Chances for science undergrad?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello everybody! This is a long post, but I wanted to give detail. Feel free to skim if you don’t have the time. I’m looking for chances to the UC Regents program (UCSD, UCLA, UCSB, UCSC), Stanford, Pomona, Brown, Caltech, MIT, and HarveyMudd, all as a Neuroscience/Neurobiology major. You don’t have to reply to all, just what you know or can contribute.Let me know if you'd like additional information. Thanks bunches ☺</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT 1: 800w/770cr/680m (not super scored, taking again for the math)
Taking Math II and Bio E/M this fall, taking five AP tests (Bio, Calc B/C, Stats, Psych, US History) on an independent study plan next year
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.3 W (no AP offered at school, taking hardest course load possible)
-Attending two schools, a regionally known charter and Stanford’s OHS
College GPA: 4.0 at UCSD, took a neuroscience class (COGS 11)</p>

<p>School ECs:
-President of Writing club
-Secretary of Community Service Club
-Vice-President of Newspaper
-Member of Stanford Newspaper
-Member of Stanford Astronomy Club
-Co-founder and Instructor of Test Prep Club
-Member of Model UN
-Volunteer tutor (three years in a row)
-School Ambassador
-Junior Varsity Soccer
-Junior Varsity Volleyball</p>

<p>Out-of-school ECs:
UCSD Cognitive Neuroscience Lab<br>
-Worked 40 hours/week for 3 weeks in January 2013.
-Conducted literature reviews. Completed EEG lab training with university students.
-Ran participants through experiments studying the Mirror Neurons and Autism.
-Analyzed EEG data. Gained experience coding in MATLAB with data analysis.
-Assisted with outreach and recruitment of participants into clinical trials.
-Designed, developed, and brought their new website live
The Scripps Research Institute for Regenerative Medicine
-Will work under one of the top five researchers in her field, paid internship 40hours/week for 8 weeks in summer of 2013
-Will study induced pluripotent stem cells (non-embryonic) to create neuronal progenitor cells (baby neurons) to study and treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
-Will present at international stem cell conference on behalf of the lab
Blue Roses Girls (charity)
-Volunteer/Employee 2010-13
-Works with girls with sensory and cognitive disabilities to improve
their communication skills
-Hired from volunteer to paid position for summer of 2012, lead counselor in<br>
camp program, directly responsible for six girls with Autism and Downs
Syndrome, indirectly responsible for twenty-four girls
-Invited back for Summer 2013, had to decline due to TSRI internship</p>

<p>Heather’s Tutoring Services (business)
-Founder and CEO of my own business, enough revenue to file with the IRS
-Specializing in Math and Science, raise student’s grades an average of two
letters (Ex. a D to a B)
-Too many clients for my busy schedule, looking to hire new employee</p>

<p>Better Education for Women in Science and Engineering (BEWiSE)
-Admitted into selective program to meet with scientists and engineers
-Toured labs and discussed opportunities for Women in STEM</p>

<p>Awards/Merits:
-National Merit commended
-Won “Writing for Literacy” grand prize contest out of 2000 applicants
-Commendation from city councilmember of large California City
-Johns Hopkins CTY Math and Verbal California High Honors Award
-Stanford OHS High Achievement Commendation
-Selected to be School Ambassador
-Won school-wide play-writing contest</p>

2

<p>You do have 2250 in SAT, but the distribution is not in your favor that your CR+M is still below 1500. Math score would be particularly important fro any science major. For Caltech, MIT, Stanford and similar level, you are likely a reach. For other slightly lower tier schools, you would be a high match to match.</p>

3

<p>Really good ECs given what appears to be a lack of opportunity. Being female will help with MIT and Caltech. </p>

<p>Assuming you can score 750+ on the Math part of the SAT I and do well of SAT subject tests, the UC schools will be matches. Brown might be a high match or even low reach. You would have a very good chance at Harvey Mudd. That Stanford recognized you for something already makes admission there more likely as well. </p>

<p>MIT and Caltech would still be low reaches, so unless you can put everything together beautifully, you aren’t an automatic in. </p>

<p>You need to get the math score up. Otherwise, you’ll still be a reach at many of these schools. </p>

<p>Chance me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1507605-chance-hispanic-2400-ivies-mit-cambridge-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1507605-chance-hispanic-2400-ivies-mit-cambridge-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Thanks Okay124398, I went ahead and chanced you back. Also thanks to billcsho. The frustrating thing is I’m GOOD at math, I have a 98 in Calc B/C and will have an outstanding (best of 2 students in 10 year teaching career) rec from my calculus teacher. I had to self-teach almost all of my pre-calc knowledge and I just don’t have an SAT math brain, although I have a higher-level math brain. I’m working to get the math to a 730-750, which I think is achievable considering I got my writing from a 680 to an 800 just by studying.</p>

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<p>^^That sounds good.</p>

<p>I am also glad to see that I am not the only one who uses the angled quoted on here. “ ”</p>

6

<p>Can anyone help chance especially for Pomona? I think I might have a better shot there then Harvey-Mudd because of the Math SAT as it stands, and I think my good EC’s would be more of a benefit at a LAC. Thoughts?</p>

7

<p>The scores are lower, but from what I understand, it is similarly competitive. Without getting the scores, Harvey-Mudd will be tough, and you’re still at the bottom of the math range for Pomona. </p>

<p>Raise the math score; every school you named would have good reason to accept you.</p>

8

<p>I am at the bottom of the range math wise for pomona, but at and above the 75th for CR/W. That plus my EC’s should help, I won’t be hurting their averages in math and I’d help for the other two, so a cost-benefit analysis numbers wise still has me a positive for them. We’ll just have to see, I’m taking the june 1st SAT and 8th ACT</p>

9

<p>Good luck on your retake. If you get 50+ improvement in math, you would have a much better chance.</p>

10

<p>I’m going to bury my head in the blue book and practice tests for the next nine days and hope for the best. I’m shooting for a 730, hoping for a 750. We’ll see how it goes :confused: anyone have any more target schools for me? I want near but not in a city, an intellectual environment, a strong program in my major (neuroscience), opportunities for undergrad research, and east or west coast (Duke is the absolute furthest south I’ll go on the East coast, and Pittsburg is the furthest inland with the exception of UofM). Thanks :)</p>

11

<p>I think you can get in pretty much anywhere. MIT might be your only reach. Definitely raise math scores. Maybe consider Dartmouth or Princeton?</p>

12

<p>get your math to 800… there is no doubt that you can do it… that being said i love your ecs so i do feel you have pretty good shot as some of these prestigious schools once you get ur superscore to a 2370…</p>

<p>a lot of these are complete crapshoots though… idk it is hard to predict such schools just because of the sheer fact that so many amazing applicants rejected every year.</p>

13

<p>I think you have a great chance! Just get that math score above 700 and your good! Chance back? [What</a> Are My Chances? - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/]What”>Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums)</p>

14

<p>I do concur with everyone else in saying that raising the math score will greatly help you. Since most schools super-score the SAT, getting math to a 730 or higher would measurably help your chances. Lack of AP will not hurt you, since none are offered at your school, and the fact that you have rigorous courses should look as good as AP. E.C.'s/ awards are all excellent, but I’m sure that you realize that. Based on everything that you have now, with the current SAT Math score, I’d say:</p>

<p>UCSD: Match
UCLA: High Match
UCB: High Match
UCSC: Match</p>

<p>For those, I’m not necessarily sure about the Regents Program, and these chances are based off of regular admission. </p>

<p>Brown: Low Reach
MIT: Reach
Harvey Mudd: Low Reach
Stanford: Reach</p>

<p>I don’t really know much about Caltech or Pomona, so I won’t chance you for those, out of fear of being incorrect about them. Assuming you get the Math score up 50 or more points, then Brown may be a High Match, as would Harvey Mudd. Stanford would then be on the border between Reach and Low Reach, and MIT may be. Your E.C.'s really do bolster your entire application, as they are excellent. I also am assuming excellent essays, as the President of the Writing Club is probably an excellent writer.</p>

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<p>My goodness, you’re just every admissions officer’s dream.
The only thing you could do more is just get your math SAT score up, and then pack your bags for college.</p>

16

<p>Sheesh, these stats are amazing. Like everyone said, get up your Math SAT I score because that could definitely hurt you in the long run. For your other SAT II tests that you’ll be taking, make sure they’re all at least 770+ and other than that, great job! :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Most of the UC’s you should be fine getting into, no problem. Probably will get the max scholarship as well if you applied (assuming you will). Other big name colleges, just probably depends on your essays.</p>

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<p>I forgot to mention a few things (being a frazzled junior facing finals doesn’t help). I sail competitively on a local rec team (only female and only teenager to make the team), and I’m the Director of Public Communications for the new San Diego Library Store (a volunteer position). I’m averaging a 710 now on the math section of practice tests after spending the last 4 days straight studying. Hoping to get that up further before Saturday. I’m also a white female, from a divorced family with a combined income of 140k and separated income of 90k/50k (with the 50k income being what’ll go on the FAFSA for the UC app as that’s my parent with majority custody) if that alters anything. I was thinking that being female with such a dedicated interest in science might help the Caltech/Harvey-Mudd apps. Thanks again everyone for being so helpful! If you chance I’ll chance back :)</p>

18

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<p>Have you tried taking the ACT? The questions are more straight-forward, plus there is a Science section that you should be able to ace (tip: don’t read the intro body material first; read the charts and questions first and only fill in the rest where it’s necessary, or you may run out of time before you finish).</p>

<p>As a female, you’ll have better odds at MIT than at the LACs, because MIT gets two male applicants for each female, but LACs tend to get 5 female applicants for every 3 males. Yet each of these schools tries to gender-balance as closely as possible.</p>

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<p>First of all, thanks for chancing me and congratulations on a very impressive resume. You’ve got some very unique things (in my opinion) for extracurriculars. Do be sure not to overstate anything on your college app or it just seems rather flamboyant to admissions officers. Thought definitely take time in your essays to talk about your research and write-ups you’ve done in the high school and college setting!</p>

<p>Looking at the major you want to go for, I really have to say that your math SAT score is your biggest weakness. Those who participate in neuroscience are some of the best mathematicians in the world save for physicists. I firmly believe that you need to bump at math score up to a 770 to get some serious consideration from colleges such as MIT and Caltech. This is just my two cents, and I wish you the best of luck :)</p>

<p>Based on your current scores:</p>

<p>UC Schools - high match
UC Berkeley - low reach
Stanford - reach
Pomona - high match/low reach
Harvey Mudd - high match/low reach
Brown - low reach
Caltech - high stretch
MIT - high stretch</p>

<p>Based on if you get your 730 in math:</p>

<p>UC Schools - match
UC Berkeley - high match
Stanford - reach
Pomona - match/high match
Harvey Mudd - match/high match
Brown - high match
Caltech - stretch
MIT - high stretch</p>

<p>I’ll be honest; I don’t think even a 730 is enough to get into a school like MIT which emphasizes math beyond compare. It’s intro math classes are far beyond the caliber of the highest level of high school math classes.</p>

20

<p>Thank you for chancing me!</p>

<p>First off, your ECs are amazing! These should help you a lot as far as setting you apart from similar applicants. The only thing that could possibly hold you back is your math SAT score. The best you can do right now is try to bring it up, but only if you feel confident in your abilities to score at least a 720. </p>

<p>Also, I agree with LoremIpsum, and I think that you should look into taking the ACT. The ACT may provide you with a better opportunity for scoring higher, as it is more based on knowledge of curriculum than reasoning ability. Other than that, I don’t see any real problems with getting into those schools, except possibly MIT. I heard that their admissions are very hard on math. I read somewhere on here that said they don’t accept AMC scores less than 100 or so.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>