Chances HYP

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Okay sorry I'm NOT applying to HYP...but it just seems like the better the schools, the more likely it is for people to respond. Just my observation. Thanks.</p>

<p>Background Information
Class of 2008/2012
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Vietnamese
Location: Northeast
High School Type: Public, sends many grads to top schools
High School Rank: Top 5% (Not sure, but likely)
Class Size: 560</p>

<p>GPA + Courseload
Cumulative Unweighted GPA: 3.7589
9th: 3.7143
10th: 3.5627
11th: 4.0000</p>

<p>Wacky GPA trend. All Honors and AP classes + most rigorous courseload.</p>

<p>Adanced Placement Classes/Tests
11th grade APs:
AP English Language and Composition (5)
AP United States History (5)</p>

<p>12th grade APs:
AP French
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Government
AP Calculus AB (taking BC test though)</p>

<p>Standarized Tests
SAT I: 2260 (superscore). I might retake to get around a 2330 which is very possible.
SAT II: Biology M 760, United States History 750, MathIIC 800 (projected)</p>

<p>Extra-Curriculars
Odyssey of the Mind (9th to 12th):
-Three-year team captain (9th, 10th, 11th)
-Treasurer (11th)
-President (12th)
-3rd Place Regionals (2006)
-3rd Place State Finals (2006)
-Qualified for 2006 World Finals
-1st Place Regional Tournament (2007)
-1st Place State Finals (2007) + Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award
-20th Place at World Finals (should've done better...)</p>

<p>Marching Band (9th to 12th)
-Varsity letter
-Section leader (11th, 12th)</p>

<p>Model United Nations (9th to 12th)
-Recognition/ awards at national conferences and local conferences. One was at William and Mary, the other at UPenn. I doubt this will affect anything, but it was a good way of seeing the campuses.</p>

<p>French Alliance/ French Honor Society (11th to 12th)</p>

<p>National Honor Society (11th to 12th)</p>

<p>Social Studies Honor Society (11th to 12th)</p>

<p>Head Injury Center Junior Volunteer (approx. 100 hours by the time I apply)</p>

<p>Essays and Recommendation Letters
Essays: I'm starting them in mid-August. I did well on AP Language and I did well on the SAT Writing...I guess I'm decent. I'll make my essays original and interesting (hopefully). Let's just say they're good.
Recommendations: They're going to be pretty kickass. I'm guessing they won't be generic but personal and profound? I already have a rec. from my guidance counseler and my science teacher from a previous program, so I'm pretty sure they have a good idea on what to write next time.</p>

<p>Schools I think I have a shot at.
Rutgers University
New York University Stern
College of William and Mary
Georgetown University
University of Chicago
University of Michigan</p>

<p>Schools that will laugh at my application.
Duke University (Ha.)
University of Pennsylvania (Haha!)
Stanford University (Keep dreaming, man...)</p>

<p>I might not even apply to half of these schools. Just chance away anyway.</p>

<p>Thanks. Sorry for reposting I just wanted to get more feedback.</p>

2

<p>Great ECs, test scores, good class rank.</p>

<p>Stanford - Reach
Penn - Mid Reach
Duke - Lower Reach
Michigan - High Match
Chicago - Low Reach
Georgetown - Low Reach
Stern - Low Reach</p>

<p>The others are safe.</p>

<p>I might get flamed for this, but I think you should retake and get 2300+. If you can, why not? It's a nice psychological barrier and it just looks better.</p>

3

<p>you'll probably get into your 'shot' schools. I am glad you realize you have little chance at the top schools. I am sorry, although your rank is great, your GPA and lack of great ECs take you out of the running at duke, penn, and stanford.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the replies. Apparently you guys have two very different views on ECs. Haha?</p>

5

<p>I think his ECs are exactly what they say you should have these days: a lot of focus on a couple different areas. He placed 20th in the world for something. That's pretty impressive.</p>

6

<p>Bump Blah.</p>

7

<p>Keep responding...:-)</p>

8

<p>don't listen to 1MX, he thinks everyone has weak EC's just because they didn't start their own business and make a bazillion dollars</p>

<p>Focus on your essays...they will make or break you at this point. You can't change anything else now. If you are CONFIDENT in getting 2300+, go for it. With great essays, you could possibly go anywhere but of course at schools like stanford,duke, penn, luck definitely plays a factor.</p>

9

<p>Stanford likes kids that are the top in the world at anything. I wouldn't be suprised if you got an acceptance letter from there.</p>

10

<p>You seem like a very personable individual; if you let that shine through on your app, I think you can make it to UMICH/U Chicago (with amazing essays), and possibly Duke/UPenn (if you increase your SAT). Stanford is a little out of your reach though w/ the GPA. Rank is not bad, however, considering you had a 3.76.</p>

<p>Edit: Oh, and if you are intending to go into a business major, NYU Stern is iffy, it's as competitive as some Ivies and your EC focus doesn't seem to include business.</p>

11

<p>Competitive at all schools! Let your personality shine through your essays and you'll have a shot at your reach schools!</p>

12

<p>I'd be wary of that 20th place. Odyssey of the Mind isn't as prestigious or as widely participated in as say the Chemistry Olympiad.</p>

13

<p>Do you want UChicago? If you're applying to Stern and you want to study business as an undergrad, you will NOT like the unavoidable academic focus of Chicago.</p>

14

<p>Really? Are you a UChicago undergrad..?</p>

15

<p>20th place at a national science olympiad would be an amazing EC. I'd venture to say that most ppl have never even heard of odyssey of the mind though. How competitive is this event?</p>

16

<p>I have to admit it's not as popular as like Model UN or anything like that, but it certainly is well known around the world in a lot of schools. A bunch of countries compete at Worlds against the 50 states, and there are others that just do it for fun within their own borders.</p>

<p>And it's competitive.</p>

17

<p>Bump. 10char</p>

18

<p>
[quote]
I'm NOT applying to HYP...but it just seems like the better the schools, the more likely it is for people to respond.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>True, but the fact is: more people have heard of HYP, more people know what kind of qualifications it takes to get into HYP, therefore more people will respond to HYP chances threads. The average poster doesn't know what it takes to get into UMaryland, so s/he doesn't respond to those chances threads.</p>

19

<p>Seriously disregard what 1MX says, he is probably the most pessimistic person on this forum. I'm no expert, but I think your ECs are very good and you have a good chance at all those colleges. Best of luck.</p>

20

<p>Alfred, you have a great shot at of all these schools.</p>

<p>I once saw ses tell someone they had no shot at Harvard w/ a 2350 SAT... how can you rule this person OUT immediately? I have no clue...</p>

<p>Then you have 20th in the world Odyssey of the mind with the band and other club memberships... how could you at least not be CONSIDERED?</p>

<p>I would say many people on CC have a better shot at most of these schools than they think they do... We are college junkies, that's why we're on CC. Bottom line is we care about college more, so we're more apt to get into college.</p>

<p>I swear, I'm going to do a study one of these days. The current acceptance rate at Stanford is about 11%. I'm willing to bet that a CC kid applying to Stanford or Harvard gets in at a rate upwards of 20%...</p>