Chances EA at Stanford? (and others)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Background:
Hispanic male (Colombian)
New Jersey
competitive public school</p>

<p>psat's:
223 which may qualify me for national merit scholar (the past years in nj the cutoff has been about 219)</p>

<p>sat's:
math-760
critical reading-760
writing-790
total-2310</p>

<p>sat ii's:
math ii-800
chem-650</p>

<p>weighted cum gpa:
after freshman-4.26
after sophomore-4.04
after junior-4.02</p>

<p>and A is 4.3, A- is 4.0 so i'm in between</p>

<p>Freshman year I took regular English because I didn't qualify for honors, and took honors geometry and honors physical science. I also took 4 semesters of academic electives instead of study halls.</p>

<p>Sophomore year I took honors English, honors Algebra 2/Trig, and honors bio instead of AP bio. I took 4 semesters of academic electives.</p>

<p>This year I'm took AP chem, honors english instead of ap, and honors pre calc. I took a year of study hall and an year of academic electives.</p>

<p>Every year I took regular history (I didn't qualify for AP last year and you must take AP sophomore year to take AP this year) and regular Spanish (no AP or honors offered). I'm in Spanish 5 this year. I've been taking Journalism every year and will be in Journalism IV next year.</p>

<p>Next year I will have AP Physics, AP Calc A/B, AP Stat, and AP English. I will be not be taking history. I will continue to take academic electives, including an independent study film study class that a friend and I designed ourselves.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Lacrosse-4 years
Newspaper-4 years (copy-editor this year and maybe editor next year)
Drama Club-2 years
Involved in 4 productions
3 Math competitions each year for 4 years
People to People Student Ambassador 1 summer</p>

<p>I had an after-school job in the fall junior year and a summer job this summer. I've worked as a soccer ref every weekend in the fall and spring since 8th grade.</p>

<p>Top 15% in my school. (We don't do exact rank)</p>

<p>Please reply and help me. If necessary I can get more info (specific grades, more info about my school, etc.)</p>

<p>I'm thinking of applying early action to Stanford. I am also thinking about applying to Amherst, Brown (visiting in a couple of weeks), Dartmouth, Lafayette, Lehigh, Pomona, and USC.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Are you going to take another SAT II? While your hispanic status will definitely help you, I think you should retake the SAT II or take it in another subject.</p>

<p>Are you in Varsity lacrosse? Also, what kind of leadership positions have you held? </p>

<p>Based on the information that you listed, Stanford will be a high-match for you.</p>

<p>I think you definitely have a chance at Brown though.</p>

3

<p>You have very good chances. At first I didn't notice your URM status and was still going to tell you you had a good shot. I think you are probably in the top quarter of the applicant pool. Good luck.</p>

4

<p>yeah i'm retaking the chem sat ii and i'm taking us history sat ii. i forgot to mention that.</p>

<p>i'm on varsity lacrosse but i'm not great. i'm just a backup player.</p>

<p>the only leadership positions i have held are as copy editor of the paper this year and whatever role i have next year on the paper.</p>

<p>what about my chances at other schools?</p>

5

<p>I think you're probably in everywhere else. Amherst might be a little tight, but I think you'll make it.</p>

6

<p>isn't pomona just as hard to get into as amherst?</p>

7

<p>Sorry I stopped looking after I saw Lafayette and Lehigh. nactor is correct.</p>

8

<p>slightly better than 50% chance of getting in early at stanford</p>

9

<p>what about my chances at the others?</p>

10

<p>
[quote]

slightly better than 50% chance of getting in early at stanford

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I wonder how it's possible for that statistic to be derived or verified.</p>

11

<p>It's just an estimate. I think all of the percentages on WAMC threads implicitly begin with IMO (no not the math contest ;))</p>

12

<p>any estimates for my chances at the other schools?</p>

13

<p>my college counselor said that applying early to stanford probably won't help me and i should only do it if i am prepared to accept being rejected before christmas as they very rarely defer people and so she suggested i wait and apply regular decision to include my first quarter grades</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
i should only do it if i am prepared to accept being rejected before christmas

[/quote]

Your counselor doesn't really pull any punches does she?</p>

15

<p>Prepared to be rejected before Christmas? So pessimistic . . . . isn't the SCEA acceptance rate higher anyway? Based on information you have, do what you think would help you most. I think you should go SCEA, myself (partially because you have the stats and the hook, and partially because I don't want you in the same pool as I am :P)</p>

<p>Oh wait . . . you're in the class of 08, not 07. Never mind.</p>

16

<p>i am in the class of 07</p>

<p>she said i had like a 50/50 chance so if i applied early i had to be prepared to have that chance of being rejected right before christmas. there is also the chance of it being a great christmas gift acceptance.</p>