Chance: Stanford, Princeton, Dartmouth

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<ol>
<li>GPA W/UW: 4.8/4.0</li>
<li>SAT Score Breakdown: Crit Reading- 730, Math- 730, Writing- 750; Total score: 2210 </li>
<li>Perfect A record with (when this year completed) 10 total APs (will have taken 11 tests total) and 2 HPs are: AP European History, AP English Language, AP US History, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP French Language and Culture (2011) and AP French (2012), AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Government, AP Biology, AP English Literature, Honors Chemistry, Honors French 4</li>
<li>Scores on APs are AP Euro = 5, AP Eng Lang = 5, APUSH = 5, AP Calc AB = 5, AP Physics: Mechanics = 4, AP Physics: Magnetism = 4, AP French (2011) = 3
5.Taken the max amount of APs available to fit into a schedule in my school junior and senior year: 5 junior and 5 senior</li>
<li>Rank 1 in class size of 469</li>
<li>National Merit Commended Scholar</li>
<li>SATII's: Math II: 730; US History: 780</li>
<li>AP Scholar (10+ APs or something when im done)</li>
</ol>

<p>EC's
1. Piano lessons for 10 years
2. Harpist (3 years)- hope to continue playing in college if possible
3. Participated in school club called Roots and Shoots (environmental / community based organization) (3 years)
4. Participated in UNICEF Club (2 years)
5. Member of CSF (2 years)
6. President and founder of Think Tank (Current Events / Discussion Club)
7. President of our school's CSF (California Scholarship Federation)
8. Tutoring (3 years)</p>

<p>Recommendation Letters
1. I think they will be emphasizing my routine participation in class as well as my openness to class debate and discussion.</p>

<p>Background info (if anything applies):
1. Ethnicity: Asian/White
2. Gender: Male
3. Live in the Bay Area in California
4. Socio-economic status: Upper class (low-mid)
5. Dad graduated from Cal State LA
6. Mom graduated from Stanford, graduate of UCLA law school
7. 4 other siblings; am valedictorian with my twin sister</p>

<p>Questions I also have if you could try to answer:</p>

<ol>
<li>Some say to not put Asian on a college application if possible. Since I am biracial, should i put both races if it is allowed, or just Asian or just White?</li>
<li>Can someone in the upper class get financial aid from one of these institutions? It's not that my family is poor, it is just really expensive with both my sister and I going to college at the same time.</li>
<li>Just wondering, is being a twin valedictorian something unique that I should talk about? xD</li>
</ol>

2

<p>Wow! Your ECS and GPA are impecable for the most part. I think you will get int.</p>

3

<p>Your GPA is really great, but I disagree with cat900 on your ECs. They are good, but not amazing (as in they don’t really show that you’ve been dedicated and gotten far in them…did you win any awards in piano? or anything else? Done anything else for more than 3 years?) The stanford legacy will definitely help for stanford haha. Your SAT score isn’t on the high end either, so you have a shot at all of them…but still definitely reaches. </p>

<p>1)Being Asian does not help…but if you can’t check off more that one (I feel like you could?) it’s your call. Talk to your counselor if you’re unsure on what to do.
2) Define upper class? I know people who make ~$120k still get financial aid…idk about any more than that.
3) Yes, it would be cool to talk about depending on how you go about it. But on the flip side, think about it…now two people have the same GPA and you’re not the only valedictorian (not that they wouldn’t have known, but still)…idk if that matters when they look at it…but…idk how to phrase what I want to say…but do you get what I mean? XDDD</p>

4

<p>For the race question, if you’re last name is obviously asian, I’d put biracial. If it’s white, it would be optimal to put white. In terms of aid, the FAFSA considers other sibling’s college expense to calculate how much your family can contribute to your education. In terms of twin valedictorian, where would you talk about it? Your common app essay for these schools should focus on yourself, of course you can mention your twin though. What type of schools/how many students typically get into top universities such as the ones you listed from your school?</p>

<p>Academics are okay, obviously gpa/class rank is good but SAT is not “strong.” And also, I’m unsure of the quality of your school (in terms of the number of kids who get into top schools from your school) which could downplay the fact that you’re a val (ivies reject a majority of vals). ECs I would say are on the weaker side. I mean you have the leadership as demonstrated by club presidencies, but it seems like you haven’t done much outside of school or win any awards, or show a unique ability/passion in a given area, or initiative. Without hooks, Princeton and Dartmouth still seem to be “reaches.” Stanford, w/ legacy, might be favorable for you. Just curious, are you applying to the same schools as your sister?</p>

5

<p>only on Stanford and Dartmouth</p>

<p>and out of the top twenty in my school, around 15+ go to UC Berkeley and maybe 1 goes to an Ivy every 2 years? And usually on sports or something</p>

6

<p>Given the ivy statistics from your school, Dartmouth/Princeton still look like reaches.</p>