Chances for nerdgirl at WUSTL, MIT, Caltech, JHU?

<p>Hi everyone! I would really appreciate if I could get some input on my chances at:</p>

<ul>
<li>Washington University in St. Louis</li>
<li>MIT</li>
<li>Caltech</li>
<li>John Hopkins University</li>
</ul>

<p>They are all (far, far) reaches basically, since my safeties would be Canadian schools. </p>

<p>Gender/Age: Female, 16
Citizenship: Canadian
Background: Chinese
Prospective Program: Double major in applied mathematics and biochemistry</p>

<p>{Academic}</p>

<ul>
<li>Full International Baccalaureate student</li>
<li>Average: 98.6% counting everything (we don't have gpa)</li>
<li>IB marks: 7 in all subjects (so far...). I take Chemistry, Biology, English, and History of Europe at HL and Mathematical Methods and Spanish at SL. I hope the lack of HL Math won't hurt too much (school doesn't offer it).</li>
<li>Class Rank: 1/300 ? (we don't rank students, but I've had the highest average and am the top IB student)</li>
<li>SAT I: Math - 800 Verbal - 800 (first time)</li>
<li>SAT II: first time taking in November</li>
<li>APs: We're not allowed to take APs until grade 12, and IB kind of substitutes for most kids here. I was worried about credit policy so I'm independently studying for AP Chemistry, Calculus BC, and Physics C. I expect 5s (hopefully).</li>
</ul>

<p>{Awards...the significant ones}</p>

<ul>
<li>awarded 1 of 10 $3000 full international scholarships to attend Shad Valley at the University of Waterloo. It's a month-long program in mathematics, engineering, business, and science for the (supposed) brightest high school students in Canada. Was part of the design group whose product was chosen to be the Waterloo submission to the RBC-Shad Entrepreneurship Cup. Also was Shad Waterloo valedictorian.</li>
<li>highest mark in all subjects</li>
<li>1st in the province in UWaterloo Cayley mathematics competition</li>
<li>99th percentile in Canada in UWaterloo national chemistry competition</li>
<li>7 solo/group awards in Kiwanis Music Festival over the years</li>
</ul>

<p>{Extracurricular Activities}</p>

<ul>
<li>maths club captain</li>
<li>volunteer at hospital 3 hours a week</li>
<li>writing for school newspaper and I am the website designer/maintainer</li>
<li>been playing violin since I was 8, 3 yrs in chamber orchestra (first violin), many years in others</li>
<li>been playing piano since I was 9, reached gr. 8 RCM</li>
<li>2 yrs concert choir, 3 other yrs of choir</li>
<li>2 yrs peer tutoring in all science subjects, a lot to do with IB</li>
<li>Mayhematics maths club at Memorial University</li>
<li>school publicity committee</li>
<li>Rotary Interact</li>
<li>Program of Achievement in Community Enterprise</li>
<li>Amnesty International
(The last 3 are gr. 12 only)</li>
<li>I do a bit of web designing, not too fancy: <a href="http://floating_pi.sitesled.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://floating_pi.sitesled.com&lt;/a>. Archives my writing and offers some simple webpage templates I designed.</li>
</ul>

<p>I'd really like to go to the US, but I know it's difficult for internationals, and especially at these extremely selective schools. Also, would I have any chance for a merit scholarship? And if anyone has any insights to share on applying as an international, I'd love to hear it ^_^</p>

<p>Cheers!</p>

<p>st louis and JHU are not reaches... definitely safeties</p>

<p>they're matches i would say, wustl and jhu can not be considered safeties by basically anyone</p>

<p>MIT/Caltech: that's a tough one, i'd say about a 50-50 chance MIT and maybe a little less caltech</p>

<p>WUSTL - match/safety
JHU - match/safety</p>

<p>I simply have never heard of a student with your credentials getting dinged at either of these schools</p>

<p>MIT - match/reach
CALTECH - match/reach</p>

<p>I have heard of people similar to your qualifications getting rejected from Cal Tech and MIT. With these 2 schools, I don't know if anyone could list either one as a safety, but you would have a good shot at being admitted at either Cal Tech or MIT.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>bump?</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for your advice and well wishes. It's really encouraged me. I don't think more than a few from my province have ever attemped to go to the US. Even out of province is rare :)</p>