Chances for Cornell, Tufts, JHU, WashU, CMU, and Northwestern? Thanks.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys college apps are up and coming and I, a rising senior, just wanted to see where I stand for some of my more reach choices here. I might be thinking to ED Tufts or Cornell. I know you guys must deal with a lot of these worthless and insecure What Are My Chances? threads that make the poster feel good/brag about themselves and have others want to crawl into a hole and die at the mere holy sight of the billions of accomplishments. Believe me when I say I really just want some help to see where I stand. I've been really lost as to where I am with my stats so I come to you benevolent gods in search of salvation. It's just that nowadays you see these monsters on CC chance threads with accomplishments (own companies, research publications, cured cancer, 2500, etc) that many people would die for and it's a bit nerve-wracking to see other CCers turn the monsters' college lists into reaches. I know my scores and accomplishments may not all be up to the schools' standards but with all the uncertainty of a holistic selection process, there might be a slight chance. Thanks guys.

WEIGHTED GPA (out of 5): 4.88

CLASS RANK (new rank will be out beginning senior year but I expect this to either stay or move up 1 or 2): 14/363

AP (Soph): APUSH [4]
AP (Junior): Chemistry [5], World History [5], English Language and Composition [5]
AP (Senior): Physics C, English Literature, Microeconomics, Spanish, Psychology, BC Calculus

Course load included a variety of all honors classes as well

SAT (Will be retaking in Oct and ACT this Sept): 2190 (670 CR/780 M/740 W)

SAT II: Math II [780], Chem [800], US History [720 will not send], Biology [730 will not send], Physics [690 will retake with math II (maybe) for dat 800]

VOLUNTEER ~300 hr
-Peer Tutor
-Chinese School Badminton Teacher Assistant
-NHS/other clubs Service Opportunities
-Assistant Badminton Coach for my local club’s training program
-Translator for Asian Senior Citizens

-Raised Awareness/Funds for Colony Collapse Disorder of Bees

SUMMERS
-Boston Leadership Institute Green Chemistry Research Program 2015
-Badminton Training Camps/Assistant Coach

-Annual Trips to China to connect with family/culture/visit an orphanage and donate

AWARDS
-AP Scholar with Honor
-Science Olympiad Scrambler Event Second Place
-Multiple Regional Badminton Tournaments 1st 2nd 3rd place
-Principal’s List

-National Honors Society

WORK
-Currently work at my local badminton club as the receptionist/desk manager
-Summer around 22 hrs/wk
-School around 12 hrs/wk

-Clean courts, manage sales, offer recommendations, handle transactions, enter data, check up on sign ins and memberships, etc

ECs
-our high school Badminton Club [Founder/Manager]
-Captain of our high school’s Badminton Team (I take the team to an annual regional high school tournament)
-our HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) chapter [Co-President]
-National Honors Society
-Global Learning Initiative (Awareness Club)
-Red Cross
-Gives Back (Volunteer Club)
-Freshman/Varsity Math Team
-Spanish Honors Society
-Science National Honors Society (Lab-focused club)
-Science Olympiad
-Peer Tutoring
-Asian Senior Citizen Translation (Meet once a week to help teach necessary English phrases/concepts)
-Asian Culture Club (Discussion about cultures)

Outside of School:
-Art Studio (3 years)
-Chinese School (Have been going for 11 years)
-Competitive Badminton (Regularly train under coach and play tournaments. Went to Lake Placid Olympic Center once for a week training)

-Work

RECs/Essay
Counselor: Idk have to make an appointment to catch up but probably 7/10 at best
Honors Physics Teacher: 8.5/10 Would usually talk to him about science stuff after class/he is one of SciOly coaches
AP Chemistry Teacher: 9/10 Knows me/admires my character a lot
AP English Teacher: 7.5/10 at best idk but he really liked me as a student in his class

Essay: Would it be a good idea for the common app essay to connect whatever topic one is writing about with his/her intended major? My writing is good but I feel like it may be cliche/boring to write about my experiences in badminton and how it molded me to think/act the way I do. Perhaps something about the recent Tianjin explosion (I wasn't too close to it only 12 miles away) or something completely random like about my transformer toys to show that I'm "unique"

OTHER
Gender: Male
Race: Asian
Income Bracket: ~200,000
Intended Major: Engineering (Chemical)
Weaknesses: Being Asian Middle Class male, SAT could be better, No “research internships” or major awards
Hooks: sorry

2

bumpo

3

I think your stats could fit into any of those schools. And any of those schools will have thousands of aps very similar to yours. Important to tell your story and reveal how you think. Your knowledge of each school and ability to explain why you think it would be the right place for you, and what you will bring to that school’s community is going to be important. Engage each school, each admissions rep for your area, dig into their websites, course listings, institutional goals, and express how you would thrive and give back to each school. You will have lots of good choices. You will likely not receive financial aid at any of these schools, however your would likely qualify for aid/scholarships at different schools. If your goals include engineering grad school, you may wish to go somewhere more affordable for undergrad. You’ll do well.

4

Try taking some subject tests and getting a higher sat score. Then your chances will increase

5

@Joemalia -OP has already taken 5 subject tests. A retake of the SAT is in order, but that’s about it.

OP: The chances that a college would reject you with 780 in Math II and 800 in Chem, but accept you with a retake of math, are roughly equivalent to the odds of your being struck by lightning on the way to mail your application. I’d suggest you skip the retake rather than risk a drop in your score, and focus on the SAT I.

6

Assuming you retake the SAT for a 2250+, I would say that Tufts and WashU are matches (I would put Cornell as a match, but you never know with the Ivies) and the rest are reaches. You have as good of a shot as anyone else, so good luck.

7

All the badminton EC’s are good. While you’re certainly a qualified applicant for all schools on the list, it’s going to be tough to get into all of them besides Tufts and WashU. If you have your heart set somewhere, apply ED there. Like others have said, you have to get your SAT score up.

As an Asian male who wants to go into Engineering and does science and badminton, the odds are stacked against you. Use your essay to prove you’re not just a stereotype–this doesn’t mean don’t write about badminton, necessarily, but write about it in a different way and not just the typical “practicing sports showed me the value of hard work” or something.

Best of luck.

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Sorry I guess I was really tired as didn’t see your subject test sites nice job!

9

Thanks everybody!

10

I don’t believe you can choose which tests you submit or not. They see them all.

You possibly could get in or be rejected at all those schools. What are your safeties?

11

@ClarinetDad16 among them include BU, Northeastern, WPI, and Umass Amherst

12

I would not consider Northeastern to be a safety. If you look at their decisions thread here on CC many students with superior stats to yours were denied. Some of whom admitted in their posts that they had thought Northeastern to be a safety. WPI may not be a safety either.