Chances at Stanford or Princeton?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>The two major schools that I want to apply to are Princeton and Stanford. I am currently a junior, and was wondering what you guys think of this:</p>

<p>Rank: 1/400; 4.0 GPA unweighed (not very competitive, small town type of school)
SAT: 2060 for now, hopefully ~2150 on the April test and maybe 2200+ in the fall of my Senior year
SAT IIs: 800 Math 2C, 700 Chemistry for now. Planning on taking literature, spanish and physics this year in May and if necessary, retaking them in June</p>

<p>Past Classes:
AP Chemistry (sophomore year, 5 on test)
AP Physics B (sophomore year, didn't take test)
AP Calculus AB (sophomore year, 5 on test)
AP English Language (2 on test, had a bad day, I might retake it this year)
Design Technology
Concert band 2 years (I don't think this class is very important but maybe I'm dumb)</p>

<p>Current classes:
AP Literature
AP US History
AP Physics C (Mechanics only)
AP Biology (not going to take the test though)
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
Film is literature</p>

<p>Classes I plan to take senior year
3 quarters of Chinese with Running Start
AP Macro/Micro Economics
AP World History
Multi-Variable Calculus at Running Start</p>

<p>I'm also in my 4th year of spanish currently. I'm going to attempt the AP Spanish exam in my senior year</p>

<p>EC's:
Speech and Debate Team 2 years - few trophies at local and state contests
Math Team President & Founder since Freshman year - few trophies at local, state and national contests
National Honor Society member for 3 years, Secretary once
Chess Team top player and Vice Pres - few trophies at local but none at state
Cofounder of Student Council</p>

<p>Sports:
Judo team 2 years (also treasurer once for it, Judo is an ASB club at my school)</p>

<p>Awards/Honors
Not sure if these are considered honors or awards...or if they are even useful...
Member of International High IQ Society
Member of MENSA</p>

<p>Community Service:
Tutoring at local library ~160 hours (didn't keep track during the first year I did it)
Starting to volunteer at local hospital</p>

<p>Thanks for your help</p>

2

<p>also I have family that is alumni</p>

3

<p>ud better up that SAT score....other than that, u have a good shot...
Chances = "Above Average but NOT Exceptional"</p>

4

<p>take more ap's senior year. from what i've read colleges want to see you challenge yourself more in senior year.</p>

5

<p>Well I've already exhausted all the AP classes around my area (small town schools), even the physics and stats courses I'm taking are self-study. The World History and Econ classes will both be self study and I don't really want to self study anything anymore, so I looked towards Running Start. I saw the courses available and most were ...unattractive ...things like:</p>

<p>Advanced Walking
Coloring</p>

<p>MV Calculus and Chinese were the only ones that stood out. Any suggestions?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

6

<p>for the self-study classes, do you somehow get your counselor to put it as a "class" on your transcript? if so, how does the grade work?</p>

7

<p>My self study courses appear as normal AP classes on my transcript. At the end of the year, I have to take a test that is roughly equivalent to a final exam for that subject, and my grade is determined on how I do on that one test.</p>

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<p>oh i see, thanks</p>

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<p>ur school sux :( i feel sorry for u</p>

10

<p>yeah me too :D</p>

11

<p>make the best out of what your offered. colleges will understand.</p>

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<p>yeah my school is also a small town type of school, which only has 6 APs, all of which i will have taken (although we do have ap world :) )...i am doing 1 or 2 independent studies next year (all of which would involve online examinations). but from what ive heard as long as you use everything your school has available you should be fine...apart from sats i'd say decent chances at S and P, and with the 2250 youre shooting for you would have an good shot at either of these...also, the ecs are pretty good, but not especially stellar.</p>

<p>couple questions: Early action/decision for either of them?
specifically what "family members"?</p>

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<p>why did you take ap english in sophomore year, instead of the normal junior year route?</p>

<p>now you have no english next year.</p>

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<p>Thanks ziggy, my friend told me a 200 point increase on SAT within a year is very possible (my 2060 was from the Nov 2005 test), so hopefully by the fall of my senior year I might even make it to 2300. As for the family members, my cousin just graduated last year</p>

<p>I took AP English Lang my sophomore year because my school is not prestigious or anything at all - anything that is NOT AP at my school is practically a joke. At least with AP the teachers and students have to follow a higher level curriculum that they cannot change</p>

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<p>any other opinions?</p>

16

<p>I increased my SAT score by 230 by just studying a bit...</p>

<p>Good LUCK! =)</p>

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<p>awesome, bump</p>

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<p>For Stanford and Princeton, a 2250+ is critical. Even then your EC's are somewhat cliche so it might not happen anyway, but if you can manage a 2250+ you will be taken very seriously as an applicant; a 2060 makes it almost impossible.</p>

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<p>thanks stambliark, bump</p>

20

<p>I agree with ziggytheman, you definately want 2250 plus, or at the very least 750 plus on Math and Verbal. It isn't totally numbers based, but scores like that make you competitive in the calculable sense.</p>