Chances at a few places?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello all! I'm a new member, just trying to learn a little about the college selection process. I've visited a few colleges and am thinking about applying to a few schools (listed below resume). I'd like to know what my chances are at these schools.</p>

<p>Hispanic Male
Public High School in Texas
UWGPA: 3.8, Rank: 7 out of 320.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT: I took the old SAT in November 04, and got a 650 Verbal, 740 Math. I will take it again.
ACT: Spring 05. I got a 32 composite.
SAT IIs: Have not yet taken any. Plan to take US History and Math 1 in June.
APs: I took US History, World History, English Language, and Calculus BC this year. I am expecting 5s on USH, EL, and probably WH (though this might be a 4), and don't know what to expect on Calculus. My school did not offer an AP World History class, so I had to prepare for it on my own. I will be taking Euro History, US Govt, Statistics, and Eng Literature next year.</p>

<p>Curriculum: I am taking the toughest classes my school offers, including APs where offered. I'm subbing an extra history (AP Euro) for a science next year, though, so I don't know how that will look. I will also graduate with 3 years of Spanish language in honors classes.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars & Other Activities: I'm Vice President of my city's Youth Advisory board (which engages in all kinds of community service), in addition to the following school-related activities:
Speech & Debate Team - 2006 Texas Forensic Association State Qualifier, 2004 & 2006 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region Four Qualifier
UIL Academics - 2006 Region Four Qualifier in Current Issues and Events
JV Tennis - Fall 2003-Winter 2004
National Honor Society - Inducted in Junior Year (school policy). Will be running for President.
School Newspaper - Advertising Editor. Advisor says there is an extremely good chance I will be editor-in-chief next year.</p>

<p>Work experience: Last summer, I worked as an intern in the office of the CEO of a local corporation that has operations worldwide.</p>

<p>Other Awards:
Named the top Math student in the Class of 2007.<br>
Expect to be awarded National Hispanic Scholar (PSAT: 210).
Was awarded Grand Recognition by Duke University's TIP in 7th grade.
Am in the running for local newspaper's Distinguished Scholar award (very prestigious, only given to about 75 students per year in metro area with a population of about 500,000).</p>

<p>Letters of Recommendation: I've already got letters from a few of my teachers, and they do an excellent job of portraying my finer attributes.</p>

<p>Family Background: Six figure income, parents both graduates of University of Texas at Austin.</p>

<p>Miscellaneous Information: My sophomore year was a wreck as I was found allergic to the materials used to construct the building I was going to school in, and I missed 97 days of school (but still managed to keep a mostly A average). I transferred schools, but the medicine I had to take to return me to good health gave me pancreatitis, and I missed approximately two weeks of each semester with hospital visits for that illness this year. Again, my grades dipped a little bit when I was in the hospital, but when well, my grades are exclusively high A's.</p>

<p>Intended Major: Finance, Pre-Law</p>

<p>Schools of Interest:</p>

<p>Harvard
Yale
Dartmouth
Penn/Wharton
Southern Methodist University/Cox
University of Virginia
University of Texas Austin
Texas A&M College Station
Texas Tech
Univ of Colorado Boulder
Notre Dame
Boston College</p>

2

<p>As stated in every other chances thread with HYP, they are reaches for everyone. Now, being Hispanic may or may not give you the upper hand. Personally, I think you have a better-than-decent shot.</p>

<p>One thing, though, I cannot really tell what you are interested in from your EC's. Yes, I see what CLUBS you are in and what positions you hold, but after being on CC for so long, most of those seem generic to me. No offense. Like it goes from speech/debate to academic to newspaper to math to tennis--you get what i am saying? Make sure that you truly pick the activities that matter to you, because when an applicant lists things that have very little correlation, it seems pretty superficial and overworked.</p>

<p>As far as the other schools go, I think that they are slight reaches to high matches to matches (I don't know very much about a few of the colleges on your list, mostly the ones in Texas, heh). </p>

<p>Plenty of people have gotten in at P'ton and Yale, only to be rejected by Dartmouth. Wharton is obviously competitive, so make sure you check out more business schools (Stern is excellent, for example).</p>

<p>Hope I helped!</p>

3

<p>Thanks amina. I understand what you are saying about the ECs. I think my recommendations would be able to clarify that I don't take a superficial interest in most of them. I'll work on having them correlate a little better. On the other hand, does taking a deep interest/leadership role in some of them show a variety of interests, and if so, would that help my chances at all?</p>

<p>I have looked into a few other business schools. Stern is definetely excellent. I haven't visited NYU (or-gasp-NY City!), though, so I don't know if I would like it or not. I am planning to get up that way in October, though. </p>

<p>I'd like to clarify for the future posters on this tread: I know that UT-Austin, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M will all accept me as I am in the top 10% (state law). For those who are familiar, I'd like to know the chances to get into the program I want, as well as honors programs.</p>

4

<p>Ah, Nathan, you must get to NYC soon, even if it isn't to visit Stern. Be careful, though. You might fall in love with New York :)</p>

<p>And yes, leadership positions clearly show an active interest. Obviously, top colleges don't want a bunch of sheep running around their campuses, so, being a leader is a plus-- especially if it's in something you are committed to.</p>

<p>Sorry about my lack of Texan school knowledge!</p>

5

<p>Again, thanks amina!</p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>

6

<p>I think your hispanic background will definitely give you a better chance.
Taking into account your varied and very energetic EC's, I think you have a fair shot at all the schools you mentioned. Good luck.</p>