Chances for Rice, Cornell, JHU, etc. Advice needed!

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>First, thanks for taking a look at my chance thread. This thread is both to get input on the schools I've selected so far and to recieve suggestions as to other schools I should take a look at. I know my school choices so far are all relatively hard to get into, but know that I have UT as my safety due to the top ten percent rule. I just visited the campus as part of an honors preview program and would not mind at all attending the school, so I'm no longer worried about the safety issue of it all.</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm not entirely sure of my major. It will probably be Astronomy or Physics/Astronomy. The only problem with this is that I have little to no physics background due to my school's lack in that department. That said, I'm really interested in astronomy and theoretical physics, so I think I could handle it. Otherwise, I would probably apply under Aerospace Engineering or Chemical Engineering (or possibly just Chemistry).</p>

<p>I tried to keep the explinations to a minimum because you don't want to read all of that. I am planning to include a resume with all of the ECs and such listed here along with short explinations of those needed. If there are any ECs (and awards and the like) that you think I should not include, please tell me. I need advice!</p>

<p>I would really appreciate any suggestions to add to my list. Keep in mind that I'd prefer a smaller (3000-10000 total undergrads) school, ideally in an rural environment, ideally with research opportunities, hopefully with good food, and, of course, excellent professors in the sciences.</p>

<p>Schools to be chanced (and reasons I'm considering them):
Rice University - Close to home, I'm semi-familiar with Houston, excellent sciences program, small school, GORGEOUS campus, students I feel sure I would get along with, and college house system (This is my top choice.)
Cornell University - Rural environment, excellent sciences programs
Yale University - It's Yale! Need I say more? Seriously, the house system, sciences, and the fact that out of HYPS, it's the one I feel the most connection to.
Johns Hopkins University - I heard JHU recieved a lot of funding from NASA to do space research, and would LOVE to do that, excellent sciences
Wesleyan University - Personal astronomy program, my strange connection to colleges in CT...</p>

<p>Female, White, Texas
Attend a public school that rarely sends students to top colleges.
I will be applying for financial aid, but I don't think I'll get much because my scrooge of a step-dad has a thick bank account that will count against me.</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 UW; 4.4 W
Rank: 3/~250</p>

<p>I've taken the most rigorous schedule offered at my school, but unfortunately it's not much compared to what is offered at larger schools.</p>

<p>SATs:
Super: 660CR; 750M; 710W (1410/2120)
Single: 620CR; 750M; 710W (1370/2080)</p>

<p>SAT IIs:
MathIC: 730; Chem: 760; Lit: 730</p>

<p>ACT:
34W; 35R; 35M; 35S (35)</p>

<p>APs:
Chem: 5; Eng. Lang: 4; USH: 3</p>

<p>ECs:
Academic:
NASA High School Aerospace Scholars Program: Spent spring semester of Junior year doing online lessons and projects, and will follow up with a week camp/internship at NASA in August. I plan on sending a copy of my transcript from the spring academic portion along with my applications.
UIL Team 11th & 12th (Math, Science, Ready Writing)
NHS 11th & 12th</p>

<p>Music:
Handbell Choir 6th-12th; Bass Section Leader
Church Choir 9th-12th
School Varsity Choir 10th-12th</p>

<p>Sports:
Summer Swim Team 5th-12th; Assistant Coach
School Varsity Swim Team 9th, 11th, 12th (My brother and I are the only members, as my school doesn't have a pool.)
Volleyball 9th & 10th
Basketball 9th & 10th
Soccer 9th</p>

<p>Volunteering:
Church volunteer activities have been approximately 40 hours/year since 6th grade. Doesn't seem like much, I know.</p>

<p>Awards:
National Merit Commended Student - 11th (Hopefully Semi-Finalist!)
Attendee of UT Honors Colloquium - 11th
7th Overall in UIL Science Regional Meet - 11th
2nd Place Science Olympiad First Round - 11th
2009 AP Scholar - 11th
1st TAFT State Swim Meet 50m Butterfly - 9th
Perfect Attendance - 10th & 11th
AP Chemistry Achievement Award - 11th
World History Achievement Award - 10th</p>

<p>*Work: *
Church Nursery Worker - 4hrs/week since Dec. 2007
Lifeguard - 15 hrs/week summer of 2008 & summer of 2009
Other Church Childcare - 4hrs/week since Dec. 2008
Private Math Tutor - 1hr/week 2008-2009 & 2009-2010 school years</p>

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<p>um… cornell’s not an urban campus…? its in the middle of nowhere</p>

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<p>Gah, I meant rural. Editing. Thanks.</p>

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<p>I think you have a good shot everywhere but Yale (d’uh) and maybe Rice because there, of course, you wouldn’t have the advantage of being from a different region of the country (not every college admits that they take geographic diversity into consideration, but, I kind of think most of them do.) The other caveat is LACs (Wesleyan) and women: there will be lots more women competing for the same slots than men.</p>

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<p>Start with size of school, not names…also, very important: if small size is imp, then stick to Liberal Arts, not Nat’l universities. Cornell, for instance, has a HUGE graduate program.
Your SAT Is aren’t so good, so don’t send them, but ur ACT and rank are great. To get into the top schools, it would help if you had more APs 'cuz they want to see “rigorous transcript”. But, then talk that up in an essay and nothing is a “must”. what are ur safeties?</p>

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<p>I understand that I don’t need to be so concerned with the name of the school, but I’m having trouble finding the necessary information on smaller schools that I might like. Hence why I would really appreciate input from other people about such schools!</p>

<p>And I know Cornell is quite large, but see, I’m comparing these schools to UT as far as size goes. They’re all significantly smaller than UT, even Cornell. Plus, I feel that the rural aspect of Cornell will greatly outweigh the larger population.</p>

<p>As far as APs go, I’ve taken every one offered at my school. I can’t do anything to improve that. I’m considering self-studying World History or European History and possibly Psychology, but I haven’t decided yet. Plus, that won’t help me exactly on applications…</p>

<p>Do you really think I should withhold SAT information from the schools? If they truly do take the higher score into account, I don’t see the problem in sending them the SATs, especially because I feel that I did well on my SAT IIs.</p>

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<p>I would send the ACT over the SAT if I were you. While your SAT IIs are good, they’re probably not good enough for Yale, about average for Cornell…so they don’t really add anything new/amazing to your app as a whole.</p>

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<p>But I should send them to the other colleges, just for the SAT II sakes? I know they’re above average for Rice, and I’d assume so for most others as well.</p>

<p>Also, I know that my high school puts all standardized test scores on the official transcript. Would it count against me that I didn’t send the scores in when those colleges see that I took the SATs and didn’t send them?</p>

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<p>CR is too low. Retake an option? 4.4 w vs. 4.0 uw? Are you even taking AP/honors courses? Adcoms look at rigor too. Cornell and JHU are reaches.</p>

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<p>I thought I might not need to retake SAT due to ACT scores?</p>

<p>And I’m taking all the AP/honors classes my school offers. They only offer the weighted in core classes. If I’d made straight 100s in the classes, I’d have a 4.5 weighted. I’ve really done all I can do as far as class rigor goes due to the way my school is set up.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I know it’s not much compared to more competitive, larger schools out there…</p>

<p>Does anyone have any other college suggestions for me to look at?</p>

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<p>Advice, opinions, suggestions, anyone? Please, and much appreciated.</p>

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<p>Bump? Anyone?</p>