Chances for Canadian @ Top American Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<p>Myself: Canadian/White/Male, Public High School.
Prospective Major: C.S. or Engineering
GPA: 4.0/4.0, Avg. 94.3%
Rank: 12/316
SATI: Math 750 / Writing 800 / Reading 800
SATII: MathIC 740 / Chem 760 / Phys 800
ACT: 33</p>

<p>Extracurricular Info:
Amnesty International President
Golf Team
Yearbook Editor
Part Time Job/Junior Manager
Robotics Team
Chemistry Club
Debate Team President
Jazz Band
Senior Band</p>

<p>AWARDS:
Several Debate Team Awards
Robotics, 3rd place in National Competition
Several Placings on Golf Team
3rd place in Electrathon Electric Vehicle Competition
Some University Junior Engineering awards
Several Distric Wide Music Awards</p>

<p>My school doesn't have honors courses and only offers AP in 2 subjects (History, calc).</p>

<p>I still have time to improve my stats (Gr11). What things would you suggest I improve?</p>

<p>I would like to know my chances at some top American schools (Stanford, CalTech, Harvard, Yale, NYU).</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

2

<p>do you get preference because you are canadian?</p>

3

<p>With your really strong SATs, SAT2s, class rank, and GPA, you should have no problem getting into NYU. Stanford, CalTech, Harvard, and Yale are, however, a different story. These schools are very, very selective, and although your current stats would put you at or close to the 75th percentile in their applicant pools, you'd still be competing with thousands of kids with stats like yours. With that said, I think your ECs, particularly your national robotics and electric vehicle awards should help. Figure, with your stats and ECs, you probably have a better than average chance of being accepted. Let's call it 25 to 30%. (Average, by the way, is around 10%.)</p>

<p>By the way, have you considered Carnegie Mellon for CS or engineering? Outside of MIT and CIT, it's one of the top schools for those disciplines in the US.</p>

4

<p>CIT IS carnegie mellon... Caltech is California Institute of Technology</p>

5

<p>Maybe. I thought that CIT was California Institute of Technology. CMU was Carnegie Mellon University.</p>

6

<p>amptron is right...dooit, how do you figure CIT translates to Carnegie Mellon? CMU=Carnegie Mellon, CIT=Cal. Institute of Technology.</p>

<p>I think you stand as good a chance as anyone. I wouldn't be surprised if you got into at least one of the four superselective schools.</p>

7

<p>CIT = Carnegie Institute of Technology which merged to form Carnegie Mellon. Caltech is never referred to as CIT...</p>

8

<p>then i wonder why when u type in "cit caltech" on google, you get sites referring caltech as cit. even the caltech site itself...</p>

<hr>

<p>a d m i s s i o n c h a n c e s . c o m</p>

9

<p>So does anyone think I have a chance at these schools? And what things should I improve to better my chances? I have to say that it doesnt seem like anyone is ever a 'match' for the ivies.</p>

10

<p>Just apply, what's the worst that can happen? You get rejected and you're in the same boat you're in now. (minus the application fees :p)</p>

11

<p>I know, but what do you guys think would improve my chances? I could improve my sat's, and maybe try for a higher average in 3rd term of grade 11, and maybe some more ec's...</p>

12

<p>canucklehead -</p>

<p>Don't drive yourself nuts. You already are a very competetive candidate for Stanford, CalTech, Harvard, Yale etc. Really. SATs at 2350, ACTs at 33, Physics SAT2 at 800, Chem at 760, top 5% in your class. You're already in with the best of them...</p>

<p>Basically, what you need to do is keep up the good work. Raise your grades if you can. Improve your class rank maybe. Don't bother taking the SATs again. Statistically, there's no diffence between a 2400 and a 2350 (and 2350 is already a head turning score). You may want to try to do something impressive over the summer in your area of interest. I don't know - an internship perhaps or maybe there's some kind of prestigous program you can get involved in. </p>

<p>I also suggest you start looking closely at the colleges you might want to go to now. Make sure they have the programs you want, the environment you want, the kind of campus you want etc. Don't just go with the name. Find out which schools fit you. Visit them if you can. And start the application process early, so you can do it a little at a time. (I admit, I didn't, and it was way stressful.) Finally, even if your heart is set on MIT (or whatever), make sure you apply to less selective matches and safeties. As I said in my first post, you probably have a 30% chance of getting into a school like MIT - about three times the average applicant - but it's not a sure thing. In fact, nothing you can do will make it a sure thing. Plan accordingly.</p>

13

<p>Wow amazing how some idiots on this board just don't get it.</p>

<p>To the OP: sorry for hijacking your thread. If you applied now, I'd say you get rejected by them all. Do some ECs that reflect your passion, something only you know about.</p>

14

<p>BUMP</p>

<p>Maybe some more advice?</p>

15

<p>The most important thing for you to add is national recognition. You want to major in Engineering and a lot of the people appying to MIT, Stanford etc have been Intel Science Talent Search Finalists, Siemens Westinghouse Finalists, etc. I dont know if Canada has equivalents of that but I know Canada sends a group of 12-15 to Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Something like that would make you competitive with the American applicants who have done it (and there's a lot). At least try to make it to the Canadian National Science Fair or something... I dunno what else to suggest... everything else on your resume is incredible...you're definetly going to have a great shot!!!! And apply to McGill as a safety or U of T. You never know whats going to happen when you apply to ivies so its nice to have a back up plan. Good luck though! Where in Canada are you from?</p>