Chances at Stanford: better than being struck by lightning?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>I'm a junior, going to competitive IB school in Oregon (public)</p>

<p>SCHOOL STATS:
GPA - 3.98 unweighted/ 4.33 weighted
- I am an IB Diploma student -
- major: Government
- taking Most rigorous courses available!
- Rank: 5/550</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Caucasian
Socio-Economic Status: Middle-Class</p>

<p>Awards:
-Scholar of the Month
- National Honor Society
- Honor Roll
- Duke of Spirit
- Coach's Award
- Selected to be a Congressional Page
- Featured in State Newspaper, Local Newspaper, News Station
for Share the Sole. Not that it is an award exactly, but it sort of is.</p>

<p>Extracirriculars:
-Track (3 years) - Varsity Letter
-Cross Country (3 years) - Captain, Varsity, Prestigous Coach's Award for Leadership and excellence on the team, 1 per year
-Mayors Youth Advisory Board (2 years) - Co-Chair, going to Washington DC for a National Conference on it, Historian also.
-Uganda Club (3 years) - Organized fast for malaria, Prez next year
raised $20,000 this year for our Sister School
- Freshman Treasurer
- Varsity Ultimate Frisbee - starting defender, captain next year
- FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) - Prez this year and next year. Founder last year
- National Honor Society, President next year, Fundraiser this year.</p>

<p>Running - 4:29 for the 1500. Too Slow to run at any Div. 1 school obviously, but I have talked to the Coaches at Claremont Mckenna and Pomona and I could run for them both. The Pomona Coach said he felt I would get in, but he just asked for my grades/courseload.</p>

<p>Volunteer Work:
- 190 Hours at Beaverton Library helping Children
- 40 Hours working at Senior Center
- IB Executive Committee, organized/made advertising
campaign for IB Iron Chef fundraiser
- Student Staff Action Council</p>

<p>Summer: This summer, I was selected to be a Congressional Page for David Wu (Stanford Alum.). After that, I am going to do research with a Psychology Professor at OHSU (research on eating disorders if that matters).</p>

<p>Would it make a difference if David Wu wrote a letter of rec, since he is a Stanford Alum?</p>

<p>Hook: Started an Organization/Project that works with corporations and local donors and gets brand new running shoes and donates them to low income High Schools so that student athletes who are unfortunate can have new running shoes and can run without hurting their feet. Named it "Share the Sole"</p>

<p>Note: My uncle used to work at Stanford and is an Alum. My other uncle is also an Alumni. I don't think this qualifies as "legacy", but it might help?</p>

<p>ACT: 30
SAT II: took US History 660 :/ (not going to submit)
APUSH Test: 4</p>

<ul>
<li>Starting Essays this summer, should be solid. I am going to get a rec. from my English teacher who says I am one of the most exceptional students she has had in her career, and another from my Psychology teacher (and Extended Essay Advisor). Both should be excellent.</li>
</ul>

<p>Colleges: My opinion
- Pomona -
- Claremont Mckenna
- Dartmouth College -
- Stanford U
- Bowdoin College -
- Whitman College -
- UO Honors College -</p>

2

<p>Everything looks good except your SAT/ACT scores. If you don't like SAT I, study and retake ACT - you can do it several times, and only send the best score. You will also be better off taking the SAT IIs which are "strongly recommended" (means "you should be taking them if you want to have a chance") Your US History score won't hurt you if you get 2 higher ones on something else.</p>

<p>That "Share the Sole" story sounds familiar... Did you post that before?</p>

3

<p>I posted a while back when it was in the early stages..so yes.</p>

<p>Standardized testing is my downfall. The reason I am wondering is because I saw somewhere that Stanford's range is 28-32 for ACT. That would put in somewhere in the middle? Are SAT II's necessary? Also, is it really even worth applying if Pomona College/Claremont Mckenna College are my top choices? I'm just wondering if I'd have a good chance at a waitlist/acceptance</p>

4

<p>You don't really have any awards that stand out, but you have great grades and rank and your ECs could come off well if you present them more coherently. Practice and retake your standardized tests; those are your most glaring weakness. Good luck.</p>

<p>Edit: and find more matches</p>

5

<p>You have as much of a fighting chance as many, and probably more than most. If you can bring up scores, it could only help you.</p>

<ul>
<li>"Also, is it really even worth applying if Pomona College/Claremont McKenna College are my top choices?" If you got into Stanford, Pomona, and CMC...would you go to Stanford? If the answer is yes, then yes, you should apply. If the answer is no, then I'd probably say not to waste your time. I was a victim of the "apply because you just should" advice. It took up a ton of extra time, and I just didn't care about it. The year I applied, I had to write totally separate essays for Stanford, and just...blech. It is certainly up to you, though, and if the question of "would I have gotten in?" is one that will drive you nuts, then sure...go for it. Your application is strong.</li>
</ul>

<p>Good luck :)</p>

6

<p>MorsVenit: I'm aware that I don't have any awards, but I honestly don't really care because I am proud of the things that I have accomplished thus far. I don't need any award or piece of paper to validate that. Hopefully, Admissions will realize this.</p>

<p>I'm going to retake Standardized tests (ACT), but really don't want to take SAT II's and waste my time trying to make them better. Why? Because I could be helping people, or volunteering, or enjoying life. Maybe taking them 2 more times instead of once more would make a huge difference, but maybe it won't.</p>

<p>I need help finding more matches! Do you have any suggestions because I honestly have no idea. What I do know is that I am going to apply either ED to Pomona, or RD to Pomona and Claremont Mckenna. The coaches say I will most likely get in? Do I need more matches?</p>

<p>Student615: Thank you for replying to almost all my threads! The only reason I would apply to Stanford is for bragging rights/to please my parents. I want a smaller school, and if I had to choose between all, then I would probably choose Pomona > CMC > Stanford. It just feels right. I was just wondering if I had a shot.</p>

<p>TO RESTATE THE ABOVE QUESTION: What "match" colleges are similar to CMC, Pomona, or Stanford in personality/atmosphere?</p>

7

<p>"I'm going to retake Standardized tests (ACT), but really don't want to take SAT II's and waste my time trying to make them better. Why? Because I could be helping people, or volunteering, or enjoying life."</p>

<p>This type of statement is a refreshing find on CC. Find a way to state it gracefully (i.e. so that it can't possibly be interpreted as an excuse for laziness or academic apathy, neither of which I believe it is) and try to slip it in to any "reach" on-campus interviews you have. It's a valid and potentially very mature point, but would require careful framing on your part.</p>

<p>And you're welcome :)</p>

8

<p>Uh, for now, your ACT score ruins you sorry :(. Better for me to tell you now before you find yourself being rejected. Trust me, as far as Stanford goes you would have been better off in the 15% with a 35 ACT than you are now. Being brutally honest up the ACT or take the SAT and aim for 2200/33+, then you have kick ass chance!</p>

9

<p>Stanford strongly recommends SAT II. It is almost guaranteed that you will be trashed if you do not submit your SAT II scores (ESPECIALLY MATH)!</p>

<p>Stanford strongly recommends SAT II Math because SAT Reasoning does not really reflect the math level colleges are looking for.</p>