Chances at Top 20 Universities

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm really worried </p>

<p>Hey, I'm really worried because I'm an early graduate with only three years of high school after graduation and only two for college admissions purposes. I've talked to Yale, Harvard and Princeton officers and they all swear to me that they do take early grads and dont' discriminate however I'm still scared. If you could look at my stats and tell me honestly how you think they match me up I'd really appreciate. By the way, I'm graduating early because I've exhausted my school's Advanced Placement offerings with only three more possibilities next year and because of family financial instability(we just moved and are dealing with paying for two houses at the same time).</p>

<p>Indian American Male
Highly competitive public school in Houston,Texas
Rank: 48/697
Weighted GPA on a 5 scale: 4.5806
Unweighted GPA on a 4 scale: 3.674
SAT- 1580(800V and 780M)
SAT IIs: 800 Writing, 780 Math IIC, 780 Biology, 800 US History
APs done: 5 US History, 5 Music Theory, 5 World History
IBs done: 7 US History, 7 Music Theory with Musical Performance
APs for this year: Calculus BC, Physics B, Latin Vergil, Latin Literature, Biology, English, Micro Economics, Macro Economics, Domestic Government, and Comparative Government
IB HLs for this year: Math, Economics, English, Latin
IB Diploma Candidate</p>

<p>This year courses: Calculus BC, IB Math HL, Physics AP, Latin IV AP, Biology AP, English AP, Yearbook, Micro/Macro AP, Government AP</p>

<p>Plan to apply:
1.Harvard EA
2.Yale
3.Princeton
4.U.Chicago
5.Stanford
6.UPenn
7.Duke
8.Northwestern
9.Dartmouth
10.Rice</p>

<p>ECs by category:
Piano:
HMTA 9th grade Theory Test Gold Medal, HMTA 9th grade overall winner for performance, Performance at HSPVA Young Musician's Night, UIL State Gold Medal,HMTA 10th grade Gold medal, HMTA gold medal for overal top performer, Houston Chopin Society Finalist(2nd place overall), National Chopin Competition SemiFinalist, Houston Symphony Youth Concerto Competition Winner(Performed with Houston Symphony as a soloist), Performance of Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto along with University of Houston's Moore's School of Music Symphony Orchestra, Rachmaninoff 3rd Piano Concerto performance at Rice University's Shephard School of Music, same music performed at the Jones Hall(Houston's premier Performing arts center), Performance with Clear Lake Symphony Orchestra as winner of Youth Concerto Winner</p>

<p>Oboe:
UIL All Region Band(2nd Chair) 9th grade, UIL All Freshman Region Band(1st Chair), UIL Ensemble Gold Medal 9th grade, UIL Solo Gold Medal 9th grade, Member of Houston Youth Symphony Orchestra(1st chair), Attended Interlochen Summer Program in Michigan 9th grade, UIL All Region(1st Chair) 10th grade, UIL Solo Gold Medal, Attended Interlochen Summer Program as advanced student, Attended Tanglewood Program in Boston.</p>

<p>Student Government:
Elected as Secretary of 9th grade class, elected as Recording secretary of Freshman Advisory, Elected as Secretary of 10th grade class, Elected as Sophmore Advisory Vice President 10th grade,Treasurer of 11th grade Class, Vice President of Junior Advisory Selected to Students as Allies as one of 28 students selected from 3,400 in 10th grade, Elected as Vice President of SaA 10th grade, Attended National What Kids Can Do Conference at Houston, Chairperson of schoolwide Teacher-Student Relations, Selected as one of three students for the Youth Police Action Committee 11th grade, Continued position as Chairperson and Vice President in 11th grade</p>

<p>Athletics:
Fall Fever Fun Run(Age 14-15) Winner, Winner of Rice Invitational-9th grade meet, Varsity Cross Country(9,10,11) and Varsity Track(9,10 because 11th grade track hasn't started yet), District Freshman of the Year, Regional Newcomer of the Year(both for Xcountry),Fall Fever 5K 3rd place in 17 and younger category, 3rd place at Rice Invitational Varsity Meet, Participant in HP Houston Marathon with time of 2 hours 58 minutes, Winner of Rice Invitational 11th grade</p>

<p>Debate:
3rd place finisher at State Qualifying Tournament at Woodlands High School in Cross Examination Debate in 9th grade, University of Houston 5th place overall speaker 10th grade, OctoFinalist at Texas Forensics Association Competition 10th grade, Participant at St.Marks Tournament of Champions 10th grade, State Qualified TFA 11th grade, Participant at Greenhill Tournament of Champions 11th grade</p>

<p>Journalism:
Yearbook Staff Writer 10th grade, Yearbook Editor in Chief 11th grade, Yearbook won Columbia award of Excellence in 2003 and 2004</p>

<p>Latin:
National Latin Exam Summa Cum Laude 9th grade, Junior Classical League Regional Certamen 9th grade, Junior Classical League State Derivatives Overall Winner 9th grade, National Latin Exam Summa Cum Laude 10th grade, Junior Classical League State Geography Overall Winner 10th grade, Recording Secretary of JCL 10th grade, President of JCL 11th grade</p>

<p>Karate:
Joshinmon Karate State Kumite(14-15age group) 1st place in 9th grade, Joshinmon Karate State Kata 1st place,Joshinmon Karate National Kumite(14-15 age group) 3rd place in 9th grade, Joshinmon Karate National Kata 2nd place, Joshinmon Karate International Competition in Japan 4th place Kata, Joshinmon Karate Internationals in Japan 2nd place in Kumite.</p>

<p>Work/Research:
Summer of 10th grade/Beginning of the next school year-Employed by Electrophysiological Practice in Texas Heart Institute to read EKGs, Worked 5 hours daily for 12 weeks. Earned 20 dollars hourly. Attended National You Leadership Forum on Medicine</p>

<p>I'm receiving letters of recommendation from my Latin teacher, my English teacher(student govt. sponsor), and my piano teacher.</p>

<p>Additionally, I'm sending off two supplementary cds to be evaulated. The piano cd has Chopin's minute waltz, Mozart's Variations on Twinkle Twinkle and Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. And the oboe cd has two Telemann Oboe Concerto's and a Handel Oboe Sonata.</p>

<p>I'd really, really appreciate if someone can evaluate my chances for me. Also, I went on a campus visit and REALLY LOVED Yale. I know that's it a frickin' hot school because the numbers from last year were insane. Advice would be WONDERFUL. Thanks so much.</p>

2

<p>My head's spinning</p>

3

<p>mine too</p>

<p>your gpa is a bit low, but you make up for it in that long list of ECs</p>

4

<p>I was an Ivy interviewer, and if you wanted to get into my Ivy because it was a "frickin hot school" with "insane numbers," I would give you the lowest possible score on the 1-9 scale.</p>

<p>I hope you have a far better reason for wanting Yale than that!</p>

<p>Also - way, way, WAY too many ECs. Pick two or three that you are really passionate about. My kids got into top ten schools and left LOTS of ECs OFF the list so they would look focused. I was always extremely suspicious of kids I interviewed who had mile-long resumes.</p>

<p>Finally - where are the music schools on your list? While all "top" schools if prestige isn't the only reason you are applying to them? I am not doubting your interest in that huge list of schools, but you'd have to convince the school that you had something PARTICULAR to give THAT SCHOOL and you weren't just applying for name-brand reasons.</p>

<p>Sorry to be so hard sounding but I interviewed SO MANY kids like you who didn't get in.....just trying to help you focus.</p>

5

<p>Voronwe, wow you were an Ivy interviewer? Would you mind taking a look at my post, here: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=893%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=893&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I'd really appreciate it!</p>

<p>Also, if you don't mind saying, which Ivy league were you an interviewer at?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

6

<p>The comment I was making about Yale was that I was worried that because there are lots of applicants that diminishes chances of admission. Of the extra currics I listed which would you suggest? It's a good idea to focus, and others have been telling me to do exactly that, but I don't feel that any of those I listed were really that weak(not trying to sound arrogant).Any suggestions would be great. Thanks for the advice voronwe</p>

7

<p>Voronwe,
Once again thanks for the info, but I was wondering about some more stuff. Beca use I'm nationally recognized in Piano and Karate should I really hit on that. Additionaly, I've heard that sustained participation in leadership Student Government positions really helps. I went to Yale recently, and was campus interviewed by a professor in the music department. I don't want to only study music in college because that really limits options post school. Piano and Oboe have been like unbelievable (hobbies?) and I honestly believe that I'm not simply doing them to gain admission to college. I started playing at 3 and have kept going because I really love music. I think I'm pretty qualified on the SATs and the ECs but you're right I need to focus. So, I'm thinking Piano/Oboe, Student Government, Latin and Karate. The research was only in the summer so I'm still going to put that as the job experience. What do you think about it now? Thanks a bunch.</p>

8

<p>Thatindiandude - it's EXCELLENT that you went and talked to a Yale professor. Now it's a whole different ballgame: you'd actually have some legitimate reason to want to go to Yale. If I interviewed you and saw that you'd actually done some work - looking specifically into the program - (hey, did you visit their museum of early instruments?) then I would think you really wanted Yale and were not just applying because it was a big name.</p>

<p>And I totally understand about your not wanting to go to a music school --- I just asked because of your awesome record.</p>

<p>Yep, concentrate on music, karate, and government, and good luck!</p>

9

<p>AnuVX, your stats look fine, definitely in the ballpark. But so are a gazillion other people's. You are in the top 3% of your class, but so are...what, is it 60,000 other students (if there are two million is this year's cohort)? So there are no safe bets.
Make sure you apply to some safeties where you'd be happy.</p>

10

<p>Yea, don't go by the if i apply to a zillion reaches i'll at least get into one game, have one sure safety</p>

11

<p>hey anuvx,
are you applying to wharton and the college at penn? or are you applying to jerome fisher or the huntsman. THAT will make a difference.</p>

12

<p>If you love Yale so much then why are you applying early to Harvard? Shouldn't you be applying early to Yale?</p>

13

<p>psh No way go Harvard and go Rag Woot!</p>

14

<p>Hey! Another Oboe player! Nice list of EC's. Really top notch there.</p>

<p>Best of luck with your college app process. You have a great shot everywhere. If you want, you might look into Columbia. It is a great school and NYC has the best music scene in the world.</p>

15

<p>woot go bassoon! Oboe's overrated. Worst double reed ever!!!</p>

16

<p>I have a headache by your list of ECs. No I'm not envy, but If I get a little suspicious, somebody will. My 2 cents and not mean to burst your ego. It's just too many to feel that you are sincerely interested in them. Is your school that easy?</p>

17

<p>Haha Bob...you are just jealous because the oboe gets all the great solos ;).</p>

18

<p>jaug1: I think the OP was accepted and will be attending UPenn this upcoming or the following year.</p>

19

<p>Nah He's a buddy of mine. Oboe sounds like a bagpipe. Thatindian.... is a genious and if anything he's not boasting at all about his stats. He ran the matathon you know. He got into Caltech, UPENN, UVA, UT, and Julliard i think but got waitlisted at Rice and Harvard. So he's going senior year. Anyways Woot Bassoon!</p>

20

<p>Are u kidding Bellaire easy??? That's like the best public school in Texas</p>