Chances for UPenn CAS, Georgetown, Columbia etc.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am an American citizen, born in the US and my family still maintains a house there, however, I have lived in Hong Kong for the last 16 years. Main reach schools: Penn CAS (ED), Georgetown, Columbia, Cornell, Yale and NYU Stern.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: White
GPA: School does not use GPA
Class Rank: School does not rank (graduating class of 19)
School type: Extremely small private (though attached to a semi public French Lycee)</p>

<p>SAT
-Math: 650
-Critical Reading: 680
-Writing: 700
-Essay: 9
Will be retaking in November.</p>

<p>SAT II
French (written): 600 (mess up I am actually almost fluent :S will be retaking in January)
Math II: October
Chemistry: October</p>

<p>Bilingual IB Diploma Candidate:
HL Maths
HL Economics
HL History (of East Asia and Oceania)
SL Chemistry
SL French A2
SL English A1</p>

<p>ECs:
-Division I Club Rugby 10 years
-School Rugby 5 years
-Division I Club Tennis 4 years
-International Rugby Board Referee level 1
-Golf - Club awards (<10 handicap)
-Volunteer at an NGO specialising in local youth outreach ( 3 hours a week for 2 years, >100hrs)
-Modeling (some for Charity fashion shows)
-Member of School Life Council (Highest student government body, made up of students from both English and French sides of the school, teachers and french government officials.) 2 years (if reelected then 3)</p>

<p>Achieved Academia:</p>

<p>International General Certificates of Secondary Education IGCSEs (CIE) (2009)
A*: Maths, Economics, French (2008) and English Language
A: History, Geography, Information Technology and Chemistry
B: English Literature :(</p>

<p>Yale Summer Session ('10)
ECON 252: B+
ENGL 212: B+</p>

<p>Hoping to Major in Economics and minor in History or another social science/humanity. Apart from my SATs, I am aiming to get higher than 700 in maths and a combined 2100+ overall as well as 750+ on both SAT IIs, what else should I improve?</p>

2

<p>GPA: School does not use GPA
Class Rank: School does not rank (graduating class of 19)</p>

<p>Does the school give GRADES of any type? Your first-sitting SAT scores are low for the very ambitious schools on your list, including NYU, since you want Stern.</p>

3

<p>Shoot a little higher on SAT, 2200 should be good, as that would help a lot. Can you post something like an overall average between your classes out of 100%, or of the sort, as you should be around 92-97 to get into the top schools, unless your school is really competitive - I assume so since it’s only 19 people. Yale will be a high reach. Cornell and Georgetown should be good reaches. Not sure about the other too (like I know nothing about them).
Just curious, did you take those two yale courses for two different summers or just one summer, and rising senior?</p>

4

<p>Without some serious improvements to your SAT score, you won’t have much of a chance at any of the schools you listed.</p>

5

<p>My school is very very competitive, out of the 20 that graduated this year, we had 3 ivy and several oxbridge as well as michigan, northwestern, stern etc. I do get grades, they are majority A’s or B+'s however due to the small class sizes, sometimes B+ is the highest grade awarded (weird i know) my IB diploma self prediction (I am not told the true one) is 37-8/42 points and 2-3/3 for the additional points resulting in a score of 39-41 (top 4.5% in the world for the IB program. I know the SATs are my weak point, that is actually a composite score, I bombed my second try (1900, dont ask i dont know what went wrong). Presuming my composite went up to 2150-2200 (what I think I am capable of, and I achieved 750+ on the SAT II) Given my unique situation and these acceptable academics would i have a “reasonable shot”. Furthermore I have noted that my SATs are still within the middle 50% (not for maths) of most ivies, how do the current scores (however meagre compared to my goals) put me out of contention? Yes I took both courses over the month of July and I am a rising senior :D</p>

6

<p>I guess I’ll bump</p>

7

<p>bumpppppppp</p>

8

<p>If you can improve your SAT score, I’d say you have a good shot</p>

9

<p>With low SAT and SAT II’s as well as lack of econ ec’s, all of the schools on your list are reaches.</p>

10

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<p>^ I don’t think those schools look for demonstrated interest in economics. Wharton (Penn) considers business extracurriculars, but the OP is applying to Penn CAS.</p>

<p>Definitely raise your SAT score. You have some interesting activities like modeling and youth outreach volunteering, as well as some extensive commitment to rugby. Will you be recruited to play? If not, get the SAT score up, and you have a good shot at Stern and possibly Cornell and Gtown. All your other schools are a bit of a stretch if you are an unhooked applicant (not recruited, not famous, not URM, not legacy/developmental case).</p>

11

<p>Stern shouldn’t be a huge reach, but Penn, Columbia, and Yale definitely are</p>

12

<p>What is your “unique situation?” As an Asian intnl you are in the most competitive pool where near perfect grades and scores are basic and national championships expected.</p>

13

<p>Cheers guys, I know the numbers are pretty atrocious but I am working on them, I hope to have at least 2150 and 750’s on the sat IIs. </p>

<p>Well redroses I am not in that international pool actually, as I am a US resident, I have talk extensively with admissions departments about this and they consider me a Connecticut resident living abroad therefore I am not thrown into the hyper-competitive international pool. The benefit is that I can speak of my experiences abroad, so hopefully my essays should shine out .</p>

<p>DEC enthusiast, unfortunately one cannot be recruited to a “club” sport, I have enquired about this already :(</p>