Chances with "Unpredictable" Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm applying to a few "unpredictable" schools - that is, you never <em>really</em> know who will or will not be accepted, despite how selective that school may be, and I just wanted to get an idea of my chances there...</p>

<p>Junior
GPA 4.0 unweighted, 4.6 weighted
Class rank: 7 out of 658
SAT: 2130
National Merit Commended
ACT: 35
SATII: Will take IIC, Chem</p>

<p>Academics:
Freshman, Sophomore year: All Honors/Accel classes including Critical & Creative Thinking (aka Gifted)
Junior Year: AP Calc A, AP Physics, AP USH
Senior Year: AP Macro, AP Am.Govt, AP Lit/Comp, AP Calc BC, AP Chem, AP Spanish</p>

<p>ECs:
-Student Council: Event Chairmen for various events the past three years/Vice President next year
-Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Academic Team
-Medical Careers Club (Executive Board)
-Modern Music Masters Honor Society Vice President
-Math Team
-National Honor Society
-Peer Mediation
-School Wind Symphony, First Chair; City Youth Symphony Orchestra; District Honors Orchestra</p>

<p>Volunteering:</p>

<ul>
<li>Hospital Oncology Department: 1.5 years, 100+ hours</li>
<li>Student Council, National Honor Society, Medical Careers (Community Events inc. Auctions, Senior Citizen Proms, visiting patients in hospitals, MS Walk, March of Dimes, various food/school-supply/clothing drives etc.)</li>
</ul>

<p>I will be applying to University of Chicago, Northwestern HPME/regular, UIC GPPA, Loyola Chicago, U Mich Ann Arbor, Johns Hopkins, Washington University</p>

<p>What d'you think about my chances at those schools? Any other suggestions where I might apply (I intend to go into medicine). Comments/criticisms are welcome. Thanks for your help.</p>

2

<p>You have an excellent chance at all of those schools. However just as a side note, Chicago and Hopkins look at your intangibles a lot (recommendations, essays, personal qualities) so make sure you write interesting essays and present yourself well.</p>

3

<p>at schools like Johns Hopkins, high SATs are expected, so they concentrate a lot more on your personal record (what you can contribute to campus life). The SAT range for JHU admits is extremely high, but fewer than a third enroll (they often go to Harvard/Princeton/Yale/Stanford/MIT, etc. instead), so the median for enrolled students is like 50 points lower- around a 1400- (will likely be around 2100 when you include the Writing)- so it looks like your boards are high enough. good luck!</p>

4

<p>You're in...your SAT could use a boost, but your GPA and ACT are amazing. Don't worry.</p>

5

<p>I'd be careful with U Chicago, Northwestern, and WUStL. U Chicago has really quirky essays, and they really are extremely important in the admissions process. WUStL doesn't seem terribly competitive (compared to HYP), but they have a very nasty habit of waitlisting over-qualified people. You'd be amazed at the stats of some of the people waitlisted at WUStL this year! HPME at Northwestern is fairly tough as well (top 1%, 750+ SAT I/II's, 33-34+ ACT) because only 50 or so students get chosen for the program. Overall, your stats look good, although your SAT is a little low (your ACT makes up for it). Be sure to score very well on the SAT II's.</p>

6

<p>don't turn in SAT report!! your ACT score is too good!!</p>

7

<p>Ah, but therein lies the problem - if I am to take SAT IIs, won't the SATI test be included on the score report?</p>

<p>I didn't want to take the SAT again, but it looks as if I may have to.</p>

<p>Thanks for the comments, they're definitely helpful, and I'll be acting on the suggestions for sure.</p>

8

<p>As long as your ACT score is there, the admissions staff will probably ignore your SAT I's. Besides...its on par with all of those schools so it shouldn't hurt you.</p>

9

<p>Good chance everywhere. Your ACT score is great. The only 'weak point' are your ECs which all look kind of typical. (except for the medical careers club). Stuff like the math team, NHS, and peer mediation won't matter unless you are a leader in one or all of those. I was not in NHS at my school yet I got into quite selective colleges that people who WERE in it didn't. It really has no bearing.
Duke is supposed to have a really good premed program, and I think you have a shot.</p>

10

<p>NHS is bs at my school...you need a 10.5 GPA (or a 3.5) and that's it for the academic requirement...everything else is based on how many service hours you did prior to being in the club. my school is a public with huge grade inflation and full of people who don't challenge themselves in AP or honors. NHS is a joke. we have the people who prefer to pick up trash on weekends instead of do their homework.</p>

11

<p>How much of an impact would being an editor of the school newspaper count? And do you have any suggestions that would further help my chances with these schools?</p>

12

<p>so would you say that someone with not-so-perfect stats has a good chance at wustl? or say if emory was a 50/50 match, how would wustl be?</p>

13

<p>WUStL is really, really hard to predict because they've really developed "Tufts syndrome." This year, HYP admits were deferred or waitlisted, while people with lower/worse stats got in...so it's hard to say. I'd put Emory roughly on par with WUStL, though. WUStL is not need blind, so if you need a lot of FA, that could also play a role.</p>

14

<p>I would strongly recommend an interview at UChicago, if you can. My sister was accepted there with stats that were probably a little below average (31 ACT, ~4.0 GPA), but she had a great interview there and I think that was probably what really helped her get in.</p>

15

<p>I'll definitely look into that, kristin_1520. I hope to interview at a lot of colleges I apply to.</p>

<p>Furthermore, since these are the "Unpredictable" schools, and some of you mentioned that I should boost my SAT, what do you think a minimum SAT might be?</p>

<p>Thanks again for your advice.</p>

16

<p>It's amazing how some people can get like 4.6-5.0 GPAs. At my school, there are no AP courses offered in the freshman year and only like 2 during our sophmore year. Does that put me at a disadvantage?</p>

17

<p>UPDATE: Change the SAT from 2130 to 2300 (730CR, 770M, 800W).</p>

<p>Add schools: Yale, Cornell, Brown/PLME.</p>

<p>Any more comments, suggestions? Thanks.</p>