CHANCES (please!)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey; I'm a junior from central NJ. I haven't started doing applications yet but wanted a preliminary evaluation. Is the list I have realistic at all? BTW, I'm Asian-Indian.</p>

<p>GPA: 4.01 (weighted); 3.87-ish, unweighted</p>

<p>CLASSES</p>

<p>9TH GRADE:
Honors Physics (A-)/Honors Algebra II (B+)/Honors English (A)/Journalism I (A)/Gym (B-)/Honors Government (A)</p>

<p>10TH GRADE:
AP Physics B (A-)/Honors English (A)/Honors Biology (A)/Pre-AP Calculus (B+)/Journalism II (A)/Honors US History (A-)</p>

<p>11TH GRADE:
AP Calculus AB (B-)/AP English (A)/AP Biology (A)/AP European History (A)/Journalism (A)</p>

<p>STANDARDIZED TESTS</p>

<p>SAT: I've taken it three times and have a cumulative 800/800/800 (highest individual score is a 2370, with the 770 in Writing)
SAT II: 780 (Literature)/790 (Math IIC)/800 (U.S. History)</p>

<p>Plus, a bunch of lower, older ones. Will those count?</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULARS</p>

<p>Model UN (10/11): Director of Activities
Newspaper (9/10/11): Editor (not editor-in-chief)
Literary Magazine (10/11): Co-Editor
Some volunteering at hospital, Red Cross, EMS squad and a CTY-sponsored civic education trip for spring break this year.
JSA Summer School
I'm going to be working at a Rutgers psychology lab this summer.</p>

<p>AWARDS</p>

<p>NCTE Achievement Award
I was nominated for the state scholastic press association feature writing award twice but did not win.
AP Scholar
Best Position Paper Award at Model UN conference
Some local essay contests</p>

<p>SCHOOLS</p>

<p>Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Columbia
University of Pennsylvania
Brown
Cornell
Vassar
Barnard
Swarthmore
New York University
Rutgers</p>

2

<p>I think you have good but not great chances at all of the schools on your list.</p>

<p>It is kind of odd that you have 7 of the 8 Ivy League schools on your list, and to me says that you need to think more about what you actually want in a school, besides its name.</p>

3

<p>I originally only had 3 Ivies on my list but my parents (who are name-crazy) made me put practically all of them on because they wanted me to have the highest chance of getting into one as possible.</p>

<p>Vassar/Swarthmore/Barnard, etc. are my own contributions and probably closer to the type of environment I want.</p>

<p>Any suggestions for schools that are matches?</p>

4

<p>Yeah, some parents really are crazy about ivy leagues, so don't just assume a student is crazy about them. </p>

<p>Um, you have a chance, but I can't say they're really stellar.</p>

5

<p>Your GPA is good, but a bit low for the Ivies when weighted.
However, while HYPS are always high reaches for no matter who applies, I think you have a chance at Cornell (most people say it's the easiest Ivy to get into) and possibly Brown and Columbia if you get stellar recs and write great essays.
It's hard to predict the chances of anyone at those schools, to be honest, because top students get rejected every year for no apparent reason.
Anyways, good luck with applications! Don't let your parents put too much pressure on you :)</p>

6

<p>If you really want to get into an Ivy you should never put all of them on your list--it only shows you (or your parents) are interested in prestige and that you are not interested in the schools and what makes them unique. It's clear your parents are not aware of how colleges pick who attends their schools. The top schools want to know 100% that you will attend if admitted. When you put all 3 top schools on the list, you probably DECREASE your chance of acceptance by about 30%. (For example, Harvard hates it when they and Yale admit you and you choose Yale).</p>

<p>Tell your parents this--or show them some of the posts on collegeconfidential on just this point (have them look at the "improving chances of chances threads where it discusses some of this--or one of the older threads where this is discussed in great detail).</p>

<p>Obviously, with a 2400 SAT and with a almost 3.9 your odds are good at most schools. You've taken mostly honors and AP courses which is also good. Working this summer is also great. The only weaknesses are in the honors area, in the lack of leadership on the application and in the fairly minimal volunteering effort.</p>

<p>I'd say you are a match for the mid-Ivies (Dartmouth and Columbia), but a reach for the top Ivies (Harvard, Yale, and Princeton). (Which means you need to pick just one and tell them how much they are THE school for you--and mean it).</p>

<p>In my opinion, you should apply to only one of the top 3 Ivies, only one of the mid-Ivies (Columbia or Dartmouth, not both, since the two schools couldn't be more different), and then apply to both Penn and Brown, but not Cornell. (apparently Columbia is preferred over Dartmouth). </p>

<p>Leave Swarthmore and NYU on your list--especially since you personally really like these schools, but take Rutgers off (you don't need that much of a safety--NYU is your safety). Also, it makes little sense to apply for both Columbia and Barnard--pick one (and it seems Barnard is your preference). Keep Vassar on.</p>

<p>Lastly, work on some leadership--get elected President of a club--or start one where you'll be president--and make sure it does something productive. Think about getting involved in some more honors competitions if possible--especially if you'll get the results right away and can use it in your application.</p>

<p>Good luck to you.</p>