Chances at Amherst, Princeton...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Ethnicity: Caucasian
School: Public HS in suburban Boston, MA
Unweighted GPA: 3.982 (out of 4)
Weighted GPA: 5.982 (out of 6. AP classes are given the same weight as an honors level course)
Rank: First out of around 220</p>

<p>ACT: 34</p>

<p>SAT I
Reading: 750
Math: 790
Writing: 800</p>

<p>SAT II's
Biology M: 800
Math II: 770
US History: 760</p>

<p>AP Scores
European History: 4
US History: 5
Physics B: 5</p>

<p>Senior Courses:
AP Art History
AP Calculus AB
AP Chemistry
AP Language & Composition
Honors Spanish V
Honors Wind Ensemble (It's band, but that's what it says on the schedule!)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Music: Oboe since 5th grade
Student Government: Legislative Council, grades 10-12
Academic: Academic Decathlon, grades 10-12
Service: NHS, grades 11-12, elected NHS president
Other: Boy Scouts, grades 6-12 (Have held several leadership roles, and close to Eagle!)
Academic: Robotics/FIRST, grades 11-12
Other: Ambassadors, grades 11-12, officer in grade 12 (helps out new students to the school, whether entering freshmen or transfers)</p>

<p>Honors:
RPI Science Book Award
Xerox Humanities Book Award
Arion Music Award
Certificates from the English and Social Studies departments for excellence in each
National Merit Scholar Commended
Elected to Order of the Arrow of Scouting</p>

<p>Other:
Working for Rec. Dept. this summer as an aide to a special needs child (I'll probably write an essay about this experience)</p>

<hr>

<p>With all that out of the way, here are some of the schools I'm looking at, hopefully spread across the reach/realistic/safety spectrum (and definitely spread across other spectrums):</p>

<p>Amherst
Bowdoin
Brown
Bucknell
Colby
Dartmouth
Princeton
Tufts
WPI</p>

<p>So, waddya think of my chances at any of them, and do you have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>Ivies are reaches. HYP are big reaches. you have the numbers, but you need to really highlight your ECs in a great essay to have a shot at the top top top colleges.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the response, Bobert, but could you be a little more specific? I'm not sure I really understand what you mean here.</p>

4

<p>Amherst - slight reach
Bowdoin - safe match
Brown - slight reach
Bucknell - safety
Colby - safety
Dartmouth - slight reach
Princeton - reach
Tufts - match
WPI - safety</p>

<p>You have a pretty safe list. Add some more reaches. An ED at Amherst or Princeton would increase your odds.</p>

5

<p>I think you have a good list, as has been said, some more reaches are good. Personally, I don't think EC's and grades/scores are weighed equally. Grades/scores are much more important, but that isn't to say that EC's are worthless...you've got the stats so write a good essay showing off your EC's. I think you've got a good shot at your schools. Brown and Dartmouth are definitely not HIGH reaches.</p>

6

<p>agreed. grades are the most important, and your grades are good.</p>

7

<p>mrm:</p>

<p>from reading your ECs list, nothing stands out. that can be the result of either 1) you haven't done anything that stand out, OR 2) you haven't skillfully convinced people of those things that actually do stand out</p>

8

<p>Numbers wise you're competitive for all of those schools.... now its up to you to show them that you "fit" in with every one of the schools in your essays... they dont just want some numbers bum with great stats but no real life skills... they want someone whos unique and brilliant... also you're from the Northeast... which will hurt you... but you should still do well</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

9

<p>Amherst is as much of a reach as Princeton, while Brown is not that big of a reach</p>