Chances for an internation student for Harvard EA & Princeton's ED

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am an international student but attend US high school (4 years). My test scores are not final yet, but I kinda want to have an idea of where I am in the ballpark. I'm a rising senior planning to pursue a career in computer science.</p>

<p>Background (mainly for financial aid purpose):
Nationality: Vietnam
2nd generation to attend college.
My dad works for the Embassy, my mom doesn't work, sister attending graduate school in the Fall.
Income: < $24,000</p>

<p>Academic
Urban public school, average old SAT < 950
Not many people go off to colleges
SAT: 740M, 600V, 630W (taken in March of sophomore year)
Expecting 2200+ in October test
SAT II: 800 M2C
740 US Hist.
720 World Hist.
710 Physics (retaking Physics in November)
GPA: 4.00 Unweighted / 4.3 Weighted
CR: should be 1st in a class of 300+, but school doesn't rank
APs: Calc AB: 5
Calc BC: 5
Comp. Sci AB: 5
US Hist: 5
World Hist: 5
English Lang: 4
Waiting for Physics C, but expecting 4+
Senior Classes: AP English Lit, AP Chem, AP US Gov. AP Comparative Gov, AP Human Geo, and two classes at Georgetown
Most notable achievement: Intel ISEF in 2006</p>

<p>My ECs:
Various math/programming competition and awards
Varsity Ultimate Frisbee (since we don't receive an ounce of support from school, I'm practically the captain/coach/manager)
Captain/Founder of Science Bowl team
Co-Founder of Math Club
Member of Programming team, It's Academic Team, FIRST Robot team
200+ hours of community service (tutoring, library work, teaching)
National Honor Society
Will teach school's AP Comp Sci AB class next year (school won't hire a new teacher)
TA for Physics B/C next year
School Band</p>

<p>Summer activity
04 Tutoring
05 Summer Science Program (chosen as Class Rep.)
06 Coummunity Service, hopefully a research in astronomy.</p>

<p>Teacher recs should be great.</p>

<p>Please be brutally honest. I know the competition among international students is fiercer. Which one will give me the most chance? Harvard or Princeton?</p>

<p>I appreciate any suggestion. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>With your current SAT scores now...no. With your projected score of 2200+, yes, you have hope. Many of my friends with 2200+ SAT, and credentials like yours were rejected/waitlisted (then rejected) from princeton/harvard.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the honest op. I heard international admission is pretty erratic and inconsistent. Is this true?</p>

<p>Any other opinion would be appreciated.</p>

4

<p>Hi, first of all, congratulations on your high grades. It must have been hard for you to learn English and get such high marks. </p>

<p>I think you have a fair chance at the schools you mentioned, but not exceptional. THe reasons are that 1. your SAT score is subpar, 2. you EC's are pretty good but not outstanding. However, if you could raise your SAT scores to 2250+ and wrote superb essays, I am sure you would have a realisitic chance at the schools.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

5

<p>"Will teach school's AP Comp Sci AB class next year (school won't hire a new teacher)"</p>

<p>You -- a high school student --- will be solely in charge of teaching an AP class? If that's the case, then that would be considered an extraordinary EC/job.</p>

6

<p>I definitely will retake the SAT. I took the SAT in my sophomore year, so my English wasn't good back then. And I didn't really prepare back then. I hope I will do much better in the SAT in October.</p>

<p>And that's true that I will teach an AP class next year, however along with one of my classmates. We both got 5 in our AP exams. There will be a teacher sitting in the room, but mainly for the purpose of keeping order.</p>

<p>Thanks guys for opinions. I really appreciate it.</p>