Chances Please!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>Let me know if you think I have a chance at Yale! I attend a selective magnet school for math and science in Michigan (called KAMSC); we have a history of sending 1-2 kids to Harvard Each year.</p>

<p>Most rigorous curriculum possible: 4 AP's and 6 IB's (over two years)</p>

<p>SAT: 690 CR, 770 M, 700 W (12 Essay) (If you combine my highest individual sections, I have a 2200 composite with 690 CR, 780 M and 730 W)
SATII: 760 Math I, 700 Math 2 (retook expecting higher score), 710 Chem, Spanish w/Listening (awaiting scores)
ACT: 32 (12 Essay)
AP: 4 BC Calc, 4 AP Chem
GPA: 4.64 W, 3.9733 UW
Rank: 4/333 W</p>

<p>E.C.'s:</p>

<p>Violin:
 Assistant Concertmaster of Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra- most selective; attracts students throughout Michigan and Northern Indiana
 Concertmaster of 5 Orchestras/Symphonies throughout high school career
 Superior Rated at MSBOA Solo & Ensemble at Regional and State Levels; 3 years
 Named one of 30 Outstanding High School Soloists in the State of Michigan by MSBOA- as a high school sophomore
 Pit Orchestra (Secret Garden, Ragtime, Scarlet Pimpernel, and Fiddler on the Roof)
 Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Youth Soloist Auditions- Honorable Mention
 Stulberg International String Competition- Master Class Winner; public performance
 KJSO String Quartet; Numerous Summer Seminar Scholarships and Audition Waivers</p>

<p>Piano:
 MMTA Achievement Day competition- scored 92+/100 for three years; two-year state semifinalist
 MSBOA Solo and Ensemble- Superior rated; qualified for state competitions; 2 years
 Piano Teachers National Guild Auditions- National and State Roll; “Superior +” Rating; 4 years
 Greater Arts Council of Kalamazoo Bravo! Music Competition- Winner for 2 years, performed on National Public Radio; broadcasted twice each year
 Pianist in piano trio; instrumentation: violin, clarinet, piano; 1 year</p>

<p>Tennis
 Varsity Team Captain- Team is ranked 7th/85 schools in state for Division II (IV total)
 #3 Singles- State Semifinalist, Honorable Mention All-Conference; Runner-up MVP; 110% Award; Regional, Conference, and Greater Kalamazoo Champion; Kalamazoo Gazette Prep Star
 #4 Singles- State Semifinalist; Honorable Mention All-Conference; Regional, Conference, and Greater Kalamazoo Champion; Kalamazoo Gazette Prep Star
 #1 Doubles- All-Conference
 USTA- Rank #20 in West Michigan and #200 in Midwest for Boys’ 16’s (as of 12/05)</p>

<p>Published Journalist:
 Kalamazoo Gazette Young Editorial Staff (local newspaper)- Published editorials every other month; two years
 Kalamazoo Gazette Rising Stars (supplement to local newspaper)- Published journalism article; summer project
 Portage Gazette Insight Team (supplement to local newspaper)- Published cultural article; one year</p>

<p>Organizations:
 IACCT Youth Group- Vice President
 KAMSC Student Senate- Treasurer
 National Forensics League (2 yrs)- Honored Member; coached novice debaters
 Junior Engineering Technical Society (JV,1yr)- 4th place regionally
 First Robotics Team (4 months)- Qualified for National Championships
 Mentorship (senior year)- Shadow emergency room physician; 3 hrs./week</p>

<p>Research:
 “The Mechanism of Action for Adriamycin”- KAMSC Gold Ribbon Winner
 “The Effect of Voltage and Varying Concentration Levels of Copper Sulfate on the Electroplating Process of Copper”
 “Cryptography and Making Codes”- KAMSC Gold Ribbon Winner
 “Vancomycin vs. Metronidazole in the Treatment of C. Difficile Associated Diarrhea”- Submitted for Publication in American Journal of Health System- Pharmacy; KAMSC Gold Ribbon Winner; Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies Poster Presentation; Presented and Published in Michigan High School Math and Science Symposium; entering Siemens Westinghouse and Y.E.S. Competitions </p>

<p>Community Service (740+ Hours):
 Most Notable: Burn Camp Counselor- 1 week; Private Tutor/Mentor for Asperger Syndrome Student- 3 years; Portage West Middle School Math Counts Team Coach- 3 months; Habitat for Humanity- weekly for 2 months; Housing Resources Incorporated Family Shelter Computer Tutor- weekly for 1 year; KAMSC Sizzlin’ Summer Teacher Aide (taught elementary level students)- daily for 1 summer
 Others: Kalamazoo Gospel Mission Soup Kitchen Service; Museum Volunteer for Children; Numerous violin and/or piano performances at local nursing and assisted living homes; Numerous String Quarter Performances at non-profit organizations; Numerous Fundraisers (for Hurricane Katrina Relief, KAMSC and Youth Group Activities); Dialysis Unit Volunteer (played bingo with patients)</p>

<p>Academic Achievements:</p>

<p>National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist (applied for finalist status)
National Honor Roll
National Honor Society- Tier One
Two KAMSC Medallions for Leadership and Excellence (10 awarded of 75 students / year)
KAMSC Gold Ribbon Awards for Science and Epidemiologic Research (The Mechanism of Action of Adriamycin; Vancomycin vs. Metronidazole in the Treatment of C. difficile Associated Diarrhea)
Medallion for Epidemiologic Research Presentation at Michigan High School Math and Science Symposium
Semifinalist in Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition (top 10% of 10,166 students; qualified for part II)
Who’s Who Among American High School Students 2006
Education Communications Scholarship Foundation Semifinalist [merit and need based]
PCHS Service Award
Kohl’s Service Award Nomination
Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo’s Star Service Award Nomination
FIRST Robotics Team; Team qualified for National Competition
American Computer Science League Classroom Division Team; Two-time Perfect Score Contributor; Classroom Team 1st in the nation
Highest Honors at PCHS and KAMSC</p>

<p>I also applied to Brown, Harvard, Dartmouth, U Penn, Duke, and Stanford.</p>

2

<p>your ECs seem...phenomenal but your academics are average (for yale)</p>

3

<p>I think you have a really good chance. I think your extra curriculars demonstrate passion and commitment along with excellence in a particular field which will set you apart. I think that your extra curriculars and achievements are very interesting. While there will be applicants with higher SAT scores,the package you present is compelling.</p>

4

<p>I don't mean to rain on your party here dude but a lot of your awards and extracurrricular accomplishments are fluff. It's been established that National Honor Roll, Who's Who of America, etc. aren't worth anything at all. I think your tennis stuff is by far the most impressive thing on your resume since the music accomplishments aren't really that great and your scientific research has only won school-level recognition. Your problem is that you spread yourself out way too thin and there's no clear passion present. Apply anyway since your scores are though below average(all of them), they are in range.</p>

5

<p>Yes I realize that some of these things are fluff, but not everything.</p>

<p>For music, I don't know...being named one of 30 oustanding high-school violinists in the state of Michigan as a sophomore was pretty big for me. And piano...I've had performances broadcasted on the radio 4+ times and have had state and national recognition.</p>

<p>My research was submitted for publication in a National journal, not a school journal. I never had school-level recognition, especially since research is extremely commonplace at my school.</p>

<p>Is a 780 math really below average? (I can understand that my other scores aren't above average)</p>

<p>For passions, all of my essays focused on music and serving my community. I described how I was approached by an unbelievably appreciative octogenarian for a piano performance in a nursing home, and this catalyzed a mission of service to my community (740+ hours). Even my English teacher told me she would comment on my skills as a violinist in her rec (she would always come to my concerts and performances).</p>

<p>I don't believe I'm spreading myself too thin. I'm extremely dedicated to everything I do, and I have done my major acitivites (Violin, Piano, Tennis) for 10+ years each.</p>

<p>It's hard to judge a person's passion from a laundry list, and I understand that -- this is why colleges require essays. I'm not trying to be bitter about a less-than-positive response, I just don't feel the pursuit of a number of interests should automatically trigger the conception of dispassion.</p>

6

<p>Hmm the course load and all looks very demanding (I mean, 4 APs and 6 IBs over 2 years, man our school doesn't offer that much, i'm so jealous :P)
Your ECs look awesome, and with about 2200 composite for SAT, you can pretty much get into anywhere. ECs show that you not only have leadership, but you are also very well-rounded, participating in music, athletics and volunteering. Goodluck, i'm pretty sure you can get into anywhere! Don't take my spot at Yale tho :P</p>

7

<p>evilasiandictator you are the absolute biggest loser that has ever lived. i like to look at this website to get a better feel for the process, etc and all i see on everyone's chances threads are posts by you being a big jerk. you think yale wants people that are shooting out bad karma all over the internet? man if i were you i wouldnt even be saying this stuff, why do you want negative vibes on your conscience? man whoever wants to apply to yale should and yale will pick the best people- who needs you being a huge jerk on message boards? even the way you say it is mean- and a lot of the stuff you say isnt true or substantiated. you think youre the man, you think youre an adcom but you arent so why dont you lay off and maybe go get some fresh air or something?</p>

8

<p>yeah evil asian dictator are you even in college? where do you attend? i know people are asking for their chances (i did, too) but i think you're being a little harsh.</p>

9

<p>If you guys don't want honest feedback, then why bother posting "chance" threads on College Confidential. It's almost like a lot of posters on this forum want people to merely reassure them and let them know how overqualified there are to attend Yale and that they are guaranteed acceptance or something. No I'm not in college, but I'm just giving you my honest OPINION on what I think needs improvement for a lot of people like the OP who are asking for help. None of you have to listen to anything I, or anyone else on this site for that matter, have to say if you don't want to. I call it as I see it. There's no reason to be so bitter.</p>

<p>The fact is Yale is the hardest school to get into in the world and nobody here on anywhere can accurately predict anyone's chances of admission without the complete picture. If you want a pat on the back and a declaration of your awesomness, then go to your grandmother or high school counselor or something. CC isn't the place for sympathy...</p>

10

<p>I have to agree with EAD on this one. What he says is true--CC is a harsh, cold reality sometimes, but everyone on here should know that. Besides, Who's Who and stuff like that you pay for kind of aren't really respected as much as other things, not to say that they're bad, but, they kind of are just a bit of "fluff".
At any rate, let's not be so harsh to each other. EAD responded honestly and how he thought appropriate, and you're just being a hypocrite by calling him a mean loser or whatever.
Keep it calm kids. We don't even know each other, let's not pass judgement so soon.</p>

11

<p>I'd have to agree with EAD... if you can't take the heat... why'd you ask? So some kid on the internet told you what he thought... deal. You asked. I agree that people are definitely putting these things up so that people will tell them how great they are. Its like all those stick-thin girls that run around asking boys if they think that they are fat... obviously they aren't but they just need someone to tell them. So this time you got bit in the behind. You put yourself out there. (But then again, I don't see rd31 himself complaining about the criticism so maybe I'm just attacking the wrong person... But this rant was meant to be "in general" not neccessarily specific to this thread.)</p>

<p>On another note, rd31, you seem like you've definitely earned the right to consider applying to Yale. Go for it and best of luck...</p>

12

<p>Oh and sorry but just so I'm not the biggest hypocrite ever... My first post on CC was like months ago and was totally a chances thread... I was absolutely one of those losers who was looking for a pat on the back. I just think we can't jump down EAD's throat for not obliging...</p>

<p>And now CC is so much more than a chances thread... so maybe it was worth it!</p>

13

<p>whatever EAD. check out the princeton board, the people there ain't as stiff as you are.</p>

14

<p>haha I'd rather this not turn into an argument thread, I'd much rather have comments on my chances.</p>

15

<p>I think your chances are pretty good. The tennis will definitely help, because even if you're not a DI talent, that shows a lot of dedication.</p>

16

<p>Your ECs are really strong, especially the music, in my opinion. I wouldn't put Who's Who and such on your app (if you haven't already sent them in) because it really will just clutter things up. I think EAD is right in giving a harsh evaluation of people's chances (getting into Yale is obviously no small feat) but I think that this harshness may come across.. more cruelly than it was meant, just because it's on an online forum. Don't take it personally, rd31! Nobody really means any offense (except maybe pv2011, lol).</p>

<p>The one piece of advice I have for you is watch the big words. All of the kids applying to Yale are smart--and it's good that you know these words and feel comfortable using them--but sometimes it may come across like you're trying too hard, especially in your essays.</p>

17

<p>Cool, thanks.</p>

<p>Anyone else? </p>

<p>(oh and my math II score went up from 700 to 760, but I also received an ATROCIOUS Spanish w/listening score, but I guess I have enough subject tests since I've taken 4, hopefully they won't consider it against me)</p>

18

<p>bump........</p>

19

<p>get a safety school</p>

20

<p>i agree with lionofjudah89. frankly, if you applied early youll probably be deferred then rejected. your ecs may help but dont count on it..</p>