<p>I'm an African-American male, Sudanese by ethnicity and American by birth, who currently goes to a British school in Bahrain (tiny Middle Eastern country). I'm applying as a resident of the US and I was curious what my chances were. Here are my stats:
SAT: 2330
[ul]
[<em>]Math: 800
[</em>]Critical Reading: 770
[li]Writing: 740 (didn't finish the essay >.<)[/ul]</p>[/li]
<p>I may resit this and try to get higher.</p>
<p>GCSEs: 7A<em>'s, 2A's, 2B's
**
IB Predictions: 42 points**
[ul]
[</em>]Math HL: 7
[<em>]English HL: 6
[</em>]Chemistry HL: 7
[<em>]Physics SL: 7
[</em>]French SL: 6
[<em>]Economics SL: 6
[/ul] Languages spoken:
[ul]
[</em>]English (in school and at home, most fluently)
[<em>]Arabic (at home, fluently)
[</em>]French (in school, semi-fluently)
[/ul] ECs Leadership
[ul]
[<em>]Treasurer and Deputy Head Boy [Junior - (future) Senior]
[li]Prefect [Sophomore][/li][li]Student Council Representative [Sophomore][/li][/ul] Public Speaking
[ul]
[</em>]Senior Debate Team member (basically the coordinator's right-hand man) [Junior - (future) Senior]
[<em>]Future participant in British Schools of the Middle East Debating Tournament [Senior]
Co-winner of my year's public speaking competition [Sophomore]
[li]Tradequest Team Member (stock market competition; team received various honorable mentions) [Junior][/li][/ul] Community Service
[ul]
[</em>]Volunteer at Al-Wafa Center (local, Arabic-only center for mentally disabled children) [Junior]
[li]Weekly one-on-one mentoring program with 6th graders at my school (initiated by me but run by Learning Support) [Junior][/li][/ul]</p>
<p></p>
<p>I know it's lacking in sports (I'm hoping to get on the basketball team next year) and I know a lot is concentrated in Junior and Senior year; I really only had an awakening this year - I used to coast and be really lazy, but I've buckled down this year.</p>
<p>I'm hoping to get into the Ivies, MIT, CMU, Georgia Tech, etc., but I'm open to any suggestions too. I'm still a bit lost. I'm undecided on my major.</p>
<p>don’t retake your SAT; a 1570/2310 is fine by every school’s standard. you seem pretty good with languages, public speaking, and student government - what do you think about real government?</p>
<p>I wish there was a major (besides liberal arts) that let me be everything. I’m one of those people who just loves learning new things - I would hate limiting myself to a major. But there’s also the issue of practicality…</p>
<p>Government? I don’t know, I always felt like I’d be limited to a single country if I did that. Plus, government means I will always work for someone. I eventually want to be completely independent. I have this dream of being rich and then doing little jobs whenever I feel like, so I could learn, without the pressure of income. Like I could be a garbageman or a waiter for a couple of months, or go corporate for a while.</p>
<p>I’m going to retake the SAT for kicks - I want to see whether I can get a 2400. But I do know I am reasonably secure with a 2330.</p>
<p>You have eh chances at the schools you listed. SAT score is plenty fine. Don’t retake.
I don’t know anything about GSCEs and I don’t know much about IB, but I think that not taking 4 HL IBs hurts you a lot. For competitive schools you need the most challenging curriculum possible and if you have the chance at taking another HL and you didn’t, then it definitely hurts you more than helps. Also, what’s your GPA? It will be a major factor in admissions. </p>
<p>As for ECs, languages spoken isn’t that relevent unless you are going to need them for a major or have a passion for languages (which doesn’t seem to be true considering you took an extra science IB rather than another language and your french is only at SL rather than HL)
Your leadership is ehh, not that good. Your ECs seems kinda weak. Mostly local things that don’t have that much impact on the community. </p>
<p>Don’t apply to GA Tech. Apply to UCLA, UC B, UC SD, UVA, NYU, BU, ASU Honors College. You should look at more colleges with high acceptance rates. Your Stats are good but your ECs are largely lacking. </p>
<p>If need be, I can probably change Economics or Physics to HL.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how to calculate a GPA from IB levels.</p>
<p>What would you suggest I do to improve my ECs at this point? Opportunities can be rather scarce in Bahrain, but there are still a somewhat reasonable amount.</p>
<p>Aside from getting the actual Head Boy position, I’m curious how my leadership can be improved.</p>
<p>I understand what you are saying quintomonious and I have considered that ECs need a lot of improving. I’ve partly posted this thread to get suggestions on how to improve too. I know it’s kinda late at this point, but if I can still improve at this point, I will take what I can get.</p>
<p>Edit: Another tiny detail, if relevant, is that I’m Muslim.</p>
<p>I know I’m probably a stereotypical chance thread student. I realize that. But looking through the results threads and through other people’s chances threads and at competition winners and what not, I’m starting to get a pit in my stomach. </p>
<p>I don’t have that passion and focus that all these amazing people do. I’m so confused - where I want to go, what I want to do, who I want to be. Everyone I know seems to have this focus, this love for something specific. But I don’t. I’m not amazing at any single thing. I’m, for lack of a better phrase, “freaking out”.</p>
<p>Any advice, on this or chances or anything, is appreciated.</p>
<p>Wow your SAT score is great, no need to retake unless you want to for your own personal benefit. Also, knowing 3 languages is a big plus. Don’t stress if you don’t get on the sports team, you have many ECs that are fantastic.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about sports! You might not get into EVERY school you apply to, but no matter what you will get accepted into a highly competitive school. You know multiple languages, which is HUGE, and you have quality extracurriculars, grades, and test scores.</p>