Chances for Stanford or Ivy

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm trying to aim for admission into an ivy league school or Stanford. 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: 29/1100 (Top 3%)
SAT: Math-760, Reading-730, Writing-770 (Essay:12); Total: 2260
ACT: English-33, Math-34, Reading-36, Science-31, 'Writing'-33 (Essay:11); Total: 34
U.S. History Subject Test: 790
Math Level 2 Subject Test: 770
Chemistry Subject Test: 770
Ethnicity: White</p>

<p>Before Freshman Year:
Spanish 1
Algebra 1
Honors/Pre-AP Geometry</p>

<p>Freshman Classes:
Honors/Pre-AP English
Honors/Pre-AP Biology
Honors/Pre-AP Algebra 2
Honors/Pre-AP Spanish 2
Human Geography AP
Debate/Comm Apps
Orchestra</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
Honors/Pre-AP English 2
Honors/Pre-AP Chemistry
Honors/Pre-AP Pre-calculus
Honors/Pre-AP Spanish 3
World History AP
European History AP
Orchestra</p>

<p>Junior Year:
English 3 AP
Calculus (AB) AP
Spanish 4 AP
U.S. History AP
Environmental Science AP
Honors/Pre-AP Physics
Orchestra H</p>

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

<p>Major Accomplishments:</p>

<p>US Patent for Solar/Wind Clean Energy Device in Nov. 2008 - Inventor
Patent Pending for Magnetic Blood Scanner in 2012 - Secondary Inventor
Have been researching/studying under a Chemist from a local university for 4 years</p>

<p>'Honors':</p>

<p>National Merit Semifinalist*
National AP Scholar*
National Honor Society (10th-12th)
Spanish Honor Society (11th-12th)
*Not guaranteed, but very likely</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Golf for 4 years (Handicap ~14)
Cello for 7 years - Principal of orchestra (1st Chair) for 2 years (10th & 11th)
Volunteer often at a local nursing home (Currently spent ~300 hours)
LASER/Science Fair (9th-10th)
STAND (10th-11th)
Hip Hop (Private dance class)- (10th-11th)
Key Club (10th-12th) - President (10th)
Work at family business/warehouse ~12 hours each week during school and ~25 hours each week during summer
+ Various other activities</p>

<p>Awards:
2nd Place School Science Fair Winner 9th Grade
1st Place School Science Fair Winner 10th Grade
(I have won 1st place at district and regional competitions many times in elementary and middle school but that probably won't matter to colleges)
2012 National Spanish Exam Bronze Medal
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 a Chemist that I've been researching with for 4 years)</p>

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

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

<p>Overall, I possibly still have my first semester of senior year which will involve me focusing more on science based courses, however my gpa and rank will not change. I also come from a school that is ranked in the ~top 50 best highschools in America (Newsweek) if that makes a difference. I realize that valedictorians with perfect SAT scores get rejected, but I'm trying to be optimistic. I realize that I probably don't stick out much or excel in any one area in particular, but I hope that I somehow might be accepted into Stanford or an Ivy League School. My top choice is Stanford, and I'll probably apply to it early action. Any feedback would be appreciated!</p>

2

<p>No suggestions? anybody? This is the last time I’m posting on CC before I start making and sending in apps. Was hoping someone might give some advice</p>

3

<p>Look, everything looks good. You would have a fair chance anyway but it looks like the legacy will really take it up a notch for Stanford. What’s your essay on?</p>

4

<p>@ theatre It’s hard to explain what it’s about exactly, but I feel like it’s a really good description of who I am as a person. I basically described a few significant moments in my life that have shaped me as an individual and represent who I am. Vague, I know, but I think it was well written</p>

5

<p>“Chancing” is absolutely meaningless and has NO PREDICTIVE value WHATSOEVER. Therefore, I am not going to “chance” you. Your chance is probably equal to the admissions statistics of the recently completed cycle. For Stanford, well under 7% (legacy status is no guarantee). Presume for the Ivies, averaged, a 10% chance or less. Much less than that for Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Princeton, all four of which admitted fewer than eight percent of applicants this year. Anyone who tells you you have a better than statistical chance of admissions to these schools is misleading you, or is uninformed.</p>

<p>What is it you want from CC? To be told whether to apply? You have every right to apply where ever you want. No one can or should tell you whether you can or should apply. That is your call. Really, if you want to aim for schools at this level, assume that those accepted will have confidence in themselves…certainly enough to know they have the right to apply. If you lack that confidence, well…no one here can give that to you. Lacking it will be quite a disadvantage at such a school.</p>

<p>Some advice:</p>

<p>1). Where are your match and safety schools? Are you really just aiming for Ivies or Stanford? If you are rejected from all – and it happens even to kids with perfect “paper” apps – what will you do next year?</p>

<p>2). All the Ivies? Really? Are they identical schools having the exact same programs, characters, environments, locations? How compelling can any such apps. be to any of these schools, if you have no STAKE in any particular ones? These schools get tens of thousands of applications. They do like students that – stats aside…-- are actual good fits for their unique schools. Which Ivies are you particuarly drawn to and why? If you cannot answer that basic question for yourself, you will never convince any one of the schools. Figure out WHICH Ivies, and why? If all, WHY ALL???</p>

<p>3). I cannot stress it enough: MATCH AND SAFETY SCHOOLS!!! Get some!!!</p>

<p>Comments:</p>

<p>1). If Stanford is your first choice, really, and you are a legacy, of course you should apply earlier. That really seems a total no-brainer! </p>

<p>2). Your rank and GPA are not fantastic, but don’t let that stop you BECAUSE, your major accomplishments seem impressive to me.</p>

<p>CC cannot help you craft these applications. The only thing we can helpfully do is perhaps say, as I am: GET SOME MATCH AND SAFETY SCHOOLS ASAP. And, make some more considered top-tier choices, because, really, you cannot like every Ivy equally. If you do, you have done NO RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN. And you need to do this. Beyond that, there is nothing more you need from us. You have the building blocks for strong applications, esp. based upon those patents and ECS. </p>

<p>This does not mean, however, that you will get into any of these schools. Yet not being assured of admissions is no reason NOT to apply. But apply broadly and smartly. That is all you can do. And hope for the best. </p>

<p>Really, I am sorry to be tough, but…you do have some impressive things going on, so go with that and craft the most compelling, competitive applications you can. And…good luck.</p>

6

<p>@swingtime wow that’s an impressive answer. I guess it is a little stupid of me to ask for a ‘chance’ on CC, and I shouldn’t stress so much about it. I’m definitely going to get a few match and safety schools though, as well as narrow down my choices amongst the ivies. Thanks for the advice. Definitely the best/most honest answer I’ve seen on CC</p>

7

<p>What would you like to study in college?</p>

8

<p>Yes, please DON’T stress!!! But please DO come up with a list of matches and safeties, and narrow down those Ivies. I have no doubt you will be going to a fine college next fall. However, I would be totally irresponsible if I “predicted” which school. No one can!</p>

<p>But yeah, don’t stress. You have the raw materials for excellent applications to a RANGE of schools! It is crucially important to come up with a broad, but targeted, list of schools you would be willing to attend (reaches, matches, AND safeties). If you do that, you really cannot go wrong, because all the schools to which you will apply will be schools you would be happy to attend, even if your ultimate destination is not your first choice.</p>

<p>It is a reach, too, and I shouldn’t be encouraging more reaches for you, but have you considered the University of Chicago?</p>

9

<p>@swingtime Yeah I’m definitely thinking of U of Chicago as one of the schools I will apply to. I’ll also start making a more targeted list and will try to avoid stressing about it. Thanks for the suggestions!</p>

10

<p>@cortana I’m definitely thinking of focusing on ‘Pre-med’ studies or the sciences in general (biology, chemistry, etc). It’s hard to specifically know at this point since I don’t really know what each subject will involve, but probably pre-med/sciences</p>

11

<p>Possible statistical match school for you: University of Rochester. Excellent in the sciences. With your ECs you’d have a good chance here. Beyond that…I can say no more.</p>

<p>Actually USC is very good in many sciences, though it is increasingly difficult to get into these days. Have you looked into any of the UCal branches? Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Davis…? </p>

<p>You should also consider some Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs). A low reach LAC, with absolutely superb science offerings across the board (for which it is known), is Carleton College in Northfield, MN. Ranked around number six by USNWR among national LACs, Carleton typically admits around 25% of applicants, because applicants self-select. Not everyone knows about Carleton, so it is not typically flooded with applicants. Also look at some, sort of, neighbors of Stanford: the schools of the Claremont Consortium. They are five excellent LACs with varying degress of admissions difficulty. Harvey Mudd is the “sciency” one of the schools. Pomona is its liberal arts “flagship.” All five of the schools are very good, and a benefit is that you can cross register. Beautiful area! I would consider them (Mudd and Pomona) – taking your ECs into account here – lower-level reach schools. </p>

<p>Yes, you need more true matches, and safeties, but these are names I thought I’d throw out as you begin really digging into college research.</p>

<p>Point is, there are so many great schools outside of the Ivy orbit.</p>

12

<p>@swingtime Those sound like some great choices. Thanks for bringing them to my attention; I totally forgot about some of the schools you mentioned. U of Rochester sounds good, as does USC and the UCal branches. Some LACs like the ones you mentioned also feel like great options. I may even just apply to all the schools you suggested, since you sound like you know what you’re talking about. I will definitely do some research on the colleges you mentioned, and I’ll probably be really grateful for it soon enough</p>