better ECs for you because they focus on your love for Science/Bio. Just realize what you're getting yourself into considering your class load and previous engagements.</p></li>
<li><p>Siemens/Intel projects are usually 2-4 year massive projects that take a lot more thought. If you really want to do it go ahead but I really don't see you succeeding in something like this just because all the other applicants would have been preparing for it for so much longer than you. Once again, do what you want, it's your life.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Good rank, good gpa, terrific test scores, solid/good ECs (thanks to USABO Finalist)</p>

<p>Cal Tech - Low Reach (Female)
Cornell - Low Reach
Duke - Low Reach
Harvard - Reach/Reject
Johns Hopkins - Accepted/High Match
MIT - Low Reach (Female)
Northwestern - Accepted/High Match
Stanford - Reach/Reject
Rice - Accepted/Match
WashU - Accepted/High Match
UCB - Accepted/Match
UCSD - Accepted/Safety (Honors + Money)
UCLA - Accepted/Match
UCD - Accepted/Safety (Honors + Money)</p>

<p>gl in college =]</p>

5

<p>Thanks for all the advice. The fundraising/tutoring thing is something my friends and I thought of after seeing the impoverished conditions in the orphanages in China (we're all Chinese so we tend to look at these type of things). And we need something more to do over the summer. I'm probably not going to do the Siemens/Intel competition because of time constraints and I realize that many participants have spent much more time and effort on their project and they probably deserve it more than me. Thanks again!</p>

6

<p>How hard was it to get USABO Finalist? I'm thinking of doing that this year.</p>

7

<p>Well, it came as a big surprise to me since I didn't prepare for it specifically at all. I mainly read the bio textbooks for fun XD. It really depends I guess. But if you PM me, I may be able to give you a few more tips.</p>

8

<p>thanks for chancing me!!</p>

<p>omg your stats are definitely more amazing than mine! SAT and SATII scores are amazing, rigorous course load, and great ec's, especially relating to science! Biology Olympiad looks really good (i wish i could've done that, but my school only does it for physics lol). Volunteer hours show your great passion for both medicine and philanthropic efforts, and if you start the fundraisers/programs, then you are most definitely a strong candidate for all your prospective schools!</p>

<p>i think all of the uc's are safeties. </p>

<p>Cal Tech - high match
Cornell - low reach
Duke - low reach
Harvard - high reach (unpredictable)
Johns Hopkins - low match
MIT - low reach
Northwestern - match
Stanford - match
Rice - match
WashU - match</p>

9

<p>dude... your gpa/sat/ap are all great... great academics
which means UCs are great match cause they are academically driven</p>

<p>as for the HYPS...
it all boils down to how good your recs/essays are to make you stand out. of course you are great already... with those e/cs but like you said to me... (but youre better) work hard on those essays and recs... you'll look good</p>

10

<p>Thanks! I'll be sure to work extra hard on the essays!</p>

11

<p>UCB - Safe Match
UCLA - Safe Match
UCSD - Safety
UCD - Safety</p>

<p>Sorry, but I haven't done any research at the other schools so I don't want to give you false info. I'd take off UCB, UCLA, UCD because it seems like UCSD has the better Bio program and you're almost certain to get in there.</p>

12

<p>I think entering Siemens or Intel would be the best thing you can do right now in terms of ECs/Awards.</p>

<p>The USABO is probably really important (i wouldn't know, but national finalist seems pretty sweet). And definitely stick to science in ur essays to showcase that.</p>

<p>I would say you should get into at least one of your top choices, if not more.
Your academics are off the hook. You've probably only gotten one B in your entire high school career.</p>

13

<p>Yeah I got a B in spanish second semester this year....it made me sad T.T</p>

14

<p>omg...i started a bio club too!!!
but, isn't it too late to start a fundraiser in the midst of college apps.
i would say your have chances everywhere, just apply and see!</p>

15

<p>Do you think it's too late? I think I'll have the energy for it but if you mean it won't help me in terms of application, I still want to do it...just for the experience and feeling I get from it.</p>

16

<p>Just so you know, go ahead with the fundraiser. You will NOT be "tired out" from the application process. First off, YOU should be entering the process knowing that you will be definitely admitted to a top 15 school. The only question is if you'll be going to HYPS (or, actually, which among those you will be attending). </p>

<p>Go ahead with the fundraiser. Plus, even if that doesn't work out in time for EA, then you can still pop it in the RD apps or include it as a killer update in late February/early March if you haven't received a likely.</p>

17

<p>Alright, thanks!</p>