<p>Thanks Shaggy, I don’t think I have a real “hook” unfortunately. I was trying to portray myself as being fairly well rounded and my hope is that I’ll sneak into one of these schools. Sounds slightly sad but someone has to be the last one in.</p>
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<p>I disagree with this. Chicago’s acceptance rate for RD this year will be around 15% most likely whereas Duke’s will be around 11%. It is difficult to say which is truly harder to get into but it is farcical to assert that the one with the lower acceptance rate is easier to get into.</p>
<p>OP: Your grades and test scores are certainly enough for Chicago/Penn/Duke however nothing really seems to “stand out” in your app. It really just comes down to your recommendations and essays. I don’t really see HSP happening though, sorry.</p>
<p>I think you will most likely get into one of Penn/Duke/Chicago but certainly not all.</p>
<p>Lionized, where did you find the % acceptance rates for the two schools?</p>
<p>Those are the speculated rates due to the increase in # of applications and other factors (i.e. Duke filling 38% of its class ED as opposed to about 34% last year.)</p>
<p>Last years rates were:</p>
<p>Duke:</p>
<p>Overall - 16%
RD (Trinity) - 14.8%</p>
<p>Chicago:</p>
<p>Overall - 18.9%</p>
<p>Grrr. Seems my chances have been cut with the massive number of applicants this year.</p>
<p>holy crap, im also a senior in wake county with basically the exact gpa, class rank, test scores, and course load as you. i also applied to duke, penn, and harvard. and i got into unc. i hope we both do well</p>
<p>Small world isn’t it? I hope we both do well too. =o</p>
<p>Hmm. I was just named a National Merit Finalist, do schools see this during admissions? Also, bump.</p>
<p>HYP- mid/high reach
Duke- match
UChic- match
UPenn- low/mid reach</p>
<p>I think you are certainly qualified, but at high tier schools such as the ones you’re applying to (esp HYP) it’s kind of a crapshoot, like the others said. Remember, there will be thousands of applicants just like you. Your GPA and SAT scores are both great, and agreeing with the others, if you had more depth than breadth in your ECs, along with a few more leadership positions, I think your chances would have significantly improved. How were your essays?</p>
<p>Penn- Low Reach
Chicago- Low Reach
Harvard- Reach
Stanford- Reach (seriously, their admissions are weird)
Princeton- Reach
Duke- Low Reach</p>
<p>I am seriously impressed! Its not fair that a student like you only has a small chance at schools like Harvard and Princeton. Those are reaches for anybody, so you have just a high (or low) a chance as anyone.</p>
<p>Solid chances, but ECs aren’t that unique</p>
<p>Hey slimone, my common app essays were strong and I believe my supplemental essays were good as well (these were quite short, so I can’t really judge their quality if there are only 300 words).</p>
<p>Well you certainly are qualified for all of the schools you are applying to. Having magnificent essays could be your mini “hook” in this case, or if you nail the interview (if you have one), that could help.</p>
<p>My Harvard interview was far and away my best. I think they all went well (I interview well, dad is a hiring manager so he gave me tips) but Harvard was my best. How much weight do the interviews actually carry?</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1104238-chances-vanderbilt-dartmouth-cal-poly-san-louis-obispo-lehigh-umich-cu-boulder.html#post12179556[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1104238-chances-vanderbilt-dartmouth-cal-poly-san-louis-obispo-lehigh-umich-cu-boulder.html#post12179556</a></p>
<p>I don’t know too much one this because I am only a freshman in high school, but I have had multiple interviews for prep schools (all elite- Hotchkiss, Andover, LVille) and my aunt is an admissions officer so I know a little bit about them. Honestly, I think the interviews were what got me in. Although my aunt noted that they don’t carry as much weight as other aspects of your application, (if you did bad, it won’t hurt you too much) but if you really hit it home and the interviewer gives positive feedback about you, it could also be the determining factor of your acceptance. Depends how you use it to your benefit.</p>
<p>Darn. Deferred from Chicago, guess Ivies are out of reach</p>
<p>Your accomplishments look solid to most people, but you have to realize that to selective schools they look almost exactly like everybody else. There’s almost no way to stand out in the admissions process for schools like the Ivies and Chicago, unless you’re a talented musician that has played at Carnegie Hall multiple times and has started a national charity that gains national attention and raises millions of dollars for a worthy cause, all while maintaining a 4.0 and becoming valedictorian of your class.</p>
<p>Obviously, the majority of students don’t have that kind of experience. Admissions processes are so subjective that it’s really sometimes only luck. With that in mind, be happy about your deferment from Chicago. That’s a crazy selective school and while you’re not in, you’re not out of the game yet. And because admissions are so mind-bogglingly unpredictable, you’re not out of the game for any of your other colleges either.</p>
<p>Good chances at Chicago/Duke, Ivies could be difficult without better ECs</p>
<p>Definitely some amazing stats except for the EC’s, they are prettty generic. Don’t feel too bad because you were turned down from UChicago, they are as selective as the upper ivies. YOu have a great shot at duke and UPenn, but the other schools are significant reaches. I can only imagine your teacher recs and essays were pretty boring and nothing unique for those grades to be turned down</p>
<p>Chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1109648-please-rate-my-progression-ill-rate-chance-back-within-hour.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1109648-please-rate-my-progression-ill-rate-chance-back-within-hour.html</a></p>