Chance MIT, Caltech, Stanford, Ivies in general

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Currently a junior. Dream schools are MIT, Caltech, Stanford. Other top Ivies would be sweet too. I go to a school that's within the top 100 on USNews' list if that helps.</p>

<p>SAT: 2380 (790 reading, 800 math, 790 writing)
SAT II: Math 2(800), Chemistry(800), Biology(780), US History(???), Physics(???)</p>

<p>My school gives grades for each course in intervals of 0.5 (4.0, 3.5, 3.0...). For AP's (excluding self studied ones), an extra 0.4 is added on.
Weighted GPA: 4.02
Unweighted GPA: 3.91 (only 3.5's were Spanish freshman year and English freshman through junior year)</p>

<p>APs:
Sophomore: European History(5), Biology(5)
Junior: BC Calculus, Physics B, Chemistry, American History (Self studying Microeconomics and Macroeconomics)</p>

<p>Awards (projected):
National Merit, AIME Qualification, National AP Scholar, USACO Semifinalist</p>

<p>Summer Programs:
Johns Hopkins CTY Fast-Paced High School Biology (2010)
Johns Hopkins CTY Genetics (2011)
AwesomeMath Summer Program (2012)
Garcia Summer Research (2013, not definite)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Columbia Science Honors Program
U.S. Chess Federation Class A chess player
Participate in a bunch of math competitions
Science Olympiad
Cross-country/track</p>

<p>Decent amount of volunteering, taking a bunch of courses on edX but I'm not sure if those count for anything. Maybe I can win something next year for the research I do over the summer, who knows. How can I improve myself for these colleges?</p>

2

<p>oh and i’m an asian male, that’s probably pretty important for a chance me</p>

3

<p>As for academic credentials you are on par with admitted students.
For extracurriculars, you seem to be very much a stereotypical asain (sorry, but admission reps see that too) which there are many of. However, your Chess Accomplishments are that unique thing that give you a personality. When you apply make sure these schools see you, your dreams, passions, why you want to go to these schools, what you bring to the table. </p>

<p>Make sure these schools see the real you, not just the AP scholar/USACO semifinalist, and then I believe you can get into an ivy that is the right fit for you.</p>

<p>MIT and CalTech are incredibly difficult to get into, although if you win a National/International science competition you can get in. </p>

<p>Chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1461677-chance-me-will-return-favor-mainly-lacs.html#post15489755[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1461677-chance-me-will-return-favor-mainly-lacs.html#post15489755&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Not much leadership or activities during the school year that seem very important to you. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Seems a bit shaky. Seriously, do you not know that you’re a fine candidate?</p>

6

<p>Yeah I know I’m a fine candidate but I just wanted to get other people’s opinions. Clearly I’m set with grades and the SAT but I’m still lacking (in my opinion) in extracurriculars/awards.</p>

7

<p>Everything seems good but your weighted GPA, which is too low for HYPSMC standards. ECs seem standard. </p>

<p>You have a good shot at lower Ivies such as Brown and Cornell, maybe Penn. Dartmouth and Columbia would be Reaches, but the rest of HYPSMC would be high reaches. </p>

<p>Your application is brilliant, but it’s just another application to these schools (sadly), but with ED, you’re defo in for a lower Ivy.</p>

8

<p>How could my weighted GPA be too low and not my unweighted? Different schools have different systems of weighting. In my school, a 4.1 is basically the highest it gets.</p>

9

<p>A quick question - what do you mean by “stereotypically Asian”? Thanks :-)</p>

10

<p>bump. thanks!</p>

11

<p>Hello. This is an international student applying to the undergraduate class of 2017.
My universities - MIT, Harvard, Yale, Lafayette, Union, WPI, St Johns.
Applying for financial aid/scholarhsips - Yes.</p>

<p>GCE O’level - 10A<em>'s [Pakistan Studies, Islamiyat, Urdu, English, Maths, Additional Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computers, Statistics]
GCE AS’level - 2a’s [Physics, Chemistry]
GCE A’level - 1A</em> [Maths]
Currently taking: GCE A2’level Physics, GCE A2’level Chemistry, GCE A’level Thinking Skills, GCE A’level Further Maths.</p>

<p>Converting these grades to the US GPA scale - 4.0 (as told my a university)</p>

<p>Most rigorous curriculum in my school during both, O and AS/A2 level.</p>

<p>SAT Reasoning Test SUPER SCORE - 2120 [800M, 720W, 600R]
SAT Subject Tests - 2200 [Math1, Math2 (800), Chem]
TOEFL iBT - 113 [29R, 27L, 27S, 30W]</p>

<p>Sports - Cricket, Soccer, Swimming, Water Polo.</p>

<p>Student Govt (5 years, including an year that saw me become the school’s Head Boy), have remained the President/ Vice President of different clubs (English Literary Society, Urdu Literary Society, Debating Club) and also the leader of the school’s band.</p>

<p>HEAVILY involved in Parliamentary debates and Cricket.
Leader of my school’s and ex school’s parliamentary debating team. Several accomplishments at the school and regional levels. Awarded ‘The Best Debater’ by my ex school.
Have remained the captain of several cricket teams (in and out of school). Played several quarter finals, semi finals and finals. Declared a top 5 and a top 10 cricketer on two distinct occasions. Regular player of the sport in my area’s team.</p>

<p>Member of a soccer team at school. Member of a water polo team too, at my city’s Gymkhana. Active swimmer.</p>

<p>Community Service (400 hours)
Paid Work Experience (400 hours)</p>

<p>Teaching Assistant of my Maths teacher at his tuition centre.
Trained students for parliamentary debates at my previous school.</p>

<p>Top rankings in International Kangaroo Maths Competitions, with the best laying in the top 0.48% of some 8500 candidates nationwide. Just won a Maths competition at IBA, Karachi too, where I also led a delegation from my school.</p>

<p>Top 15 O’level results in my school’s network nationwide.
Top AS’level results in my school’s network citywide.</p>

<p>Best Essay Writer, Best Band Player, Best Leader - some of the titles I was awarded with by the school on official certificates.</p>

<p>LOVE reading cricket books - have a small library at home too.
Enjoy collecting foreign curreny - got an album full of awesome notes and coins.</p>

<p>Hook - Designed a computer project to transform the school’s manual record keeping system into a computerized one. My Principal LOVED it, and yes, implemented it too.</p>

<p>I guess that’s all, though, I think, I must have missed out on some little things.
Please chance me for my universities - I would highly appreciate your efforts!
Thank you. :)</p>

12

<p>Does anyone know anything about edX or online courses in general and if they’re worth anything with respect to colleges? I’m a lil bored with school so I’m taking a ton of edX courses to challenge myself and fill up my free time (statistics, chemistry, comp sci, e/m, biology).</p>