<p>Class: Junior
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
State: PA (I also come from the land of the ice and snow but thats not important I guess)</p>
<p>Stats</p>
<p>SAT: 760M 730CR 710W (1490/1600, 2200/2400)
GPA: 3.91 unweighted
Class Rank: 23/554
AP Classes: Junior Year: Bio, Psych
Senior Year: Physics, English, Calc AB
SAT 2s: Math 2- 770
Bio M- 790
AP Scores: pretty sure I got 5s on my exams</p>
<p>ECs
Academic Team- we went to states last year.
Model UN
NHS
Hospital Volunteering- 150 hours
Summer Biology Program summer after sophomore year.
Chemistry/biology tutor for friends (I dont know if this matters, but I help them on about every test so there is time commitment)
Job at summer camp- 30 hours per week. 8 weeks (all summers during high school)
Other Summer Job- 15 hours per week. 8 weeks
Shadowing a doctor and a dentist summer before senior year.</p>
<p>Distinctions
Most likely a National Merit Semi-Finalist, Definitely Commended. 213 in PA</p>
<p>Major- biology and economics- pre med track</p>
<p>Colleges-
UPenn (ED?-could you tell me my chances with and without ED?)
Haverford
Brown
Hopkins
BC
Brandeis
Maryland- College Park
Richmond
Villanova
Lafayette
Pitt</p>
<p>Good luck to everybody in the college search!</p>
<p>I’m not familiar with all the schools but i would think you have a decent shot at Penn and Brown. Most likely in Hopkins. In for the rest except the ones i do not know (Haverford, richmond)</p>
<p>Reasonable shot at Penn ED. Being from PA can make it tougher because there are so many hooked applicants from the state so I’d apply ED if it’s your first choice school. Browns a reach and the others look doable.</p>
<p>thanks bballmj and hmom. hmom, i have a question for you as you seem very knowlegable about admissions at these top schools. Do you think I would even have a chance at Penn without applying ED? I’m somewhat conflicted because Penn is far and away my number one choice, but I am just worried about finances (ie.being loaded up with debt after graduation). Do you have any advise on this matter?</p>
<p>I would advise you to carefully calculate what Penn would cost you and make the decision with actual numbers. Starting with next year’s class Penn will have a no student loan policy so debt isn’t as issue unless your family can not afford it’s EFC. And that will be an issue at all of the private colleges on your list.</p>
<p>I also don’t believe (though do some research here as I’m not familiar with aid at Harverford and Hopkins in particular) any of the other schools on your list offer better need based packages, so unless you’re looking for merit aid, Penn’s package will probably be at least tied for best on a need basis. Even Brown still has loans for higher income financial aid students.</p>
<p>The big issues then are really whether your parent’s can afford their EFC and if you need to go to a state school or a school offering merit aid because they can’t. This is the problem for many families and is where debt can become unreasonable at schools that meet 100% of need with no loans or a loan cap. </p>
<p>So calculate your EFC, call Penn’s aid office with any questions because their web site info isn’t the best and they don’t have a calculator, or even ask for an early read on what you would pay and then decide.</p>
<p>Penn is probably the only ivy (maybe Cornell?) where ED gives an unhooked candidate a boost. Given that your rank and score make you far from a shoo in and you’re from PA, I think you could really use that boost. So if a full look at the financial picture makes it look doable, I would apply ED.</p>
<p>UPenn ED: Low Reach
UPenn NoED: Reach
Haverford: Low Reach
Brown: Reach
Hopkins: Low Reach
BC: Low Match
Brandeis: Low Match
Maryland- College Park: Safety
Richmond: Safety
Villanova: Low Match
Lafayette: Low Match
Pitt: Low Match</p>
<p>I would definitely expect you to get some nice merit money from Brandeis and you have a good shot at getting the FULL scholarship to URichmond! Best of luck.</p>
<p>About the money issue, depending on your family’s income bracket, I know most/all of the ivies have stated they offer a good deal of aid. I believe anything below $200k a year in combined salary of your household means you only have to pay 10% tuition + board, and under $100k is even less.</p>