Chances at Columbia/Penn?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Rank: 1 out of 386
Indian female at inner city school (still competitive, half the kids are children of lawyers/doctors)
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.8 W (hardest possible courseload)
APs: Calc BC, Chem 2, Spanish 5, English 3, English 4, US History, US Gov, Euro, Psych
SAT: based on PSAT scores and recent practice tests I've taken, no lower than 2100 but probably not above 2300
ECs: Indian classical music for 13 years (instruments and vocals)
Debate team co-captain (numerous local awards, 1st place in regional tournament, state finalist)
International finalist in youth symposium (name withheld for safety purposes)
Numerous Science Olympiad awards at the local and state levels
1st place award in the JETS competition
3rd place in EuroChallenge competition, local awards in WorldQuest competition
Medical apprenticeship through a university
Governor's School for Medical Careers
2 years of cancer research in a prestigious local lab
Photography placed on exhibition in local museum
Photography apprenticeship through local filmmakers institute
Published finalist in poetry competition
Actively involved in human rights clubs in school such as Amnesty International and Students Taking Action Now Darfur
Actively involved in my school's "Youth for Obama" club
Started an organization that raises money to help purchase necessities for homeless youth
Numerous hours spent volunteering at the science center and teaching children swimming</p>

<p>Do I do a decent job of showing the admissions officers that I'm not a typical Indian, or is there more room for me to improve? I'm only a sophomore, so I figure I probably still have some time. Thanks!</p>

<p>schools I'm considering:
Columbia
Penn
Harvard
Yale
Duke
UChicago
Northwestern
Georgetown
Johns Hopkins
Brown</p>

2

<p>I’m a typical indian haha, and didn’t have a ton luck with either Columbia or Penn :stuck_out_tongue: No honestly, race isn’t as big of an issue as it’s hyped up to be. You actually do a lot and don’t think you can’t break the 2300 barrier (actually really try for this). You seem to have some really unique things, the awards, and the leadership. You know which ones are tougher than the others so overall looks like you have as solid of a chance as it gets before luck comes into play. Good Luck</p>

3

<p>hey, you have an amazing GPA and if you get around a 2250 you should be a solid candidate for all these schools. Considering that and your ec’s</p>

<p>Georgetown: most likeley in</p>

<p>JHU and Nwestern: match</p>

<p>UChicago and duke: low reach</p>

<p>All rest: reach, but thats the case for anyone since admissions seem so “random”</p>

4

<p>from my own experience, besides scores and ECs, essays and LORs play a VERY crucial role, especially in such highly competitive schools where there are thousands of applicants like (if not better than) you…do what you must, but be sure to cover the crucial parts of an application I have pointed out as well… </p>

<p>An essay can make or break your application (literally)</p>

<p>All the best to you… </p>

<p>:)</p>

5

<p>List is way too reach heavy.</p>

6

<p>i think your photography is something that’s unique and will get attention from admissions officers! best of luck!</p>

7

<p>I think you have a very good chance at most of those schools. Georgetown and Brown, especially, are ones I think you’ll almost certainly get into. Excellent GPA, lots of solid EC’s. And you do Science Olympiad, which makes you awesome!! :slight_smile: The photography should really make you unique, and if you get your SAT scores 2200 or above, I think you have a great chance at any of those colleges. That 2 in AP Chem is probably the only major thing, but otherwise, pretty solid!</p>

8

<p>work on that SAT! the list you provided is super passion-heavy! your photo stuff brings that up, but such colleges are SO wierd with acceptances, I wouldn’t rely on anything.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1319216-please-chance-me-im-going-nuts.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1319216-please-chance-me-im-going-nuts.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Get the SAT to 2250+ at the very least (preferably 2300+), and you’d have a decent shot at your reach schools. However, you definitely need way more matches and safeties on that list, and I would also caution you not to be so concerned with brand name. I’ve seen another poster say this and I agree with it: if Brown and Columbia are both on the same list, something’s wrong, because the two schools are very, very different, and indicate that more research needs to be done.</p>

10

<p>Thanks everyone! Also, those aren’t scores by the AP classes, those are the levels</p>