Chances for top engineering schools: Harvey Mudd, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Berkeley, GaTech?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys! </p>

<p>I'm from Shanghai and I'm planning on going to college in the States for engineering.</p>

<p>I would really appreciate if you could chance me for some top schools and/or give me some other school suggestions :D
(School list at the end of the post)</p>

<p>Gender: F
Location: Shanghai, China
College Class Year: 2019
High School: Public</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>GPA: School does not calculate GPA. I have a B among 10+ subjects of A.
Class Rank: top 1%
Class Size: around 350</p>

<p>Scores:</p>

<p>SAT I Math: 800 - 800
SAT I Critical Reading: 770 - 760
SAT I Writing: 720 - 800
(took the test twice)</p>

<p>SAT II U.S. History: 800
SAT II Math Level 2 (IIC): 800
SAT II Physics: 800</p>

<p>AP: 5's on Calculus BC, Computer Science A, Econs, Physics C's, Statistics, United States History</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<ul>
<li>Founder and President of a student library</li>
<li>4 years of Math club, 1 year Vice President</li>
<li>President of Volunteering Department in Student Union</li>
<li>Member of Student Union Secretariat</li>
<li>President of Class (not the whole grade.. we have like 7 classes in a grade)</li>
<li>Do marathons as a hobby</li>
<li>Translate calculus courses into Chinese for Coursera</li>
</ul>

<p>Honors and Awards: </p>

<ul>
<li>Meritorious in MCM</li>
<li>Finalist in HiMCM</li>
<li>Runner-up in Shanghai English Speaking Contest</li>
<li>Merit Student (Year 2009 through 2013)</li>
<li>Have some math awards that are not particularly good..</li>
</ul>

<p>College Summer programs: </p>

<ul>
<li>Operation Catapult at Rose-Hulman (really loved it!!)</li>
</ul>

<p>So far, my school list looks like this:
(It's so long. I know... I've been trying to cross some of these schools off the list but they're just all so good!!)</p>

<p>Dream:
Harvey Mudd
Stanford</p>

<p>High reach:
MIT
Caltech</p>

<p>Reach:
CMU
Berkeley
Cornell
Columbia
Northwestern
Cooper Union</p>

<p>Match:
GaTech
UMich
UCLA
Olin</p>

<p>Safety:
Rose-Hulman
Lehigh
Bucknell
Lafayette
(I'm actually looking to a financial safety as well. I heard Lehigh is pretty generous toward international students?)</p>

<p>Thanks, guys!!</p>

2

<p>Harvey Mudd is easier than MIT or Caltech. I recommend that you apply early to Harvey Mudd, as you’ll have a decent shot of getting in and it is a dream school for you. Again nothing is a guarantee, especially since you’re applying international, but I think you’ll have a good shot IF you apply Early Decision to Mudd.</p>

3

<p>Thanks, 235423!</p>

<p>I don’t think I can apply early to Mudd though :frowning: My parents don’t really like Mudd since it doesn’t have a lot of international reputation. So…</p>

4

<p>Are you going to school or are your parents going to school? Reputation should not be a big deal. For the smart people in the loop, Harvey Mudd is an excellent school. Don’t get caught up in the prestige hype.</p>

5

<p>I agree ^ since you stated that your dream is to go to Harvey Mudd, you should definitely EA there! Your stats are great, but your ECs show neither dedication nor interest in engineering. Since you’re an international student, it may be a little harder to get in, but I think you have the stats to do so. Caltech and MIT are reaches, so if you end up following your parents’ desire for an internationally famous school, you might have a chance at Caltech. I thunk Berkeley is a match for you as well. Good luck deciding!
Please chance me back: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1672761-chance-me-for-stanford-university.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1672761-chance-me-for-stanford-university.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>@DreamOn. If you read OP’s thread his dream schools are Stanford and Harvey Mudd…and I have a feeling I know which one his parents favor… 8-| …the same one you are applying to…</p>

7

<p>Thanks, guys!</p>

<p>Oberyn: I couldn’t agree more. But the thing is, my parents are the ones who will be funding my college. Even if I got in, I’ll have a hard time persuading them to let me go there, and more so if I apply ED :confused: I know it sucks…</p>

<p>Dream0n: Thanks, I chanced back :D</p>

<p>gravitas2: yep…</p>

8

<p>bump bump ^ ^</p>

9

<p>In at cooper and good shot any any school- ec’s are a little weak but your application is solid</p>

10

<p>You are an international student so I don’t know how different the admission process will be. You have strong scores. I would try to improve your extracurriculars and display the passion you have for the sciences. </p>

11

<p>If you want more top engineering schools, you should also consider Michigan, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota. All of them are top-20 overall in Engineering and top-10 in multiple Engineering disciplines.</p>

12

<p>The international pool is really really competitive. I would go ahead with the early app to Harvey Mudd; MIT/Caltech/Stanford don’t strike me as particularly realistic, despite your great scores.</p>

13

<p>@HappyHelper‌</p>

<p>Mudd’s accepted SATs are right in line with H/Y/P/M and Caltech (who is #1).</p>

14

<p>As an international student, you do not have any safeties in America unless they accept more than 50% students and you will be full pay. Lafayette, Lehigh, and Bucknell are not safeties by any stretch. They are expensive and selective. For a domestic applicant with your stats, they are matches and for international applicants with your stats, they are reaches.</p>

15

<p>By no mean is Lehigh generous toward Intl students.
Lafayette and Lehigh are matches.
However, a lot of my friends (from Vietnam) got into Lafayette with extremely generous packages (nearly full-ride) and their stats are not even as close as yours.</p>

16

<p>@prezbucky‌ I am not suggesting that her scores are inadequate, but as she herself mentioned, some schools on her list have international reputations. These are the ones where competition, especially from China, is ridiculously fierce. I’m not discounting Harvey Mudd’s excellent programs, but they simply aren’t as widely known internationally and won’t attract the same level of competition (Olympiad gold medalists, etc)</p>

<p>Harvey Mudd is an excellent option for her, especially as it is one of her dream schools, so what is there to lose? It’s refreshing to see that her dream schools are not just some combination of Ivy leagues + MIT/Caltech/Stanford. Use that as an advantage!</p>