Chances for Stanford and Top Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Okay this is definitely going to be the last chance thread heh. This includes some FINAL changes in stats/extracurriculars and will be almost exactly what the colleges will see. I'm trying to aim for admission into Stanford or one of the top schools. As of now these are my grades/accomplishments going into my senior year (12th grade):</p>

<p>Weighted GPA: 4.37
UW GPA: ~3.88
UW GPA (10th-12th): 3.85
Class Rank: 32/1100 (Top 3%)
SAT: 2260 (Math-760, Reading-730, Writing-770)
ACT: 34 (English-33, Math-34, Reading-36, Science-31, 'Writing'-33)
U.S. History Subject Test: 790
Math Level 2 Subject Test: 770
Ethnicity: Hispanic</p>

<p>Senior Year Courses:
Chemistry AP
Biology AP
Physics B AP
English 4 AP
Government/Macroeconomics AP</p>

<p>Major Accomplishments:</p>

<br>


<br>

<p>'Honors':</p>

<p>National Merit Semifinalist
National Hispanic Scholar
National AP Scholar
National Honor Society (10th-12th)
Spanish Honor Society (11th-12th)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Shadowed/worked with a chemist for 5 years at UT Southwestern and UTD
Cello for 8 years (Orchestra 6 years - Principal (1st Chair) for 2 years (10th & 11th)
Manager for Family business; accounting & warehouse inventory (~12 hrs weekly)
Golf for 5 years (Handicap ~10)
Volunteer weekly at a local nursing home; 10th-12th (~600 hours)
Key Club (9th-12th) - President (10th) ~ 300 hours
Hip Hop Group Leader (Private & group dance classes)- (10th-12th)
Founder and moderator of monthly book club
Traveling for long periods of time (22 states & 10 countries: Morocco, Germany, UK, Austria, Italy, Costa Rica, 10 weeks in Spain, etc)</p>

<ul>
<li>Various other activities and clubs (STAND, LASER 'Science Fair', etc.) which I probably won't list since they don't mean as much to me and there is a limited amount of slots on the Common App.</li>
</ul>

<p>Awards:
2nd Place School Science Fair Winner 9th Grade
1st Place School Science Fair Winner 10th Grade
2012 Solo/Ensemble Contest: Cello Solo- Rating of Superior
And a few other miscellaneous things</p>

<p>Recommendations:</p>

<p>Teacher #1: Great
Teacher #2: Good
Counselor: Probably decent
Optional: Fantastic (from Chemist that I've been researching with for 5 years)</p>

<p>Essays: Great (according to friends/family)</p>

<p>Hook: Hispanic; Legacy @ Stanford (Father)</p>

<p>I also come from a school that is ranked in the ~top 50 best highschools in America (Newsweek) if that makes a difference. My top choice is definitely Stanford, and I'll apply to it early action. I'm looking at a Pre-med track with probable majors in some sort of biology or chemistry (may also minor in engineering). Any feedback on some 'lesser known' colleges that I could apply to would be appreciated! Or if anyone had some suggestions for strengthening my application, that would also be fantastic. Let me know if I'm overestimating some of my chances at these schools</p>

<p>In order of preference:</p>

<p>Stanford (REA)
Princeton
Harvard
Yale
UPenn
Duke
Cornell
Rice
USC (Safety?)</p>

2

<p>You have a decent shot at each of these schools. But I don’t know that I’d consider USC a true safety. Your odds are probably better than 50% there, but I can tell you from personal experience that your senior year will be a lot more stressful without a true safety on your list. (Trough a mixture of hubris and naivete, I applied to two reaches wn I was in high school; each responded the same day in mid April. I spent months in agony. The good news was that I and was so relieved to have been admitted to the match with decent financial aid that my disappointment at being rejected by the reach schools dissipated almost instantly.</p>

3

<p>I would agree with greybeard that USC is not exactly a safety since it has gotten well more competitive, but you should get in. Your research looks very impressive as does the fact that you are a URM with very strong statistics and a legacy at Stanford. Regardless of the fact that you are a URM, I’m sure every school would love to have someone like you as a student, with your dedication to service, academic prowess, and interesting research, you should certainly get into many of your schools.</p>

<p>Stanford (REA)- Reach: just because of how competitive it is. You are stronger than the average candidate definitely, and I would say you have a higher chance here than at Harvard, persay.</p>

<p>Princeton- Reach: Regular decision will be ~7 percent this year and many qualified applicants will be rejected.</p>

<p>Harvard- Reach: Echo what was said about Princeton, except replace ~7 percent with ~3-4 percent.</p>

<p>Yale- Reach: Same reasoning as above.</p>

<p>Penn- Lower Reach: Still a reach school, but probably a decent shot, depending on the school to which you apply (ie. not Wharton). Roughly 10% acceptance rate overall, with much lower for Wharton.</p>

<p>Duke- Low Reach: Again, not a match for almost anyone. 11% acceptance rate.</p>

<p>Cornell- Low Reach/ High Match: Larger school than most of the reaches, so more students are accepted.</p>

<p>Rice- Low Reach/ High Match: Again, 16% acceptance rate.</p>

<p>USC- Low Match</p>

<p>Apply to some safeties early along with Stanford (they allow you to apply to all state schools).</p>

4

<p>I think with very good scores like that and being Hispanic you are a top candidate for ANY school in the country.</p>

5

<p>@Greybeard Yeah I see what you mean; I should search for some other school that would be a true safety since USC is not a guarantee. I don’t want to be stressed about it either</p>

<p>@Und3rC0ver I like how you broke the chances at each school down. Thanks for the detailed response, it’s much appreciated!</p>

<p>@bgmargate Thanks! And yeah I’m glad I’m a URM. I’d probably be an average applicant at some of the top schools if I wasn’t heh</p>

6

<p>You would be getting into the top schools on the merits. The fact you’re Hispanic only helps.I believe you will get into most if not all of your choices. Good luck.</p>

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<p>@bgmargate
Thanks! A few people at school mentioned how being a URM was kinda unfair, and that my ‘merits’ didn’t need to be as up to par as other white or asian applicants. I can see what they meant, but I don’t want to think I get into a place like Stanford just by checking a different bubble</p>

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<p>Stanfords avg SAT score of admitted students is approx. 2150. Your profile besides SAT score is very strong. Your profile doesn’t need a bump to get into Stanford. Being Hispanic is just icing on the cake for you.</p>

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<p>@bgmargate</p>

<p>Yeah I like that, ‘icing on the cake’. Never heard it that way lol, but you make it sound pretty sweet (pun :p). I guess you’re right; my testing helps me out since I have above average scores with the SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, PSAT (National Merit), and AP scores (National AP Scholar). </p>

<p>But I’m a little more worried about if my extracurriculars are up to par. Other than the patents, I don’t know if they are that impressive. But I do use up pretty much all my free time with those things that I listed. </p>

<p>And I’m actually also a little concerned with my rank. I know top 3% seems decent, but I know a ton of valedictorians and people in the top 1% apply to the top schools, and tend to mostly be the ones that end up getting accepted</p>

10

<p>Everyone has encouraged you, so I may as well be the one who shows you the potential problems in your application: </p>

<p>Firstly, all you have is one AP course with a 4 on it in addition to a great SAT/ 2 SAT subject test scores. Was there a particular reason why you only took just one AP class in junior year and piled them sky high in senior year? I am afraid there could be questions about you ability to handle a rigorous course load now. Also, it could suggest you were trying to protect your GPA. In addition, being Hispanic can be a boost for people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, but considering your dad is a Stanford grad, I doubt that will be your case. The legacy works best if your family has donated millions to the school and has the capacity to donate millions more. If your dad has done this then you may have a hook. Otherwise, be prepared.</p>

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<p>@perazziman</p>

<p>Oh lol that was my Senior Year Schedule that I listed. This is my actual list of APs and scores:</p>

<p>Freshman:
Human Geography (4)</p>

<p>Sophomore:
European History (4)
World History (5)</p>

<p>Junior:
English Language (5)
U.S. History (5)
Environmental Science (5)
Spanish Language (4)
Calculus AB (4)</p>

<p>**National AP Scholar</p>

<p>Senior:
Chemistry
Biology
Physics B
English Literature
U.S. Government
Macroeconomics</p>

<p>I’ve taken the maximum difficulty in courses from a top 50 highschool so all of my classes that weren’t AP were Honors (Pre-AP), other than Orchestra which counts as a ‘Regular’ class. So chill hehe</p>

<p>And no I wouldn’t call myself economically disadvantaged (we’re far from wealthy though-which is why I help in family business), but I’m not so sure that they sway the effect being a URM might have just on the fact that I list my family’s income? I may be wrong. But thanks for the input regardless. I like criticism over praise, it only helps</p>

12

<p>Stanford is so unpredictable, but you have a shot!</p>

13

<p>Ah! Then you should be fine.</p>

14

<p>You’re getting in.</p>

<p>Sent from my SGH-T959V using CC</p>

15

<p>@Indianboy1 Yeah it is pretty unpredictable, as are all the top schools :/</p>

<p>@perazziman Thanks!</p>

<p>@Emc2Fma lol I really do hope so</p>

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<p>Any more suggestions or advice? I guess what I’m asking is kind of general, but this is my last thread before I start submitting apps</p>

17

<p>Just one last thing. If you get into Stanford leave some spots elsewhere for the rest of us! =D. And as always, just write good essays and have them reviewed by a lot of different people!</p>

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<p>@Und3r0ver
I’ll definitely make sure to free up some spots for everyone else lol. And I’ll also start revising those essays. Thanks!</p>

19

<p>Well…I must say, you have me beat on scores, and on EC’s–you have a great chance at all these schools, save the ones that are totally unpredictable.
Si.</p>

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<p>You’re in. Have fun at Stanford!</p>