Chances for Good Stats, so-so ECs for incoming senior

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>User Name: geofreak
Gender: F
Location: Northern California
College Class Year: 2014
High School: Public
High School Type: sends some grads to top schools
Will apply for financial aid: Yes</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>GPA - Unweighted: 4.00
GPA - Weighted: 4.35
Class Rank: valedictorian (unless for some reason my grades drop senior year, which, if I have anything to do with it, won't happen)
Class Size: 500ish
Since I'm from CA, I qualify for ELC
APs: English Lang (5), US History (5), Stats (5), Environmental Science (5), Spanish (4). Will take Lit, Micro/Macro Econ, Calc AB and Bio senior year</p>

<p>I have taken pretty much the most rigorous schedule offered at my school. I've taken/will be taking this year all but one of the APs offered.</p>

<p>Scores:
SAT I Total: 2320
SAT I Math: 720
SAT I Critical Reading: 800
SAT I Writing: 800
SAT II U.S. History: 800
Will take Lit and Bio-E in October. Scores should be in mid-to-upper 700s, unless I mess up for some reason.
Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Significant Extracurriculars:
Academic Decathlon (9-12)
Piano (13 years, including all 4 years of high school. I've gotten a level 6 Certificate of Merit and done some volunteer performances.)
Key Club (9-12)
CSF (9-12)
Math Steeplechase (local problem-solving competition, 9-10)
Newspaper (10, tiny staff of about 7, was writing as many as 5 lengthy articles an issue and put in lots of hours on layout; could have been editor, but quit because I realized that it was not something that I enjoyed, and the adviser was horrible. I did it originally because I was considering journalism as a career for a while.)</p>

<p>Leadership positions: Academic Decathlon co-captain (11) and captain (12)</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: ~200 hours of mostly library and hospital work</p>

<p>Honors and Awards:
Academic Decathlon-county winning team past 3 years, 3rd place team at state(in a lower division), highest-scoring individual on my team at state past 3 years, highest scoring individual at county past two years, state medals (gold in language and literature and in speech, bronze in social science and interview), over 20 medals cumulatively over the years at the county level.
Wordmasters National Honors
Governor Schwarzenegger's Academic Recognition Award
AP Scholar w/ Distinction
National Merit (likely) Commended</p>

<p>Essay and Recs should be good. My teachers really seem to believe that I am an excellent student. I'll be writing my essay on Academic Decathlon, since that has become my passion in high school.</p>

<p>On that note, I'd like to point out that I am lacking in ECs in sheer number simply because AcaDec demands so much of my time. I'm from CA, where even in the lower divisions the competition demands a lot of your time if you are going to win anything at all. At my school, this is not a class like it is in some areas, and it falls on the captain to do pretty much everything, from fundraising, to planning studying, writing tests (we don't buy these because we are very poorly funded by the school and it's a way to save money), running review sessions, etc. It almost feels like I am teaching a class sometimes. However, I have become extremely passionate about this program, mostly because it allows me to explore a breadth of of subject areas, yet delve deep into one main theme. I LOVE how it brings out the nerd culture in my high school (I'm the type that got so into the Civil War topic that around competition time I started belting Dixie where ever I went) and creates a feeling of community among those who are often socially awkward because the other kids can't accept the "uncool" factor of loving school. It allows me to embrace my love of knowledge and share that with others. I could go on and on about this, but I think you get the picture...</p>

<p>So, now. How about some chances?
UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara
UC San Diego
UC Berkeley
Scripps
Pomona
Stanford</p>

<p>OH, I want to be a Bio major, by the way.
Also, any non-CA schools that you think that would be a good match for me??? Nobody around here seems to be able to give me much info, since most kids at my school are very west-coast oriented.</p>

2

<p>wow your academics are very good and your ECAs DO have substance. Thats all that matters…</p>

3

<p>Very good stats, and your ECs are quite strong I’d say. Match at Berkeley, reach at Stanford, in everywhere else.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/758832-chances-i-begin-my-apps.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/758832-chances-i-begin-my-apps.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Incredible states and ECs, agreed with Secret Asian Man that you have a great chance at all of the schools, minus Stanford, which you have a great chance, nonetheless.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/746334-what-my-chances-these-liberal-arts-colleges-others.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/746334-what-my-chances-these-liberal-arts-colleges-others.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Anyone else? Any suggestions for more good matches for me?</p>

6

<p>I think you should apply to a couple more reaches, unless you are satisfied with those schools.</p>

7

<p>you have incredible stats. like nwdivision suggested, you could apply to a couple more reaches if you wanted. you ECs are good, you have leadership, and have a good number of community service hours. I would say do a good job on the Bio SAT II b/c you want to be a Bio major. You are matches at all your schools. However, to get into schools like Stanford, it also requires some luck too. All you can do now is just right a good essay and have good recs.</p>

<p>Chance me back
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/761016-chance-me-duke-emory-ivies.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/761016-chance-me-duke-emory-ivies.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>Wow, you are in at all of those schools except maybe Stanford.</p>

9

<p>Agree with what everyone said! Great chances</p>

10

<p>Awesome stats! And your ECs sound fairly strong to me, actually. They all show commitment and a passion for learning and excellence (especially your newspaper and AcDec stories). And it’s generally said that colleges–especially the top ones–don’t like you just having a “laundry list” of ECs you joined just to put on your college app. On all of the apps I’ve seen, they only let you put 5-7 of your most important commitments anyway. So if you’re able to write a great essay and convey your passion for learning and achievement, I think you’ll do really well. :)</p>

<p>Now, I’m not all-knowing here, so don’t take just my word on this. Lol. But my opinion is that with your amazing stats/ECs/essays, plus the fact that you’re a CA resident, you should be an in for all of your CA schools (except for Stanford, but that’s a reach for everybody, of course. Lol).</p>

<p>Have you considered applying to any of the Ivies? I know it’s not good to apply just because of the name, but all eight have unique personalities, and I’m sure you could find one that you personally like. And one non-Ivy that I’d recommend (although I might regret this, considering you’d become competition for me… Lol) is the University of Chicago. Everything I’ve heard about UChicago is always centered around its students’ love of learning for the sake of learning. Based on what you said about AcDec, it sounds like you’d fit in really well there. :)</p>

<p>And by the way, I just want to say: I really appreciated your words about Academic Decathlon. Your dedication really shows, and I hope that the experience serves you well when you put it on your apps. I TOTALLY agree with what you said. I’m one of those nerdy kids who loves learning too, and I’m so incredibly grateful that I was able to meet people I could connect with in the class. I don’t know where I’d be today if I hadn’t joined, but I do know that I would be a much less confident person and much worse public speaker. Haha.</p>

<p>Anyway, good luck on your college apps! And I’d definitely recommend UChicago. Who knows, if we’re lucky, maybe we’ll see each other there next year… Haha. :)</p>

<p>Thanks for chancing me, btw!</p>

11

<p>I think you have a great chance at Stanford too since you’re from CA. Everything seems good, definitely apply to some other ivies though, you need more reaches.</p>

12

<p>haha “so-so” ec’s?</p>

<p>with academic decathlon, that’s like an inspiration all that you do!</p>

<p>i, myself, am on my school’s academic decathlon team so I definitely understand where you’re at and your passion for it.</p>

<p>and your gpa/test scores/ literally everything is amazing, honestly you have NOTHING to worry about.</p>

<p>and good luck with your team this year!</p>