<p>SAT: 1500 (770v/730m) SATIIs: 780 US History, 730 Literature, 700 writing. 3.93 UW, 4.67W GPA, all IB courses (HS ranked #1 public HS in MD). One excellent rec., one EXCELLENT counselor rec (he was my JV football coach). ECs: Cap't of JV football team (9,10), varsity lacrosse (defensive capn) (10, 11, 12), club lacrosse (10, 11, 12), SGA steering committee (events coordinator) (9-12), It's Academic team (11-12), JSA publicity coordinator (11-12), tutored Tibetan students English in China (12th grade summer) and worked with local Tibetan NGOs in China (writing proposals requesting aid for humanitarian projects) (12th grade summer). Awards: National Merit Commended Scholar, State of MD Distinguished Scholar Award Semi-Finalist, Presidential Volunteer Service Award (280+ hours)</p>
<p>What are my chances at Dartmouth, UPenn, Hopkins, Northwestern, U. Chicago, NYU, Michigan, and Cornell?</p>
<p>i just got accepted ED into Columbia - here are my stats</p>
<p>SAT1 - 1400, Math 730, Verbal 670
SAT2s
Math 1c - 760
Writing - 720
US Hist - 690</p>
<p>Unweighted GPA - 3.7</p>
<p>3 APs, all others Honors Classes - come from one of the top 5 public schools in New York State</p>
<p>ECS - Editor-in-Chief of School Newspaper last 2 years, was on newspaper staff for the previous two, tutor weekly in harlem and in neighboring town for all four years of high school, JV tennis all 4 years, senior year member of the Student Faculty Legislature Executive Council</p>
<p>Its all good man... I think I didn't emphasize how many community service hours I had and they received probably my best rec on Dec 1, so I'm not sure if they had already made their admissions decision or not.</p>
<p>That's seriously crummy, Welsh. One of things what has been noted on the boards last year was that a lot of students felt that their applications got better as they got more experience writing them. As you mention, your best rec will be considered with your RD app's, and will have more experience in format of the application itself. Also, you might have an adult that you trust to be brutally honest look over your essay. A sarcastic aunt or uncle would perfect. </p>
<p>I think you will have good luck with the rest of your list - assuming that your essays and responses are good. Just one question - have you applied to Michigan yet? If not, you might want to add another safety. If a were a gambler, I bet on no worse than 4 fat envelops in the RD stack. But I'm a mom, and I do fret. </p>
<p>Anyway, you look like a great student, athlete and person and some college is going to be very lucky to get you! Its Columbia's loss, after all.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot ohio mom. I definitely feel that my current applications are better than my application to Columbia, which was the first one I did. Hopefully the results turn out better as well. :)</p>
<p>I agree with Ohio Mom. You have good stats and a strong application should get you into some of your list. Take a hard look at your main essay. Get some more people to review. Seek another great rec. Good luck!</p>
<p>I completely agree that apps get better over time. I think you are absolutely right about the community service, you need to make it seem a major part of your life since it seems to be. Dont just add hours, talk about what you have done.</p>
<p>I think you are in at all those schools, with the exception of Dartmouth and Penn, which could go either way. With better essays and apps I like your chances though. </p>
<p>You might consider Brown, otherwise great list.</p>
<p>I feel bad for you Welsh. I applied to Columbia, but not ED. I am most likely a show in...
SAT: 1600
SATII: 800 Math IIC, 800 Writing, 800 US History
unweighted 4.0, 4.447 weighted
very rigerous workload at great central ohio public school, one of the top schools in Ohio
sports-editor for school paper, member of numerous cluib, founded my own club, 10 varsity letters in sports, football, basketball, baseball, track & field, tennis, countless hours of comm. service</p>
<p>applied to: Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Duke, UVa, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Vandy.
what are my chances for all these schools??</p>
<p>AP -
Just be careful that your essays don't show a hint of entitlement or arrogance. From following the boards through the last admission cycle, the factor that seemed to yield unexpected results was the way the applicant presented him or herself. You will undoubtedly be admitted on your credentials alone at all the vast majority of the schools in this country or any other. Harvard et al aren't in the majority.</p>
<p>wow, ppl remember that Stanford rejects almost 60% of its valedictorians. don't quote me on that, but i'm pretty sure its close. AP, awsome job. but if you assume you'll be a "shoo in" everywhere, you're just setting yourself up for failure. ther is a difference between readching for the stars,and settin gyourself up to fail. make careful not of the difference. good luck!
Welsch i'm sorry. one of my good friends was rejected too. that sucks. i'm sure you're an awsome person, and its COlumbia's loss not yours.
Vaish</p>
<p>With regards to your comment about the way applicants have presented themselves in their essays... I don't know, I think it's hard to tell how schools will read some essays. Trying to "sell yourself" to these schools, trying to be yourself without risking sounding a certain way when what they're asking us to do is very self-centered (take that with a neutral connotation) seems to be pretty difficult. Something as simple as talking about community service has evoked concerns over coming off as a martyr. It's so easy to distort the tone and intent of any essay, and even those who are trying to be themselves and remain sincere have ended up over-thinking the whole process, worried that adcoms may think they're bragging or expressing false modesty (when essentially the entire application is a big "look how wonderful I am" contest).</p>
<p>laurak,
ok, you're definately too smart for your own good (positive connotation, btw) and you see way to many of the ramifacations. Now let me see if I can give you an answer. Let me start indirectly. Many of the schools that we visited made a deal of the community service they and their student did. Virtuous, but 'look how wonderful I am'. Brandeis also made a deal of community service - such as tutoring members of their maintenance staff who were not native speakers - in english. But then they totally turned the tables and said that many of their maintenance staff were helping Brandeis students learn their languages. This is mutual respect - as well as a practical way of making one's little corner of the world a little better. </p>
<p>I think that if you can discuss the mutual benefits of the community service without coming off as sappy (we're all the same, underneath - that sort of thing) you will have done a couple of positive things. One of which is to really think about the service you have done - this is important because individuals and society can cause grief by ill-considered and poorly planned do-gooding. The other positive result that your essay will have more meat to it, and less marketing. You can still show passion, if that is your nature. But if your essay has solid purpose, I think you're going to do better.</p>
<p>rejected from columbia? that definitely scares me a bit, especially with all of your leadership, awards, and work in china (wow, that is certainly the most unique and impressive extracurricular i've seen on this board so far). by the way, what school do you attend?</p>