<p>Location: Denver, CO
High School Type: Public large, sends some kids to top colleges</p>
<p>GPA - Unweighted: 3.93
GPA - Weighted: 4.5</p>
<p>Class Rank: Top 2% out of 1000</p>
<p>Scores: SAT taken today... practice tests indicated roughly 2100</p>
<p>Extracurriculars: Chess- played for 11 years, 3-time National Champion, 6-time State Champion, experienced teacher, have done community service teaching chess, started the schools club and pioneered a team that won state</p>
<p>Debate-- Captain, won several local tournaments, qualified to state, invested a lot of time in this</p>
<p>You're in the top 2% of a class of 1000, which means you're top 20. You say you're school sends some kids to top schools, I seriously doubt more than 10, and those are probably right around top 1%. Judging by your school alone, it doesn't look too good. But its never about the other kids, its about you. Your SATs disadvantage you significantly--they're supposed to help to show your academic potential, as a reference for your grades. Subjectively, only your commitment to chess stands out, and if you do get in, that may indeed be a good part of the reason why. I don't think you will get in, but that's not to say its impossible. If you truly are Stanford caliber, you will shine through your recs and essays.</p>
<p>yeah, i don't know if your chances are that great. you're great at chess, but i know that alone won't get you in. a lot of people who apply will be national champions in something, and i recall a few getting rejected in SCEA. and couple that with the fact that your scores are on the low end for Stanford... i dunno. </p>
<p>i would recommend that you really focus on your "intellectual vitality" and passion throughout your application, if you haven't submitted it yet. </p>
<p>What's SCEA? I want to show admissions officers that I've harbored a great passion for chess-- I've held a steady coaching job for 5 years, I do community service with it, and I started and coached the team at my school that won state. Chess has had a big impact on my life--and my competition accomplishments kinda speak for themselves. I'm hoping this will take attention away from my SAT scores-- I'm retaking them, and just want 700+ in each category. My grades are good too, I hope. My school is very competitive. I hope debate (4 yrs, maybe captain) can bolster my "intellectual vitality" as you mentioned.</p>
<p>thanks Oprah, but I didn't shed a tear over it, hopefully you didn't either :)</p>
<p>Gimmestanford-------You say you're school sends some kids to top schools, I seriously doubt more than 10, and those are probably right around top 1%.</p>
<p>Don't make assumptions like that. My school sends many people to top schools every year. Many = 25+
last year was 15 to stanford alone, 3 harvard, 3 yale, 1 princeton, 3 cornell, 3 Duke, and the numbers that went to Columbia, Brown, Darmouth, UPenn, Chicago, WashU, I forget, but it was over 1 each.</p>
<p>Now that being said: work on SAT scores. You should have NOTHING under 700. Win some state/national awards.</p>
<p>What makes being in the top 20 out of 1000 any different than 2 out of 100? 2 percent is 2 percent. The SAT is fine, you can't change it so don't worry about it, you broke the 2000 mark. You could be a bit more well-rounded but you never know. If you don't get into Stanford, then you'll definitely get into another great school. GimmeStanf is already at Stanford so he can be as brutal as he wants.</p>
<p>i had a may SAT of 2030, and i went to stanford for a visit, and the adcom who was really nice said that even though everything else in my app is literally perfect, i should at LEAST break 2100.
thought you should know.</p>