Chances for Princeton, Dartmouth, Amherst, UC Berkeley?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, here’s my stats:

GPA (Unweighted): 3.95/4 (I got a B in Calc BC AP)
GPA (Weighted): 4.77/5
SAT I: 2110
SAT II Bio: 770
SAT II Math II (possible score, taking in Oct and Nov): Anywhere in the 700-800 range
ACT (possible score, taking in Sept and Oct): 33-35
AP’s: Currently, Gov 3, Calc AB 5, Calc BC 4, Stats 4, Bio 4, English Lang 4.
(I said that I want to major in Chemistry and German)

  1. Ballet and other dance for 10 to 11 years total, plan on submitting an arts portfolio with a male solo piece from "La Sylphide" (James variation). I'm not GREAT at ballet, but I can pull off 5 pirouettes on a good day.
  2. Kendo for 3 years (Japanese sword martial art). I'm two tests away from a black belt.
  3. President of a Club that goes to senior centers to play board games with the elderly for two hours every Sunday.
  4. National Honor Society member
  5. Worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for 6 weeks, 8 hours a day in the Ocean Ecology Laboratory.

I know I’m not a killer extracurricular person who juggles 10 different things and grades, but does 10 years of ballet make up for those 10 extracurriculars I could have taken instead?

Also, I’m Japanese, not sure if that’s a negative for anything.

Thanks!

2

Also, I’m starting senior year in a couple of days and I’m a BOY, because that probably wasn’t clear lol…

3

You worked at NASA~ that’s definitely cool. The ivies are a bit of a crapshoot. But I’d say your chances at Amherst and Berkeley are promising. Best of luck!

4

lol actually I should have said that I interned at NASA, but thanks!

5

In reading your stats, it’s not clear what you hope to become or what makes you unique. 10 years of ballet as a male is unusual, be more enthusiastic about it on your common application. You probably go to a large public high school. What colleges do students typically go to from your high school? 2110 is a little on the low side, not bad or anything but a 2250 or above would position you better. Great grades, sufficient rigor you need something to make you stand out from the crowd. Leading or creating a club senior year might help

6

I am putting it forward right now in applications that I want to study Chemistry and German. My primary interest is somewhere in the Organic Chemistry realm, but I have not taken AP Chem. However, I forgot to mention that I have completed first semester Chemistry with an A at my local community college. My entire common app essay is devoted to ballet, as I chose the first prompt talking about a “talent” that I have. Supplement essays to different colleges are devoted to Chemistry and how I acquired a strong background because both my mother and father were Chemistry majors at UC Berkeley, and because of my college class. Some of the essays are also about my experience at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. I actually go to the smallest high school in my county, I believe my class size is less than 300 people (not actually sure though, because I never really thought about it). I’ve taken the SAT twice, and I’ve invested a lot of time into getting a consistent 34 on the ACT instead. I also didn’t mention that I founded the club where I play board games with the elderly. But when you say “stand out from the crowd”, what exactly do you mean? Academically? Because I’m not really sure what else to do lol

7

Oh, I also forgot to mention, I’m from Maryland, here’s the top five schools people went to from my high school this last year:

  1. University of Maryland, College Park
  2. Towson University
  3. University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  4. West Virginia University
  5. University of Pennsylvania (yes, this is a sharp contrast from the first 4 schools... a lot of people went to Cornell as well)

I might mention that only one person from my school got into Dartmouth and no one got into Princeton.

8

I don’t know how much dance is something that you want to continue in college, but Duke has a strong dance program, and even includes is as a major or minor option as well as extracurricular activities:

https://danceprogram.duke.edu/undergraduate/future-students

Duke is also much more flexible than Princeton in terms of multiple majors (as is Dartmouth).

I’m surprised how many non-California resident applicants list UCB as one of their top options. It’s hard to get in, and there is minimal financial aid available for out of state applicants. Your list seems a bit diffuse, with as Amherst and Berkeley are pretty different experiences. I’m not quite sure what you are looking for. Among the LACs, Williams has a strong arts tradition which might interest you, and I think Swarthmore also has a solid dance program.

9

Your SAT score is going to be your weakness for the first three schools. So, while folks do gain admission with this score, they are outliers, so you are going to have to really distinguish yourself in your personal statement and other portions of your application. For that reason, P is a high reach, D and A reaches.

10

boolaHI, assuming I get at least a 34 on the ACT though, how would that affect things? Also, renaissancedad, I know Amherst and Berkeley are on opposite ends of the scale in a lot of things, but I like both schools for different reasons.

11

How will you afford Berkeley?

As an OOS student at a California public school, your parents would be stuck for $55k+ per year.
Have your parents indicated that they will pay those costs?
There are no scholarships and very limited financial aid for nonresidents. Yes, that applies to legacies too.

12

My parents are well off enough that they are willing to let me go to the best college I can get into. They are more worried about the level of education than money.

13

A 34 will be place you squarely in the mix.