Chances for Ivies and other top schools (I'll chance back)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Please Chance Me for my top choices:
Yale
Georgetown
Duke
Penn
Cornell
Northwestern
Tufts</p>

<p>White Male
7/275 in class (Unweighted)
Appx 95-96 GPA (Unweighted)
All A's with the exception of 1 C in AP Physics (Grrrr)
33 ACT
All AP's school offers (Not terribly many...like 7 by the time I graduate...public school <em>sigh</em>)</p>

<p>NYS Math, Business, Science honor societies
National Honor Society</p>

<p>Science olympiad (10-12) -- 4th in robotics regional competition
Science bowl (10-12) -- Regional Participant
Math Club (11) -- AMC participant</p>

<p>Board of education honoree for outstanding academic achievement (10/11)
U of Rochester award for leadership
Third place in large, 12 county Holocaust essay contest.</p>

<p>Varsity rowing for the last 4 years (outstanding achievement -- state finalist 2x, 2x national qualifier)
Varsity Swimming for 2 years and JV XC for one year as well
(No desire to row in college)</p>

<p>Christian Camp junior counselor two weeks each of last 2 summers --leadership role (200 hours)
Volunteer at Rehabilitation center (100 hours over two summers)
Soup Kitchen (20 hours here and there throughout high school)
Organized/very involved in church. I have helped organize/put on several fundraisers
Peer tutor (1 hr/week)</p>

<p>Others (misc. but hopefully impressive):
Exchange Student
Ham Radio Operator
Misc./obscure hobbies
I'm going to college for anthropology...so i will be doing a special anthro program over the summer (I think it will look really good...)
Training to break a US indoor rowing distance record (will attempt this summer--within reach) (Again...no rowing in college...)</p>

<p>Essays: Amazing
Recs: I didn't win teacher's pet for no reason ;)</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>I don’t really feel qualified to assess your chances, but we are applying to a number of the same schools, so good luck! You’ve got a very strong application from what I can see.</p>

3

<p>Good luck man, that’d be awesome to get into Yale. Your stats look great but honestly who knows these days. Keep us posted on which ones you get into</p>

4

<p>@handiman</p>

<p>I truly do not wish to be a harbinger of bad news, but since I believe you want an honest opinion, I will offer you one. I have looked through all the Ivy League decisions threads for '12-'14 so I have a decent idea when I chance most people.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, your chances do not look so high, meaning lower than usual. You mentioned you took all the AP’s the school offered, which only amounted to 7, but why did you not choose to independent study some? This will show, especially the top colleges, that you truly have a vigor for learning and glean every possible resource available to you. Your ACT score roughly places you in the 30-40th percentile of students applying to the Ivy’s, mifune made a whole thread, including formulas, illustrating this fact. </p>

<p>Also, why not choose to pursue rowing in college, that would only heighten your chances for admission because of the potential hook of being a recruited athlete. By choosing to pursue your ECs into college shows that you have passion for your goals, another decisive factor.</p>

<p>The volunteer hours are impressive, but none of them truly pertain to your college major. That summer program should help a bit…</p>

<p>Writing a good essay that will set you apart will definitely boost your chances and, I can’t say this enough, PURSUE ROWING, I don’t see any reason why you choose not to, for not only does it give colleges an impression that “this kid really loves what he does”, but also the potential hook!</p>

<p>Since you’re an exchange student, I’m guessing you are applying internationally? If so, your chances are only that much slimmer for most of your colleges, as only Harvard and Princeton place all applicants regardless of international or not into the same pool, at least that I know of.</p>

<p>Best of luck in your applications,</p>

<p>Piano.</p>

<p>P.S. Chance me back! :smiley: </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1053466-chance-chinese-international-applicant-please-updated-format-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1053466-chance-chinese-international-applicant-please-updated-format-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Piano–Thank You. That was truly the most thoughtful and thorough reply I have ever had to a chance thread. Seriously, it means a lot.</p>

6

<p>I actually think you are a solid candidate for all of these. When you think about it percentage-wise, places like Yale and Penn are reaches for even the most qualified of applicants, but you certainly have a shot. I definitely like your chances @ Tufts, the rest of the places are somewhere within the match-high match spectrum IMHO. Depending on how important it is to you to get in to your top schools, you may want to consider rowing in college, but that is a personal choice and I fully understand why you might not be interested. Good luck, and chance me back if you have time. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1055573-i-know-its-early-but-chances-junior.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1055573-i-know-its-early-but-chances-junior.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>you should get an interview, it all depends on that i believe. But your stats from what i see (i am not applying to ivys) are around the same as most people applying. So they are prolly your reach, but u will prolly get into cornell.</p>

<p>AND pursue rowing in college, ivy is a league they love athletes especially talented ones like you.</p>

<p>Chance me back please?</p>

8

<p>I’d have to agree that if you’re recruited for rowing you’re a real contender at all ivies/peer colleges. Without, you’re an average candidate with a 10-20% chance.</p>

9

<p>Thanks for the responses everybody! I will chance back within the next couple of days, as I don’t have the time to construct a thoughtful response.</p>

<p>Kind of a pressing question (especially for piano and 2college): Besides for adding rowing (which I probably will do), do you guys have any other ideas as to what I could do to “beef up” my chances (within a week haha–but seriously)?</p>

<p>Also, assuming that I add rowing, do you think I would have a chance at at least a couple of these schools?</p>

10

<p>^ Yes, adding rowing will definitely “beef up” your chances at any colleges you are applying to. </p>

<p>Also, I can’t stress this enough, you must set yourself apart from thousands, maybe tens of thousands of other applicants. Since you’re an exchange student and must have lived in a foreign country, I would recommend you write a heartfelt essay on how living in different places have shaped and influenced you.(of course, this is just my take on the matter and I could be erroneous, but seriously, write about something which adds depth to your personality and sets you apart)</p>

<p>Also, do good in your Senior year, especially first semester, focus on your essays (make sure there are no errors), and you should have a much better shot at your dream college.</p>

11

<p>Version2 --Thanks for the kind words of advice. Also, thank you for the spam.</p>

12

<p>I honestly don’t know anything about Ivy League standards, but you could easily be accepted into a lot of top notch Universities with a resume like that</p>

13

<p>Dude, you have a good chance at Georgetown. Suddenly I dont fnd the school difficult for students like you.
But I can’t tell much about Ivies since Ivies are unpredictable for predictable students (and by predictable I mean same great stat, same long list of achievements. I think you can see some accepted and deferred students’ stat this yr to get the sense)</p>

<p>Chance me back if you dont mind :slight_smile: Good luck
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1055565-please-chance-international-applicant-relatively-competitive-lacs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1055565-please-chance-international-applicant-relatively-competitive-lacs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

14

<p>good ECs, and standardized tests are on par with Ivy requirements. Not much leadership though. good luck.</p>

<p>Chance me: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1056376-chance-me-plz.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1056376-chance-me-plz.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;