Chances at Duke, Stanford, Cornell, Rice

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey all. I'm a chinese-american in an urban public school in Texas. I know Stanford is an unbelivable longshot, so I'm considering early decision at Duke, as well as regular at Cornell, Rice and UT (backup). What are my chances at these? I beg ye for input!</p>

<p>Intended major is Biomedical Engineering.</p>

<p>Top 10% (school doesn't rank)
SAT I: Old: 1450 (M: 740 V: 710)
New: 2300 (M: 800 V: 740 W: 760)</p>

<p>SAT II's: Math IIC, Biology, Literature (yet to take, but all will be +700)</p>

<p>AP's: Calculus AB (5) English Lang (5) Statistics (3) World History (3)</p>

<p>High School AP's:</p>

<p>Sophomore: World History
Junior: Calc AB, English, Statistics, Chemistry,
Senior: Calc BC, Biology, Physics, English, Latin Verg, Gov, Macro, Psychology</p>

<ul>
<li>National Merit Semifinalist </li>
<li>Key Club (11-12, Reporter for 12), Underclassmen Honor Society (9-10), National Honor Society (11-12), Chess Club (9-12, Champion for all years)
Model UN (10-12), Junior Engineering Technical Society (11-12), Math Club (10-12), Calculus Club (12), Orchestra (JV 9, Varsity 10), JV Tennis (9-10), UIL Academics (11-12), Technology Student's Association (11-12), Latin Club (9-12), Latin Honor Society (11-12)</li>
<li>National Latin Exam: Latin I (Summa cum laude) Latin II (Maxima) Latin III (maxima)</li>
<li>Area Latin Competition: 4th place Level II Latin Derivatives (soph), 2nd place Level III Latin Derivatives (jun.), Summa at the state level II Pentathlon, Maxima on state level III Pentathlon.</li>
<li>Concertino Region Orchestra (9th)
-Total Volunteer Hours: Roughly 100
-Job: Work at Kumon Math and Reading center, a job I've had for about two years</li>
<li>Went to my final year of an Engineering Program in my city the summer after freshman year.</li>
<li>Given a $10,000 scholarship to St. Mary's University for completion of this program
-Went to the Duke University talent identification program summer after sophomore year.
-Interned at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio this summer. Worked in a cancer research lab in the cell/structural bio departmnt. Project was an experiment to knock down the p53 protein using shRNA.</li>
</ul>

<p>That's all I can think of at the moment. How do things look for me?</p>

2

<p>Hey
You've got a shot at cornell and ED Duke, and definately UT
donno about rice!!</p>

3

<p>You need to also look at Yale's biomedical-engineering program as well as its related centers and institutes. Your chances will be less there, but it may well be worth taking a look to see if it's a fit for you.</p>

<p>Other than that, think that Stanford will be a long shot for you because of the obvious pull that it has for students similar to you. Since you've already got the connection with Duke, you might look strongly at that as your first option.</p>

4

<p>Don't go ED to Duke unless it is your absolute #1 and you don't need any financial help. You will most likely be admitted and lose your chance to compare other offers (including Stanford). If other schools like Yale, Harvard, JHU have appeal to you, pick an EA school and apply to the others ID (Rice) and RD. UT is your safety since you are top 10%.</p>

5

<p>Yes Bandit, but do you think my chances at competitive schools like Stanford/Harvard/etc are actually significant enough for me to risk Duke? I kind of doubt I have anything worth bargaining for. Plus I don't think I would care much about bargaining with Rice or UT if I were to get into Duke. Even Cornell is kind of Iffy because they dont' actully have a bme major if I'm mistaken.</p>

6

<p>I think you have a solid chance to be admitted to at least one. Does that mean you absolutely will? No. If Duke is your number one, and you can go without aid, then go for it. Just wanted you to think it through. It's very early to be committing.</p>

7

<p>Cornell doesn't have a BME major, but it does have a BME minor that you can take with another engineering major. I think Carnegie Mellon is like this as well.</p>

8

<p>thx everyone or the input so far. what does everyone else think about my chances?</p>