Chances for UPenn and others?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Thanks in advance!
So, I am currently a rising high school senior living in the state of Texas.
As of now, my plans are to ED to UPenn's CAS, and then apply regular to University of Texas at Austin (Liberal Arts Honors or Plan II), Rice, and Brown (Possibly PMLE?). I'm considering applying to Dartmouth, Stanford, USC, WashU and Northwestern.
Just a heads up, my academics are not the best, so I need your honest opinion on whether I should even spend any time applying to some of the above-mentioned schools. I am aiming to do premed. Depending on the school I apply to, I will most likely either major in bio or major in something more towards the liberal arts, because I enjoy both.
My HS is not ranked very high, but has a very good reputation. Average class size is about 800, 50+ National merit semi-finalists yearly, about 40 students attend very prestigious universities.</p>

<p>Female, Asian-American
GPA: weighted-4.67, unweighted: 3.738
ACT: 32, but taking it once more because I didnt have a calculator the first time -.- fail.
AP Tests: 4's in all (World History, Biology, English Language, Spanish Language, US History)
Senior year classes: AP Gov/AP macro economics, AP Environmental Science, Pre-AP Physics, AP English 4, AP Spanish 5, AP Calc BC, IB Music/Orchestra</p>

<p>EC's/volunteering/work experience:
-All Region Orchestra (9th-12th)
-All Area Orchestra (10th-12th)
-All State Orchestra (11th-12th)
-UIL Solo & Ensemble (9th & 10th)
-UIL Solo & Ensemble State (9th & 10th)
-Outside of school orchestra (concerts held at Rice Univcersity, 9th & 10th, highest orchestra and first violin section)
-School Orchestra (all 4 yrs, 11th-PR, 12th-President)
-leader & cofounder of church ensemble (9th-12th)
-Survivors of Science (Science tutoring club 9th-Bio VP in 11th)
-Student Government (Grade-level rep all 4 yrs)
-Korean Club (All 4 yrs, 10th-PR, 11th-VP, 12th-President)
-Spanish National Honor Society (member in 10th, 11th-Historian, 12th-President)
-Christian Student Union (member in 11th, 12th-President)
-National Honor Society (Event chair)
-mentor at school
-Church ministry (all 4 yrs)
-Volunteered at Camp Barnabas (camp for kids and adults with mental/physical disabilities)
-Leader of school quartet (11th-12th, work experience, performed at many events ie. award ceremonies for HEB, weddings, etc.)
-Texas Children's Hospital Volunteer
-Texas Children's Medical Mentorship Program
-Yearbook Staff (11th, very presitigous staff, gold award almost every year)
-ATB (Alternative Teen Break hosted by the zoo, many service hours, projects dedicated to environmental conservation)
-total of about 700 volunteer hours (rough estimate)</p>

<p>Recs:
From AP biology teacher, AP Spanish teacher, Orchestra director. All will be fantastic, I am certain due to past recs from them! yayyy</p>

<p>Again, thanks so much, and please be completely honest. I would rather wake up and realize my true chances than waste my time and money on schools that I probably dont have a chance to get into.</p>

2

<p>Oh and i forgot to mention…my school gives out ranks at the end of 1st semester of senior year, but I’m guesstimating that I will be in the top 7-8%?</p>

3

<p>Ed Penn and you will almost surely get in</p>

4

<p>^no. Ivy leagues are very difficult to get into, let alone trying to predict admissions. You have good stats, but you will not surely get in. Don’t get me wrong, you have the stats and ECs to do it, but you just never know. I will say, however, for the benefit of your APP, to make sure you only mention the ECs you’re involved the most in (I could be wrong but orchestra and medicine?). Do not list the clubs that you put very little time into, even if you are the president of the club and don’t do very much. Maybe you don’t have any like that, but just make sure you really show what you love, show the admissions people who you are, not who they want. Everything else looks very good, you have the scores, GPA could be slightly higher, but not a killer, you have the ECs, and hopefully you right some outstanding essays (I’m sure you’re more than capable of good ones). Good luck.</p>

5

<p>I disagree- I don’t see the issue of orchestra and medicine. Schools are looking for interesting people that will contribute to the atmosphere of the school, so being a musician is a big plus no matter what your major is.</p>

<p>IMO, you can get into all the places you mentioned, but there’s never a guarantee you’re going to get into an ivy. But you’ve got a great chance. I would apply to all the schools, you’re not wasting your time.</p>

6

<p>That’s not what I meant. I’m saying that op needs to convey that passion, if it is orchestra and medicine, on her app. I was saying that the op doesn’t need to show a run down of clubs that she only participates minimally in because that truly isn’t her. I was saying that she shouldn’t show the clubs that she doesn’t care about, as this EC list was starting to resemble that laundry list of ECs mentality that is so disagreeable. She has the ECs, and the orchestra accomplishments are very impressive, but she just doesn’t want to clog her resume with ones she doesn’t care about.</p>

7

<p>Stanford: I don’t see it.
Brown PLME: I don’t see it.
Dartmouth: High reach
Penn CAS ED: Reach
NW: Reach
Rice: Reach
Wash U: Nobody knows
USC: Solid chances</p>

<p>UWGPA is “low” (unless you are in top 5%) and ACT is “low” to be a competetive applicant at the very top colleges.</p>

<p>I think you are in at UT. Right?</p>

8

<p>Thank you all for being honest, I truly appreciate what you have all said and will take that into consideration!</p>