Chances at Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, I had a representative from Havard speak at my school today, and it got me wondering, cand I get in? (I'm also interested in my chances at Columbia, Georgetown, Yale, NYU, USC, Berkeley, UPenn, and Chicago. I want to major in economics, with an international focus.)</p>

<p>I'm a Junior, caucasan female, at a large Orange County public school. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.45</p>

<p>Classes:</p>

<pre><code>9th: English Honors, French 1, Geometry, Biology, and World Geography Honors
</code></pre>

<p>10th: English Honors, French 2, Algebra 2/Trig., Chemistry, AP European History, and Symphonic Winds (Band)</p>

<p>11th: AP English Lang. and Composition, French 3, Pre-Calculus Honors, AP Chemistry, APUSH, and Symphonic Winds</p>

<p><em>I've taken the most APs I could have.
*</em>I've only received one B, and that was in 9th grade English, second semester. </p>

<p>Test Scores:</p>

<p>AP Euro Test: 5</p>

<p>SAT: haven't officially taken yet, but according to all the practice tests my school offers, I should get around a 2250</p>

<p>EC's:</p>

<p>KIWIN'S (part of Key Club International): 9 10 11
-Convention Committee Member 10
-Club Treasurer and Convention Chair 11
-California-Nevada-Hawaii KIWIN'S District Treasurer this coming year
-One of ten members from my district to represent Ca-Nev-Ha KIWIN'S at this summer's Key Club International Convention in Boston</p>

<p>Band: 9 10 11
-Tuba player, 10 11
-Low Brass Captain, 11
-Colorguard, 9
-Marching Band, 10 11
-District Honor Band, 11
-Jazz Band, 11
-I was in Gwen Stefani's music video, Hollaback Girl. I was one of the two tuba players.</p>

<p>Tae Kwon Do: 9 10 11
-Black Belt
-Helped my Master take care of the younger students at an overnight discipline camp</p>

<p>Future Business Leaders of America: 11
-Vice President
-Placed well enough in the Sectional division that I get to compete at the State level in Entrepreneulship (I'm also competing in Impromtu speaking.)</p>

<p>School Senate: 10 11</p>

<p>School House of Representitives: 11</p>

<p>Teen Conservatory (South Coast Repretory Theater): 8 9 10
-I completed their three year program
-My last year, I concentrated in Improv</p>

<p>Horsebackriding:
-I used to compete full time, but had to stop because it was so expensive
-The last two summers, I've gone back to participate in my stable's Advanced Summer Program. I placed 1st place in five separate classes at the horse show we attended, held by the United Professional Horseman's Association.</p>

<p>Awards:
-KIWIN'S Member of the year, 10
-Band Most Improved, 10
-FBLA State Competitor
-1st place, in 5 separate classes, at the Seaside UPHA Horseshow, 9, 10
-Tae Kwon Do Best Breaking Technique
-National Honor Roll, 10 11
-School alternate delegate for Califorina Girls' State</p>

<p>Soo.... What are my chances? </p>

<p>Please reply.</p>

<p>Sorry if any of my grammar or spelling is wrong. It's getting kind of late.</p>

2

<p>You don't stand out among Harvard applicants enough to give you more than an average chance for a white person (although being in Gwen Stefani's video is way cool), so what's that, around 7%? Up that to 10% I guess, but Harvard's real touch. Hard to judge on anything without real scores.. but obviously you know you're a solid candidate for all those schools, just write great essays etc. etc.!</p>

3

<p>Remember that an 'average' applicant to Harvard might have lower stats than the OP, a decent (not majority, but substantial) amount of "underqualified" applicants apply to Harvard for the heck of it, for name only. The chances for you <em>might</em> be a little higher than average because you are clearly above the status of an "underqualified" applicant.</p>

<p>You definately can get into Harvard, but the real question is whether or not it's likely that you'll get in. For most people, it really isn't likely, but you've got good stats so just keep working and try your best.</p>

4

<p>Sure, you're right, but then there are URMs, recruited atheletes, children of big names, etc. etc. to balance those people out.</p>

5

<p>but she will have a very solid application... I say apply everywhere. Your chances at Columbia, UPenn, NYU, USC and Berkeley are all excellent.</p>

6

<p>
[QUOTE]
Sure, you're right, but then there are URMs, recruited atheletes, children of big names, etc. etc. to balance those people out.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Good point.</p>

7

<p>Thanks a lot Gmman, Murasaki, and Martha. </p>

<p>Anymore opinions?</p>

8

<p>We have the exact same courses taken. We take AP Gov as a jr, and AP US as a senior though. but i also was in symphonic band and district band. cool.
you have a waaay higher GPA. to be honest, since you're applying to harvard, i think the [only] shortfall your app might have will be EC's.. nothing seems to <em>stand out</em> as special. no offense :)
NYU USC and UCB are safeties I would say, and columbia a match/slight reach, without true SAT scores.
Harvard... try to get into some more EC's, with high positions in them. Band isn't an EC though.. its a class. colorguard and marching band might be, but tuba player and section leader don't count :/
you have a fantastic GPA though. Wondering why you aren't looking at CIT, stanford, or UCLA?</p>

9

<p>Columbia a match? Please don't post these things when you really don't know.</p>

10

<p>And Suze, you know so much better than the other people on this site, why?</p>

11

<p>I feel like your only definite exceptance may be NYU, because although you do have great shot at the others, murasaki makes a great point about legacies and URM's.</p>

12

<p>If the OP scores a 2250 on her SATs, that, along with her GPA and ECs would make her about an average applicant at Harvard. Average applicants have about a 10% chance of being accepted. Her chances at Yale are about the same, though they are somewhat better at Columbia and UPenn - say 15% to 20% or so. If she's in the top 5% in her class, her chances are better at all 4 schools. If she's the val or sal, her chances are better still, though in no case would her chances rise above 45%. UChicago is the odd school here. It accepts about 50% of its applicants, but its applicants are generally top end students (2200+ SATs, 3.8+ unweighted GPAs, etc.). Figure she has a 50% chances there.</p>

<p>Georgetown, USC, and Berkeley are either matches or low matches in this scenerio. NYU is a safety, unless she applies to Stern. If that's the case, Stern would be a High Match/Low Reach.</p>

13

<p>Thanks for your input everyone.</p>

<p>For rightwing:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I'm not thinking of CIT or Stanford because I want to get out of California. The only reason I'm applying to USC and Berkeley is because I have family alumni who are making me. That's also why I'm not applying to UCLA, my dad went to USC, and I would be disowned if I even applied.</p></li>
<li><p>About high leadership positions: This coming year I'm going to be my Key Club District's treasurer. My district is the entire California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Is that not a large enough position?</p></li>
</ol>

14

<p>I really just don't think she has enough extracurriculars or leadership positions</p>

15

<p>All we can do is offer opinions, but I'm pretty sure there isn't a college counselor alive who would call Columbia a match for a cauc from OC, non athlete with no unusual ECs.</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
NYU is a safety, unless she applies to Stern. If that's the case, Stern would be a High Match/Low Reach.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I think the OP CAN consider Stern a saftey if she does get the SAT scores she's predicting. USC, Berkeley, and maybe even Georgetown can be safeties.</p>

17

<p>Actually, U of Chicago only accepted about 28% of their applicants this year and each year it seems to be getting much more difficult. As pointed out earlier, the applicants tend to be self selective, being on the high end of grades and SAT scores, so even that figure is misleading. However, Chicago seems to be looking for artists and musicians right now as they are building up their music and arts departments and are constructing a multimillion dollar arts center on campus. Your music may help you and I would advise playing that up. There are several performance groups, i.e. orchestra, chamber music groups, etc. on campus that you might fit in with. Check them out and if you are interested, definitely talk about this in your application. Definitely do not count on Chicago as a safety school though as it really has become a reach for most students.</p>