Chances for a Texan girl with Ivy dreams?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I've been lurking on here for a while, and I must admit am getting intimidated since everyone here seems to have pages and pages of extracurricular activities, and I... don't. But, I would be eternally grateful if you could chance me anyway. :)</p>

<p>Schools I am interested in:
U. Texas at Austin (definitely applying-automatic admission)
U. North Texas (automatic admission, not sure if I'll apply)
Columbia
Harvard
Vassar
NYU
UC - Berkeley
Pomona College</p>

<p>(Oh, and I'm planning to be an English major with maybe a minor in Psychology :) )</p>

<p>About Me:
Senior (Class of '11), Texas resident, white female, born in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, heritage is 100% Bosnian. (Asset?)
Income: $120-180k, Mom and her husband</p>

<p>Stats:
GPA: 3.98 UW (darn that B in Biology!)
Rank: 2/~800
SAT: 2240 (720 CR, 730 M, 780 W, 10 essay)
ACT: 35 (35 E, 33 M, 35 R, 35 S, 10 essay)
Subject tests: taking US History, Math II and Chem in October
AP exams: 5's on Calc AB, US History, Lang/Comp, Stat; 4 on World History
Senior Courseload:
-AP Literature
-AP Chemistry
-AP Psychology
-AP Government & Economics
-AP Music Theory
-Varsity Choir
-Show Choir</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Well, the only thing I've really been involved with at my school is Choir, which I'll be a part of for all four years. I've been in Varsity for three years, and will be in Show Choir this year (the first year I'm able to). Regrettably, I haven't done All-Region or UIL Solo/Ensemble because I never had a ride (my mom works pretty late and I still don't have my license). Possible essay topic?
I am hoping to join Creative Writing Club this year because I will finally be able to drive myself home from school. XD And maybe the Democrats club if we have it this year.
Not in NHS and have no volunteer experience that I can think of. :/ My summers are usually busy with vacations (we go back to Bosnia every few years) and summer reading.
I do, however, play guitar and piano in my spare time, moderately well. :)
I was thinking of putting "tutoring" and "pet sitter" as well since I do help my friends with homework (a LOT), and we did have a cat. XD Thoughts?</p>

<p>I am not entirely sure what I want in a college, because I love the small-class-size feel of Liberal Arts schools, but as a Texan I'm a huuge football (read: Longhorn) fan. And a lot of classes at Texas are less than 30 people. So. I don't know. I'd love some outside input. :)</p>

<p>-Lea</p>

2

<p>A few things first. Not having a ride to choir is NOT a hook, so don’t really talk about it because you’ll sound silly. Also, I’m not sure how having a cat changes anything (I mean I have 2 dogs, does that give me an edge?) Except for that, your GPA looks great as do your test scores. It’s hard to chance completely with your SAT 2s. Good luck.</p>

<p>Chance me: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/957028-chance-please.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/957028-chance-please.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Alrighty, thanks for the advice. :slight_smile: Re: SAT IIs, I’m thinking around 700-750s based on my past abilities with those subjects, and I think I’m a good test taker.</p>

<p>I really don’t know enough to chance you, so sorry! D:</p>

4

<p>Oh, just remembered UIL. XD I fail.
Ready Writing (3rd place at an invitational), Literary Criticism, and Science.</p>

5

<p>To be honest I would be surprised if you got into any Ivy league school. (Your extracurriculars are almost nill except for Choir which alone won’t help you much). That being said, I think you would get into Rice (A girl at my school with lower stats than yours got into via Choir), Duke and maybe Carnegie. </p>

<p>As for your list of schools, you’ll probably get into all of them except Columbia and Harvard. You more or less are an “academic square”. But you are a woman which puts you at a slight advantage (IMO anyways). Definitely apply to Rice though.</p>

6

<p>It’ll be tough, but don’t listen to them. My friend is going to Harvard next year with almost the exact same stats, 3.995 36 ACT 2130 SAT a full set of 800 SAT II’s and only choir as an EC, of course, Harvard was the only school he got in to, even his safety(U Mich) turned him down (probably because of his late decision to apply and the rolling policy). Make sure you send in a tape, if you are that good at choir. Also, UC-Berkeley is really expensive for OOS, just an FYI, that’s why I am not applying.</p>

7

<p>Seriously, guys. Harvard won’t happen with the only ec as choir. Duke, cm, and rice are NOT easy schools to get into either. With your academics, you will stand somewhat of a better chance, but not really just because in order to get into Harvard you must shine in academics as well as ECs.</p>

8

<p>I didn’t really read all of your stats, but since you have automatic admission to UT, I don’t understand why you’re applying to UNT. (I live on campus there). It’s really prestigious for music majors, but not much else. I’m not bashing it, but given the choice, I wouldn’t go to college here. I would much prefer UT over UNT.</p>

<p>Join some stuff senior year besides show choir, but not just for resume fodder. Do solo and ensemble. :)</p>

9

<p>Thank you for the support, tcwest2012! :slight_smile: Where else did your friend apply? Did he send a tape? You’re right, Berkeley is a bit pricey and doesn’t have the right program for me. :)</p>

<p>Actually, Rice doesn’t really do it for me. I don’t like Houston that much, haha.</p>

<p>Potterpie, I used to want to go to UNT and major in music, I guess that’s why it’s still on my list. It’s my safety safety school, in case anything goes horribly wrong with UT. And,a lot of my friends who don’t have automatic admission are applying there. :slight_smile: I think doing solo & ensemble this year is a great idea. </p>

<p>But, thank you all for your input. I guess I’m not too attached to Harvard really, but I’ll probably still apply just to see what happens. Because I am stubborn. xD</p>

10

<p>I don’t know if he sent a tape, but he is a great vocalist. He got denied at MIT, Yale, and University of Michigan and waitlisted at Princeton and Columbia. You never know when you apply, college admissions are really random.</p>

11

<p>Wow, that’s crazy. I guess we’ll just see what happens.(:</p>

12

<p>The better essay topic would be how you figured out how to get places on your own while your classmate were being driven by parents-and of course won once you got there- that’s the kind of determination Harvard seeks.</p>

13

<p>I won’t say any of those are high reaches. The CC community has people who have tons of ECs and all, but I know a lot of people who aren’t as well of as you are, and they still got into Ivies. You might get into Harvard; who knows. The fact that your rank is 2/800 is pretty impressive, and in some schools in my area, that factors in a lot. There was one kid I knew who had a 99.9 GPA in high school, but he didn’t take any AP’s, nor did he participate in any ECs or anything, and he got into Harvard. But then again, it was a run-down zone school. I know one other person, who, according to other students, cheated his way throughout high school, had around a 95 UW GPA, had decent ECs, and got into ALL of the Ivies. But then again, he received race-based affirmative action. LOL you won’t get that b/c you are a Bosniak. But you never know. Colleges like diversity and eccentricity, and they can look at other things that you wish to divulge (i.e. orphan, refugee status, veteran, etc.).</p>

<p>I know that this might come as shocking to CCers but that’s the truth. The application process is extremely subjective. Sometimes, an essay might be enough to compel someone to accept you.</p>