Chances at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, other top universities?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Title is pretty self explanatory, but I'm wondering what my chances are for the top universities. What about UPenn LSM, UCSD Med Scholars, Brown PLME?</p>

<p>Summary</p>

<p>• Founder and President NPO(2012): raises funds for impoverished villages in rural India, implementing programs for health awareness and healthcare, we have generated over $4000 through fundraising thus far</p>

<p>• Board member and cofounder of non-profit organization: presented inspiring chemistry shows and lessons to over 11,000 kids at various schools across Southern California</p>

<p>• Research experience in UCSD Biochemistry Department(2012)-Worked in lab with proteins and drugs that have known connections to diabetes</p>

<p>• Research experience in UCSD San Diego Supercomputer Center(2012)- Worked teams from UCSD and from PDB, IEDB, and NCBI databases to improve information presentation</p>

<p>• Research experience at The Scripps Research Institute(2013)- worked on database of novel, genomic-based drug treatments for various cancers </p>

<p>• Neurosurgery shadowing experience (2013)- Help in clinic, hospital, and observe surgery</p>

<p>Tests:</p>

<p>Cumulative GPA Unweighted/Weighted: 4.0/4.51 • 2370 SAT Reasoning Score • 227 PSAT Score • 800 SATII Math Level 2 Score • 800 SATII Chemistry Score • 800 SATII Physics Score</p>

<p>Selected Coursework (11 AP Courses): AP Calc AB: 5 on AP Exam • AP Calc BC: 5 on AP Exam • AP Chem: 5 on AP Exam • AP Comp Science: 5 on AP Exam • AP Euro History: 4 on AP Exam • AP Physics B: 5 on AP Exam • AP Physics C Mech: 5 on AP Exam • AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism: 5 on AP Exam • AP Bio: 5 on AP Exam • AP U.S. History: 4 on AP Exam • AP English Language: 5 on AP Exam </p>

<p>Extracurricular Activity</p>

<p>Middle School Science Olympiad Coach August 2010-Present • 180 Hours</p>

<p>• Coach biology and genetics to middle school kids </p>

<p>Hospital Intern for Palomar Health September 2012-Present • 200 Hours</p>

<p>• Serve alongside hospital staff, providing direct patient care</p>

<p>Academic Team (Secretary 2013-2014) September 2010-Present • 100 Hours</p>

<p>• Jeopardy-like competition against schools across Southern California</p>

<p>California Scholarship Federation September 2010-Present • 120 Hours</p>

<p>• Invited to join CSF for academic excellence</p>

<p>Robotics August 2010-Present • 200 Hours</p>

<p>• Member of Robotics team, involved in tasks from programming to building</p>

<p>Science Olympiad August 2007-Present • 600 Hours</p>

<p>• Placed in regional/state level competition in various events since 6</p>

<p>San Diego Youth Symphony August 2009-Present • 350 Hours</p>

<p>Honors and Awards</p>

<p>• National AP Scholar (2013): Nominated by Collegeboard for my high performance on AP exams</p>

<p>• TiE Young Entrepreneurs (2012): Placed 3rd in the San Diego business competition and won $1000 for the </p>

<p>viability of our renewable energy phone case business plan</p>

<p>• Fraternity of Academic Excellence (2013): Selected to represent Westview High School in the community as one of the top students in the Class of 2014</p>

<p>• National Honors Society (2011-2013): select group with academic and extracurricular success </p>

<p>• Honor Chain (2013): selected to represent Class of 2014 by leading graduation ceremony of Class of 2013</p>

<p>• Academic League (2013): 2nd place Southern California Academic League conference</p>

2

<p>Your ECs look great, almost too good to be true? haha i think you’ve probably made a bigger deal out of some smaller accomplishments than necessary, but hey, whatever works. Assuming your essays and letters of rec will be really good, I think you have a fairly good chance of making some of those ivy leagues you listed above. Of course, the best ivy leagues are a reach for everyone, but you probably have a better chance than most people.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the feedback! Haha just wondering, but, which ones seem kind of exaggerated? xP</p>

4

<p>@sdapkid I’d slightly agree, some of your ECs look exaggerated. For example, at Scripps you worked on a database not actual research lol :stuck_out_tongue: I’d also avoid putting middle school accomplishments (SciOly) and tone down some of your explanations slightly, bc you don’t want to look like you’re overplaying too much, ya know?</p>

<p>Other than that, you have some really good chances at most of the top schools you’re looking at. Do you know where you’ll be applying early decision?</p>

5

<p>Your stats look awesome. GPA and SAT are great. I think your chances are as good as any for admission to top universities. But yeah, agree with the exaggerated ECs. National AP Scholar, theres a place to put that. But don’t write the whole “nominated by collegeboard” thing. Same with Hospital intern. Just put that.</p>

6

<p>You have just as good stats as everyone else applying to top universities. Maybe better! apply to all of them and you will get in
Harvard: 50/50
Stanford:match
Columbia: high math
Cornell: low match
Brown: low match
Penn:match</p>

7

<p>@suprasanity Thanks so much for you’re opinion. I think I know what you’re saying now haha I’ll edit that on my resume!
Right now my dreams school are Stanford, then Harvard, and thirdly Columbia. But I think I’ll be applying ED to Columbia because statistically and intuitively EA at either Stanford and Harvard is not conducive to you getting in (e.g. EA acceptance rates in general increase by about 3-4% vs. overall admit rate, while ED tends to double or even triple from the overall rate such as in Columbia’s case 7% -> ~23%, also the fact that Early applicants are usually super qualified would lead one to believe that Harvard and Stanford will be the “go-to” destinations for most kids)</p>

8

<p>@Smithg1227 Sounds good, thanks!
@152422 What does high/low match exactly mean?</p>

9

<p>Low match is the easiest for you, then match then a higher match. then low reach then a reach then the highest reach.
And safety is well yknow, safety.</p>

<p>That being said, you look like an amazing applicant, thank god you’re not applying to Penn ED and competing with me! Strong ECs even if you don’t exaggerate them and great test scores. Hope your essays are solid!</p>

<p>Chance me please?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1537738-my-one-only-chance-thread-need-advice-will-chance-back-penn-ed-hyp-etc.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1537738-my-one-only-chance-thread-need-advice-will-chance-back-penn-ed-hyp-etc.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>bummmppppppppp</p>

11

<p>With your very competitive credentials I would not apply ED (binding) to any school ED…because the odds are you will get in…and you will HAVE to ATTEND (even if it is NOT one of your dream schools…I don’t think you just want to SETTLE…do you?)…and drop all other applications for the regular round…</p>

<p>…if you are indeed from California and Stanford is your DREAM school, I would strongly recommend applying to Stanford REA along with UCSD medical scholars program (since there is no restriction on applying to state schools)…you stand a better “chance” being from California…since there exists some “geographic” preference for California/west coast students at Stanford…</p>

<p>…if you were from Massachusetts and Harvard is your DREAM school, I would strongly recommend applying to Harvard SCEA…since Harvard practices “geographic” preference for students from Massachusetts/Boston area/Northeast area…</p>

<p>…I would say the same thing for Yale and Connecticut…and Princeton and New Jersey students…</p>

<p>…for any EARLY plan school that you apply to…it should be the school that you would have ABSOLUTELY NO SECOND THOUGHTS about attending…</p>

<p>…most TOP schools want to admit their TOP students from their REGION first since they are most likely to matriculate in their home region…think about it…</p>

12

<p>Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you’re too perfect
You’re going to get into all of these schools
Have fun with your wonderful life</p>

13

<p>@gravitas2 That is amazing advice and I totally get what you’re saying. However, to be honest, Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia all sit nearly equal in my books and my preference to Stanford is probably due to my childhood fantasies-- I don’t think I’d ever think twice about Columbia. But, in regards to your other point, do you think I have a bad chance at Columbia ED? I mean, ED programs in general are much less selective that EA programs so I would think that Columbia provides the best opportunity for me of the three schools?</p>

<p>@yayitsme123 HAHA I’m flattered! Thanks so much and I’m sure you’ll do amazing too!</p>

14

<p>If your credentials are to be believed and you are capable of writing stellar essays…to be frank, you have an excellent chance of getting into Columbia ED (binding)…having said that, I still wonder if you will have any SECOND THOUGHTS/BUYERS REMORSE about getting into Columbia early (YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND) and not having had the opportunity to apply to Stanford or Harvard or some of your combined BA/MD programs…you only get one shot at attending “college”…you do not want to have any REGRETS of not having tried…</p>

<p>…moreover, I believe you have excellent chance of getting into Columbia even in the REGULAR ROUND to be honest. Your best shot at Stanford would be REA especially with your California residency…and definitely not during regular round…and I would say the same thing about applying to Harvard SCEA if you lived in Massachusetts…</p>

<p>…there is no right or wrong answer here…you have to go with your GUT instinct…and which decision you can be happy with…</p>

15

<p>I’ll do alright! Hoping for Cornell realistically and MIT as a stretch, chance me back if you feel like it (not that I did all that much for you, haha)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1537967-chances-mit-caltech-plus-some-matches.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1537967-chances-mit-caltech-plus-some-matches.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>If Columbia is your first choice, go with ED!</p>

17

<p>Bummmppppppp!</p>

18

<p>Wow. That’s all I have to say…</p>

19

<p>HAHA thanks I guess?</p>

20

<p>bump bump bump !!</p>