Chances for Ivy-level schools?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Career: medicine, perhaps parasitology-related
Target schools: top-tier, not exactly sure which, possibly Rice
Backup schools: UTD

SAT proper (first time, ~18 months ago, almost certainly retaking): W 710 + M 770 + R 790 => 2270 total
SAT biology-M: 800
SAT chemistry: 790
AP: HGAP 5, WHAP 5, Euro 5 (no others offered at my previous school)

GPA: 3.675 (abominable, although in senior year I should be able to bring it up to 3.794 for the January deadlines)
School: Texas Academy of Math and Science
Rank: NaN (TAMS does not compile ranks)
Classes: (required: honors biology 1/2, honors chem 1/2, associated lab classes, English) electives: general psychology 1, syntax (graduate-level linguistics)

Academic activities: TAMS medical society, Junior Engineering and Technical Society, TAMS linguistics society (vice president), Science Bowl/Whiz Quiz (captain in 10th grade), Science Olympiad (1st, 2nd, 3rd-place awards at various regional levels), HOSA (5th pathophysiology at state, 10th grade), likely NHS next year
Misc. accolades: UNT Dean’s list, AP Scholar (cf. standardized tests/GPA)

Volunteering: summer program at the Medical Center of Plano, SAT tutoring at a nearby high school, ESL program at my church

Random jazz: violin (and associated love of classical music), somewhat-well-fleshed-out constructed language (and associated side interest in linguistics)

Professor recommendations: some really influential ones, particularly from syntax
Counselor recommendation: plusgood
Other recommendations: doubleplusgood from hospital volunteering coordinator

Miscellaneous pros: excellent writer <=> good essay; diverse interests; diverse ethnic background (South Asian); conversational in Spanish
Cons: GPA, big time; not dead-set on a specific career choice

Chances?

2

Emory should be on your list.

3

Rice isn’t a “target” school, first and foremost. You need to look at schools more about the caliber of Northeastern if you want schools that would be good matches.

-_-

Your GPA is going to be a big deterrent for getting into top schools. Your ECs are mostly standard, but I like the focus on linguistics. If you can write a compelling essay about why you love linguistics and/or how it relates to your life, I think it would be a significant boon to your chances. I’m concerned that it seems like you’re not taking a math class this year? Any particular reason why, and what math classes have you taken?

Your SAT score is strong, as well as your SAT2s, but I think the GPA is a big detraction. Do you have a class rank? Is it within the top 10% (something that’s almost mandatory to even be considered for many top schools) if you do?

I’d say the Ivies will likely all be high reaches. Your scores are excellent, but there are many other applicants with even better scores. Don’t be surprised if you get shut out of top 20 schools or if you end up getting into several. There’s really no way to accurately predict, but I don’t think your chances are significantly better than any other top applicants. If you want to possibly get into one or two top schools, you may have to apply to 8-10.

4

GPA too low for Ivies. Not really competitive.

5

Oh, I forgot to note that; I took precal and calculus I this year. Next semester I’m taking parasitology and general psychology 2 for electives, classes more directly related to my career choice. Thanks for pointing out Emory.

6

Your GPA isn’t great, but if you can bring it up, it’ll be ok. SAT okay. Being south asian isn’t unique and won’t make you URM. Your best chance is to apply to many top tiers (but make sure you have safeties and matches) to raise your chances. Chance back?: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1778302-chance-an-asian-yale-duke-williams-p1.html