Chances at Top Tier of Colleges? Chance me!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I would like to become a surgeon (neuro) and work with music therapy to improve conditions for people affected with Alzheimer's. As a pianist of 11 years, I love music and wouldn't give it up for the world and that's what I want to take with me when I enter the career field... </p>

<p>In order of priority to me, these are the colleges I'd like to attend:
Columbia University
Vassar College
Stanford University
Claremont McKenna College
UNC: Chapel Hill
University of Chicago
Northwestern University
Duke University</p>

<p>Junior Courses:
-IB History of the Americas HL
-IB English A1 HL
-IB Biology HL
-IB Spanish B SL
-IB Math SL
-Marching band
-Concert Band (Mandatory for MB section leaders)
-Spanish 4 H
-Econ/Gov H (Summer)
-Humanities H (Summer)
-AP Calc BC (Summer)</p>

<p>Senior Courses:
-IB History of the Americas HL
-IB English A1 HL
-IB Biology HL
-IB Physics SL
-Marching band
-AP Chemistry
-AP Spanish -- Spanish 6 H
-Human Physiology</p>

<p>Class Rank:
2 of 576</p>

<p>Weighted GPA:
-Projected 4.62/5</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA:
-4.0</p>

<p>TESTING:
-PSAT---204----CR 63, M 72, W 69
-SAT II: Math 2 (710) Biology M (730) Spanish (720)
-SAT: 2150 M(730) CR(720) Writing(720)</p>

<p>(Extracurricular & Superlatives Activities)
-Scholar's Bowl team captain [2 year]
-NHS, President [2 years]
-Spanish Honor Society, Vice-President [4 years]
-Varsity cross country [4 years ]
-Men's choir ensemble [4 years]
-Track [2 years]
-Piano Ensemble & Solo: Superior [4 years]
-Academic letter, music letter, athletic letter
-Invited to perform at Peoria Honor Band in front of city hall, 1 of 5 percussionists selected to perform of 12,000 eligible students.
-Superior for Arizona Piano Study Program through level 6</p>

<p>Community Outreach:
-Raised $4000 for mosquito nets for the prevention of malaria in Uganda
-Team captain for relay for life raising $4000 total
-Pediatric ER Outreach: 200+ hours of working 1 on 1 with patients and families to help alleviate the stress, make them more comfortable, and interact so kids know their treatments aren't stressful.
-Hear us Here: After 11 years of piano I decided I didn't want to give up on music so my friend and I started a new program at our school. We'll be visiting assisted living homes to perform and entertain the elderly with live music. Research has been conducted to show that music therapy and interaction stunts memory lose, can improve emotional therapy and improves happiness in general.</p>

<p>I chose not to read my teacher and counselor recommendations, and my essays aren't immaculate but are some of the most passionate pieces I've written which personally means a better essay.</p>

<p>Demographics:
-Asian male from Arizona. </p>

<p>Let me know what you think!</p>

2

<p>Anyone have some feedback?</p>

3

<p>Your extracurriculars are very, very strong, but your SAT scores are holding you back. In general, you should aim for 750+ on SAT IIs for the Ivies+S+M, and 2250+ on the SAT. If you’re still a junior, I would suggest retaking the tests. Your chances as they stand now:</p>

<p>Columbia University - low reach
Vassar College - match
Stanford University - reach
Claremont McKenna College - match
UNC: Chapel Hill - match
University of Chicago - reach
Northwestern University - match
Duke University - low reach</p>

4

<p>Retake standardized tests if you can. Doing so will really strengthen your application. Strong ECs. You’ll have a very good shot if you can get your SAT above 2250 and SAT II above 750 in all subjects.</p>

<p>Columbia University - low reach
Vassar College - high match
Stanford University - big reach
Claremont McKenna College - match
UNC: Chapel Hill - match
University of Chicago - reach
Northwestern University - low-reach
Duke University - reach</p>

5

<p>Thanks, I’m a junior so am retaking my SAT’s in March. Anyone else have any feedback?</p>

6

<p>Can some more people chance me?</p>

7

<p>rkanan, I’m kind of confused why Columbia is a “low reach” and Stanford is a “high reach”. Could you explain that? Or is it possible that that’s an entirely perception-based, arbitrary system of ranking?</p>

8

<p>I personally think you have very good chances at all of those schools. Even with a slightly low SAT I score, I really like the balance between the three sections (I always think top tier colleges prefer well-roundedness). </p>

<p>As for Columbia and Stanford, it’s always hard to say. But you certainly are a strong applicant!</p>

9

<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about your SAT scores. ECs are worth a lot, and you’ve got great ones. Im sure to give a more accurate “chance me” response you’d have to look into what each individual college values. Stanford, for example, doesn’t care too much about the SAT score (much more emphasis on ECs). </p>

<p>Columbia University - reach
Vassar College - match
Stanford University - reach
Claremont McKenna College - match
UNC: Chapel Hill - match
University of Chicago - reach
Northwestern University - match
Duke University - low reach</p>

10

<p>You definitely have a very solid application. And Jesus, so many courses Junior year? Why’d you take three intense summer course like that? That would kill me:)
Your extracurriculars are clearly your strong point, not so much that you’ve done anything really ridiculous, but more the fact that you have such passion for them. It would’ve been a great idea to get some additional recs from people who have worked with you in those areas. You could probably even manage to send one in right now.
Your GPA is also excellent, but I think your SATs might be a little borderline for an ORM. However, I’m sure passionate essays would more than make up for that.</p>

<p>Vassar should be a pretty easy in. I think you’ll have an excellent shot at Claremont, UChic, Duke and Northwestern while Stanford and Columbia will be reaches (Bank on your essays for Stanford). UNC is a crapshoot, they heavily favor in-state students, so you really can’t predict it. Lots of luck!</p>

<p>Care to chance back a fellow Arizonan? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1276395-post-application-chances-top-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1276395-post-application-chances-top-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>Thanks for the feedback. I’m taking prep classes to try and improve my scores but from 179 - 204 from soph to junior year on PSAT and now 2150, is it realistic to expect another increase?</p>

12

<p>@livesformusic: It’s very realistic to expect an increase on your SAT from 2150. I took it once and got a 2160; and then I studied for about a week over thanksgiving break (first time I studied) and brought it right up to a 2350. The blue book is the best for practice, I took about 8 intermittently and then took the test.</p>

13

<p>@hkobb7:</p>

<p>2 things I have to clarify here, and thanks for bringing it up. First is that I made a typing mistake and didn’t really mean to say Columbia as “low-reach”. I meant to say “reach”. Thanks for pointing that out, and sorry for the confusion (was copying xquicksilverx’s list and re-editing the chances). 2nd is I believe Stanford to be more difficult to get in than Columbia, that’s why Stanford is a high reach.</p>

14

<p>Ahh that makes more sense, thanks :slight_smile: How much does being alumni to a college help? And if my mom has a degree and my dad didn’t go to college do I still count as first generation?</p>

15

<p>@rkanan It just seemed odd that an Ivy (and Columbia, of all of them!) would be a low ANYTHING! I understand why there could be a distinction between CU and Stanford, though. In response to lives4music, being a legacy isn’t really a huge deal unless your parents are very involved donors or well-known alumni. Being a first-generation student would be a much bigger deal, but as your mother has a degree, I don’t see it. Sorry about that! Your application wouldn’t hinge on those things anyway, as you’ve solid ECs and grades. Your test scores leave a tad to be desired, but these are by no means the end-all of admissions. That said, I’d give a retake a shot and try to get each section above 750, if you can (Blue Book study as prescribed by Silver Turtle is VERY helpful). Best of luck!</p>