Chance my son please.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>My son has applied to Stanford (REA) and yes, we will know soon enough what this dream school of his thinks about him. However, being an impatient person (generally and totally!), I've finally decided to write a post here asking your opinion about his chances (I'm concerned his low performance at standardized testing vs. his CONSISTENTLY high marks at school AND ongoing IT work experience), so here goes:</p>

<p>Major: Computer Science
Ethnicity: White
US Green Card holder, citizen of the Republic of Georgia
Residency: Maryland</p>

<p>GPA: 3.94 unweighted (4.67 weighted)
10 AP classes total (including the senior year)
Community Service hours done: 310 (to graduate from HS in MD, you need to do 75)</p>

<p>SAT: 2070
ACT Composite: 33</p>

<p>SAT Subject Tests:
Math Level 2: 710 (took in 9th grade!)
US History: 750
US Physics: taking on 12/05/13</p>

<p>AP Tests:
Passed 8 AP exams so far with six 5s and two 4s (AP NSL (4), AP US History (4), AP Computer Science (5), AP Language (5), AP Calculus BC (5), AP World History (5), AP Statistics (5), AP Physics AB (5)).
Will take two more in the Spring 2014</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
• President of the Computer Science Club at his HS
• Robotics Club member at his HS
• National Honor Society
• Science National Honor Society
• National Forensic League, National High School and Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society
• National AP Scholar</p>

<p>PARTICIPATION
• Carnegie Mellon picoCTF computer security competition 2013
• Annual Programming Competition at Montgomery College 2013
• Maryland Cyber Challenge & Competition (MDC3) 2012
• Botball Maryland Regional Tournament 2012</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Summer 2012 - Lifeguard at local pool
Summer 2013 - Web Developer at a private company in MD
Since Sep 2013 - Web Developer internship throughout the Senior year</p>

<p>Your thoughts are welcome and appreciated!</p>

<p>Thanks in advance,</p>

<p>Lela</p>

2

<p>Depends on his race, but if he’s not a URM (african american, hispanic, or native american) then it’d be low based b/c of his sat score. Great GPA and ECs though</p>

3

<p>Ignore this blog. Your first answer says depend on his race yet you clearly state white. This is such a bad place to ask chance type questions from uninformed bitter people.</p>

4

<p>Bank on it. By which I mean better shot than most. Test scores are fine for Stanford- really the scores are just meant as a standardized way to validate grades, which his do. </p>

<p>If he doesn’t get in, it’s because he didn’t have diverse enough extracurricular interests. Sounds more like a Carnegie Mellon type over Stanford, but your son is exactly the kind of student Stanford wants to admit (east coast, but not likely to be admitted to the top ivies).</p>

5

<p>"(east coast, but not likely to be admitted to the top ivies)"</p>

<p>They are turning down 19 out of 20 kids and this is the criterion they will use to admit that one kid - he won’t be admitted to a top Ivy?</p>

6

<p>Haha I was exaggerating. But three things cannot be denied:

  1. Stanford is looking to expand its presence on the East Coast (hello, failed NYC campus bid).<br>
  2. Other things equal, Stanford would rather admit the kid who knows he’s going here. It bumps up their yield, and they prefer a high yield.
  3. It is important to stand out. OP’s son, with interest in computer science from non-tech worshiping east coast, stands out. </p>

<p>This kid oozes potential already. That gets him in the discussion. After that point it gets subjective, and those three factors can free the last pin in the lock.</p>

7

<p>Thanks a lot to all for chiming in. I am keeping my fingers crossed for him - perhaps he will indeed get into Stanford!</p>

8

<p>Leiko, you should read this recent article about admissions in Stanford’s Alumni magazine:
Its depressing but realistic. </p>

<p>November/December 2013
What It Takes</p>

<p>“How does Stanford’s undergraduate admissions staff decide who gets accepted? Short answer: It’s complicated.”</p>

<p>[Stanford</a> Magazine - Article](<a href=“Stanford Magazine - Article”>Stanford Magazine - Article)</p>

9

<p>Oh trust me I’ve read this :)</p>

<p>Odds are few, I know. But then again, I am used to the odds being small. The mere facts than I am US citizen, speak English fluently, live in US and my son applied to Stanford can already be considered miracle and I would laugh at you if you predicted my future 25 years ago this way. So I still hold my fingers crossed for Stanford :)</p>

10

<p>I have my fingers crossed for you, too. Good luck. :)</p>