Chances for Stanford, Georgetown, Ivies, Wash U, Pomona, and GWU?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

ME
Male, Rising Senior
White/Hispanic

WHERE I’M APPLYING
Stanford (top choice, will likely apply SCEA, also legacy)
Georgetown
Columbia
Maybe Princeton and Brown
Washington University in St. Louis
Pomona College
George Washington University
I’ll probably have to refine my list a bit but those are the ones I am looking at now. I definitely need some more safeties.

GPA
4.0?
My average is a 93.3. My school says that my GPA is something like 4.34, but we have a weird system. All of our classes are considered honors classes (which I kinda think is silly) so an 88 average is technically a 4.0, but I’ve also taken 3 APs… According to the College Board’s measurements I have a 4.0 so I think that’s what’s most accurate.

AP/HONORS COURSES
Sophomore: AP Chemistry
Junior: AP Biology, APUSH
Senior (will be): AP Calculus BC, AP Spanish, AP Comparative Government, and a physics course that is AP Phys 1 and 2 leveled.
Like I said, all classes at my school are considered to be Honors level.

CLASS RANK
We don’t do class rank. Instead, our transcript puts our grade next to the high, average, and low grade for that class. I think I compare pretty well, and I’m sure I’m in the top 25%.

SAT
Highest single: 2210 (750 Reading, 720 Math, 740 Writing)
Superscore: 2230 (750 Reading, 740 Math, 740 Writing)

ACT
34 (34 on all sections except 33 on Math)

SAT SUBJECT
Chemistry: 730
US History: 730
Biology: 770
Math 2: 800

AP
Chemistry: 4
Biology: 5
APUSH: 5

EXTRACURRICULARS
Senate Page Program (summer, some leadership there)
Speech and Debate - will be a Captain this year
Community Service Club (leader)
Model UN - (possible leadership?)
Volunteering at a local hospital for a summer
Some volunteering at food banks

I still have about half of this summer left, I may get a job or do some more volunteering where I already have or at a local national museum.

SPORTS
Cross-Country - 3 time varsity letterman
Track and Field - 1 time varsity letterman

HONORS/AWARDS
National Merit Semifinalist (technically not official, but my PSAT score was above my states usual cutoff)
Appointed a Senate Page
School’s Community Service Honor Society
Like I said above, 3 letters in cross-country and 1 in track

RECOMMENDATIONS/ESSAYS
I will likely get my recommendations from a science teacher who has known me for a couple of years and my history teacher who I feel like I’ve connected with this year. He was also my “advisor” - sort of a counselor type role so I feel like he knows me.
Not sure what I can say about essays… I’d like to think I can write good essays? In my common app essay I may just sort of talk about who I am rather than write a story about myself. Any suggestions?

What I think my strengths are/Possible Hooks
I’m pretty content with my grades. I have a couple B’s on my transcript but I think it will be alright. I know my test scores are good, I’ll probably end up using my ACT over my SAT. I think the Senate Page Program may significantly help me. I have a decent amount of leadership in my ECs I guess.

In terms of hooks, my father went to Stanford, and he has been fairly active, going to some alumni functions and making donations each year (nothing massive but substantial), I’m partially hispanic, and I’m from a probably geographically underrepresented state. I’ve also done what I can to show interest at Wash U, although I will not be applying early there so who knows if it matters.

Probable weaknesses
I feel like my ECs aren’t super impressive, at least at the caliber of other people on this site. I mean I’m happy with them, but I feel like there are plenty of applicants out there who do the exact same stuff. I’m also not sure if I really have enough. I also am probably lacking in awards, although the ones I do have aren’t bad by any means. Also, I took both the SAT and ACT twice, and my scores were slightly lower the second time. They did raise my superscores though. Will this hurt me?

Really, I’d just like some outside opinions on how I fare in the admissions process, and any advice on how I can improve myself. I don’t really know what to think about my own stats, because friends and family will say they’re impressive but then they’re nothing in comparison to other people I hear about myself, especially here on CollegeConfidential. Anyway, thank you for your time and please don’t worry about being harsh or anything.

2

I would consider most of the mentioned schools to be medium-high reaches, maybe with the exception of GWU (low reach or a match). Your EC’s are weak, not going to sugar coat it. The Page Program is definitely a plus, and I think that adds plenty to the GWU application, as they have always put a stress on politics. Hope I helped.

3

Your marks are very impressive. That SAT score is killer at any public university but most likely average at most of the schools you are applying to. I would say GWU and Pomona are matches for you. You probably have a significant chance at Stanford and the Ivies, but those schools are really reaches for everyone no matter what your qualifications. Best of luck with the application process!

Chance back, please?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1791086-chances-at-temple-university-university-of-minnesota-or-nyu.html#latest

4

@tigerrocks13 @ethangrimes Thank you both!

5

Your academics are stellar, so you don’t have to worry about safeties. I would say, try to find a highly selective summer programme, if you can, and take part in that. Did you look into Oxbridge?

6

@Randomness12345 Thank you, but I’m still fairly sure I’ll need safeties :stuck_out_tongue: I checked out Oxbridge, and unfortunately it does not work with my schedule :confused:

Also, bump!

7

I would disagree with some people above. You do still need safeties no matter what. And your ECs are not weak, they are pretty good but are average compared to the people that apply to these top schools. GWU is a match and the rest are reaches for everyone, but you should get into at least 1 or 2 of them. Make sure your essays are great.

8

@virsha24 Thank you for the advice! Yeah, I figure for these top schools the essays are a huge deal. That’s still the huge variable in my application :stuck_out_tongue:

9

ECs are not exceptional by Stanfords standards. Your test scores are good, particularly subject tests. Curriculum not terribly rigorous and class rank only top 15 percent? Hispanic and legacy definitely helpful. Your list is very unbalanced and you run the risk of being very disappointed. Suggest you review academic credentials and ECs of admitted Stanford students

10

@Wje9164be Since my school doesn’t report class rank it’s sort of irrelevant anyway but yeah, my rank isn’t too good… My curriculum is definitely on the more rigorous side, at least for my school but I see what you mean. Also, could you please elaborate on what you mean by unbalanced? Thank you for chancing me! I’ll be sure to check out some of the credentials/ECs.

11

A balanced list of colleges would have 3 or more you are certain of being admitted to, 3 or more you will probably be admitted to, and 3 or more you might be admitted to. Both your ACT and SAT are strong so you might want to submit both. You will definitely get into GWU and you might want to check out their honor college. If you only have a few Bs your UW GPA is 3.9 or higher. My D this year had very strong test scores but only a 3.8 UW and she applied to all but Wash U. If I were you, I would try to get an honest read on whether your Stanford chances are strong enough so you arent wasting your Early shot. D applied SCEA to Stanford with 36 ACT, similar academic stats to you and she was rejected outright. Might have gotten into Brown. The difference between SCEA and RD admit rates at Stanford is nothing like you will see at the Ivys. You are legacy and Hispanic though so maybe you have a better shot

12

@Wje9164be Yeah, I will be sure to broaden/balance my list a bit. I’ve heard similar things from other people, that I should apply early somewhere where I have a better shot of getting in… but at the same time I wonder if it might just be worth putting all of my eggs in one basket and hoping for the best. Anyways, thank you!

13

By all means apply early somewhere. Being legacy and hispanic perhaps your chances would be much better

14

Bump!