Chance Me!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a junior in high school, I'll be applying for the class of 2014.
Sex, race - White, Male</p>

<p>PSAT - 207</p>

<p>GPA - Should be about a 4.4 when I apply</p>

<p>SAT - Don't know yet!</p>

<p>SAT II - Chemistry: 720, Math II: 750, taking US this year</p>

<p>Class rank - 2 of about 680</p>

<p>AP classes - European History, Statistics, Chemistry, Calculus AB/BC, Psychology, Computer Science A, US History, Environmental Science (Next year I'll also have Government, Economics, and Calculus D, which is not an AP course)
Extras -
- Cofounded a Lacrosse Club that has morphed into a team recognized by both the school and the state
- CSF member for three years, hopefully president next year
- NHS member
- Men's choir president
- 1 year mock trial
- 3 years Youth & Government, received an appointed position on the governor's staff
- 4 years swim team - 2 JV 2 Varsity
- 2nd degree black belt, Taekwondo, 1st degree black belt, Hapkido. Spent about 20 hours volunteering teaching martial arts per week for a couple of years
- 4 years voluteering at YMCA Camp Oakes, serving as a leader in training
- 3 years School Site Council student representative, elected
- 2 years Peer Leaders</p>

<p>Any extra info you need just let me know and I can post it. As of now, the colleges I strongly desire from highest to lowest are as follows:
Yale (ED)
Princeton
Stanford
Dartmouth
UCLA
UC Berkely
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara (Safety)</p>

<p>Oh, and I AM a California resident, as that should impact decisions on the UC schools.</p>

2

<p>Your PSAT seems rather low, for your top choices at least. Your SAT must be higher than a 2070 for any realistic chance. If you can get an SAT in 2200-2400, you MAY be able to get into one out of your top four (I'd say you have a decent chance at Dartmouth). Since I'm an East Coaster, I don't know enough about your other schools to say.</p>

3

<p>Ahh, thank you! Yeah, I'm hoping to have somewhere above 2200 for my final SAT. I'm taking it in June and probably October. Having said that, the PSAT score was no studying and a year before the time of my last SAT, so hopefully a 2200 will come along. Thank you very much! Anyone else?</p>

4

<p>Anyone else? I'm very curious... Also, what types of SATs should I shoot for to have some sort of shot at the upper Ivies?</p>

5

<p>I say you'll get into all of the UC's regardless, but at Yale and the like your SAT can never be high enough. If you score between 1500 and 1600 on Math/CR, your Ivies plus Stanford are not too far off, IMO. Of course, other things come into play such as recs and essays...</p>

6

<p>Thank you for giving me some form of hope. It is actually inspiring.</p>

7

<p>Anyone else wanna chance me/give me tips?</p>

8

<p>Your ECs seem scattered, and unless you excel in them all, that's not a good thing. Perhaps it's just me, but I would argue that applications that tell a story are more likely to be placed in the "accepted pile."</p>

<p>Anyhow, your SAT should be ~2300, as you're from California, a state fraught with highly intelligent kids. In addition, to increase your chances of admission, I would urge you to apply to Dartmouth ED, where the acceptance rate is 30%. </p>

<p>To be honest, I don't think you'll get into Yale, Princeton, Stanford, or Dartmouth RD. Your EC's are not outstanding, and to even be competitive at this level of play, they must be stellar.</p>

9

<p>Dartmouth's ED rate is high (not 30% anymore) because it's the round in which they accept the recruited athletes (17% of class), legacies (10%) and other hooked candidates. They are honest in telling unhooked students applying ED is not an advantage.</p>

10

<p>Okay, so what I gather from this is that the Dartmouth ED isn't much of an advantage over Dartmouth RD? I know the Yale ED dropped from 21% to 16% this year, but Yale also has an 8% or 9% RD. Where do you guys think I should apply ED? Obviously if I could have anything I would go to Yale, but if Dartmouth is going to be significantly more reachable on ED I can do that. Let me know! This is really helpful so far!</p>

11

<p>I would trust hmom5 over me; I know nothing other than the raw statistic. If you want a solid shot at the Ivy League, consider Penn (ED), Columbia (ED), and Cornell (ED). </p>

<p>Then again, it's nothing more than an athletic conference. Choose a college based on fit and specific programs, not the brand.</p>

12

<p>In all honesty, the Ivies are cutthroat. I'm sure you know this considering you're starting up on you're college research, but it really is a vicious environment. Unless you really like that kind of ferocious competition, your UCs are all great schools and serve as great reserves.</p>

13

<p>Yeah, I know those Ivies are pretty tough. And IRJunkie, I’ve looked into the schools, but it doesn’t seem the financial aid would be good enough to send me there. My parents aren’t paying 45-55 a year, and I don’t qualify for any need-based there. That is why Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, and Dartmouth are the only high-tier schools I’m planning on applying to. If anyone knows of other schools high-tier schools that would have comparable financial aid programs, let me know!</p>

14

<p>UPENN may also be an option now. The financial aid is looking better there.</p>

15

<p>Should I do ED at Dartmouth instead?</p>

16

<p>What about awards or contests with your EC’s? And what have you done during the summers?
Then ill give you a chance post :)</p>

17

<p>If you can bring the SAT score above 2300, you may have a shot at Dartmouth ED. Their median score is 2200 which includes the 40% of the class that is hooked.</p>

<p>Penn takes a larger percentage of the class ED and ED is a small boost there. With a 2200 you would have a shot at Penn ED.</p>

<p>To really understand your chances, you need to be looking at 75th percentile SAT scores at your schools. That’s where an unhooked candidate begins to have a real shot without phenomenal EC’s. At Yale and Princeton, those scores are 790 in each section, at Dartmouth 770.</p>