Chances/Which are reaches? (Some Ivy, Some not)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>New to this site and would greatly appreciate a little bit of insight on how I stand. </p>

<p>I plan on applying to the following schools:</p>

<p>New York University
University of Pennsylvania
Columbia
Boston University
Boston College
Harvard
Northwestern</p>

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<p>Class Rank: 7/315
GPA: 5.514</p>

<p>My school uses a weighted scale, with 6.34 being straight A+'s in honors classes throughout high school. As our school only offers one honors class freshman year and three sophomore year, acheiving a 6.34 is impossible. The highest we have ever had is around a 5.7. On a traditional scale, I have appproximately a 4.0 UW having taken honors classes whenever offered with the exception of science classes, which I have been in the second highest level throughout high school.</p>

<p>SATS: 760 Verbal, 680 Math (retook this past weekend, am cautiously optimistic that I made an improvement), 770 Writing</p>

<p>SAT II's: 760 Literature, 730 Math 1, am taking History in November</p>

<p>Senior schedule:</p>

<p>AP English
AP Statistics
AP History
Physics
Honors Choir
Community Involvement (community service for one period a day)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars and awards:</p>

<p>-Cross Country: Captain this year, varsity this year and last, JV freshman and sophomore year
-Indoor Track: Captain this year, varsity this year and last, JV sophomore year
-Outdoor Track: Captain this year, varsity sophomore, junior, and senior year
-The vast majority of my free time is spent writing and recording original songs as well as playing music with others. I play guitar, bass, as well as some keyboard, and have built a home studio in my basement where I record my material as well as produce that of my friends.
-I have worked all high school, two years at Dunkin' Donuts (12 hours a week), two years at American Eagle (5 hours a week during sports, 10 in the offseason)
-National Honor Society
-National Merit Commended Student</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You will get into NYU, BU,BC, and NW. I would probably even take BU off your list. You definitely have a pretty good shot at Penn and Columbia too and I wouldn't be surprised if you got into both of those. As you are not a URM or a legacy (I'm assuming, correct me if I'm wrong), Harvard will still be tough, regardless of your awesome stats. But you do have a relatively high chance, IMO.</p>

3

<p>BU will waitlist you for lack of interest.</p>

4

<p>Bump. (I hope that's allowed.)</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies both of you.</p>

5

<p>Base on your current stats:</p>

<p>New York University - Safety
University of Pennsylvania - Reach
Columbia - Reach
Boston University - Safety
Boston College - Low match/Near safety
Harvard - Big reach
Northwestern - Match</p>

<p>If you push your SAT M score up 40 or 50 points, you become much more competitive at Penn. Columbia and Harvard will still remain reaches, though.</p>

6

<p>New York University - Safety
University of Pennsylvania - Reach
Columbia - Reach
Boston University - Safety
Boston College - Match
Harvard - Reach- but then again, it is so for everyone
Northwestern - Match</p>

<p>You should be able to get into these scores with a raised math sat score, but even without, you're in good standings :D</p>

7

<p>amptron - why does boosting math help his/her chances at penn but not columbia/harvard? i'm just wondering.</p>

8

<p>Because his ECs make harvard and Columbia highly unlikely, though I don't see Penn either. I do, however, think he'll get into BU, jpod is a shameless BU troll.</p>

9

<p>I don't know. There was girl from my school last year who had extremely similar stats (4.0, around 2250-2300 on SAT's, no huge EC's or hooks) who got into All Ivies minus Harvard</p>

10

<p>Sidjenks - </p>

<p>Penn has a higher acceptance rate (about 20% - it's larger) and a has a little lower standards than Harvard or Columbia. A class rank of 7 plus a 1480 or 1490 M+CR would make Blue competitive at Penn. The scores would be well above average, and Penn likes kids with high class rank. At Harvard, those kind of numbers are just average, and average applicants at Harvard have about a 10% chance. At Columbia, stats like that are a little above average, but Columbia accepts only about 13% of its applicants. Consequently, both Harvard and Columbia would remain reaches.</p>

11

<p>My feeling is Penn is going to reject a lot of people this year that would have got in easily in years past. the numbers applying are overwhelming. I made my own bet by applying last year even though i knew i'd take a gap year.</p>

12

<p>suze where are you attending or currently planning to attend?</p>

13

<p>Dartmouth!!!!!!!!</p>

14

<p>the thing is columbia's acceptance rate is misleading...a lot of kids who are not at the level apply just coz columbia is in NYC....that's the case for NYU too</p>

<p>and jpod is right i think...BU waitlist most top kids from my school as they know most of them would get into HYPS, in fact, my college advisor constantly say to the top kids, NEVER USE BU as safety</p>

15

<p>Who on earth who is close to getting into HYPS would use BU as a safety?Certainly didn't happen at my school.</p>

16

<p>Lol if everything fails I still won't let BU rob my money.</p>

17

<p>Might want to look at Holy Cross-good balance of academics and athletics.</p>

18

<p>"and jpod is right i think...BU waitlist most top kids from my school as they know most of them would get into HYPS, in fact, my college advisor constantly say to the top kids, NEVER USE BU as safety"</p>

<p>Glad someone understands. Suze, you're an idiot. kthxbai.</p>

<p>"Who on earth who is close to getting into HYPS would use BU as a safety?Certainly didn't happen at my school."</p>

<p>many, many people.</p>

19

<p>Very delayed bump, but I have a fairly important question. Since my essay/most important extracurricular is about playing/recording my own music, would it be wise to send in a cd with a sample of this, or would they scoff at it for being pop/rock? If I should send in a sample, how many songs would be appropriate?</p>

<p>On a sidenote, with my second SAT's my score went up to CR: 760 Math: 690 Writing: 800 (1450, 2250).</p>