Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm going into Grade 12 (senior year) Canada, and was wondering if I could get some initial soundings on my chances of getting into the following colleges:</p>

<p>MIT
Caltech
Stanford
Princeton
Carnegie-Mellon</p>

<p>Now, for some relevant information, I'm taking the IB program:</p>

<p>Math HL - 6
Physics HL - 7
Chemistry HL - 7
English SL - 7
Economics SL - 7
German SL - 6</p>

<p>All predicted, of course. Predicted 3 Diploma Points.</p>

<p>I'm at least top 10%, more likely top 5% at my school (which is considered one of the Top 2 most academically rigorous in Canada).</p>

<p>(Please don't respond to the post if you don't know much about the IB program)</p>

<p>SAT I - Reading 760, Writing 750, Math 780
SAT II - Math 2c 800, Chem 800, Physics 770</p>

<p>(Planning to retake physics; not knowing all the matieral sucks)</p>

<p>As for ECs:</p>

<p>Nationally ranked squash player in Canada (most of the aforementioned colleges don't do much sports recruitment, at least not for squash, as far as I know; Princeton being the exception); also captain my school's squash team</p>

<p>Head the school computers club, which has won a few computing competitions in my province and done relatively well nationally</p>

<p>Member of the school math society, done well on Canadian math contests, and OK on American ones (I think 130-something on the AMC 12, and 3 on the AIME - the AIME sucked)</p>

<p>I tutor several kids from my school in math and science, as well as tutoring underprivileged youth from some of the poorer schools in a variety of subjects.</p>

<p>This summer I went to a program called Shad Valley (a technology/entrepreneurship program across Canada) and am doing an internship at a major Canadian bank (TDBFG).</p>

<hr>

<p>I have legacy status (from my father) at Princeton, and my Dad helps run the annual giving campaign for Canada (not trying or meaning to brag or anything here, but I'm not sure whether that last bit of info matters at all).</p>

<p>Given all of that, what are my chances at the list of schools at the top?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Congratulations on your two SAT II 800 scores. I had two SAT II 800 scores myself.</p>

<p>Anyway, figuring that you are probably ranked around 13th out of a class of 300 or so, your AI (academic index) is 223, placing you in the CRS category of 7 out of 9. This means that for all the schools you have chosen (except Carnegie-Mellon) you will have somewhere between 22% and 33% of those applying having better grades and test scores than you, and 67% to 78% having worse grades and test scores than you. Based upon your place in this range it's probably about 26% higher and 74% lower.</p>

<p>The acceptance rates at the schools you have chosen are (2005 stats):
MIT--16%
Caltech--13%
Stanford--13%
Princeton--13%</p>

<p>Obviously, this means you have to have your ECs and IB scores make up the difference (and your father's work and his legacy will help you at Princeton, but not nearly as much as it would at a school such as Stanford, USC or Notre Dame).</p>

<p>Your IB scores are obviously quite good--7s in five subjects, and 6s in the other two. This is probably slightly better than the average--and better than those not in an IB program. However, your ECs are only okay, and your AIME scores and AMC score are just okay. The squash, as you pointed out, helps you at Princeton, but not at the others. Presuming that you will get a small break for being from out-of-the-country (and that therefore you will be ranked against other Canadians as much as against all other applicants, I rank your chances as follows:</p>

<p>MIT--37% to 42%
Caltech--40% to 45%
Stanford--35% to 40%
Princeton--50% to 55%
Carnegie Mellon--75% to 80%</p>

<p>Obviously, a strong essay and a real passion for the schools that comes across in the application could add to the percentages above--so do what you can in this regard--especially on that Princeton essay.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>P.S. Also, I know it's kind of late--but if there is anyway to get that rank up--or the GPA that shows on the transcript looking better, then do it--even if it means applying toward the end of the application period so that they will consider your first semester senior grades. (Princeton may be the exception--you may want to apply ED there). Oh, and send that Carnegie-Mellon app in early so you have your safety already in hand when you are waiting on the others (hopefully, you'll get the Princeton acceptance early also, and then you can relax)</p>

3

<p>I was more thinking of applying SCEA to Stanford. Princeton's not really my top choice on that list - it's actually more 4th, so in spite of the advantage ED would give me in terms of application chances, I don't think it's the right decision.</p>

<p>As for the rank/GPA raising thing - I'm not actually sure my school ranks, though I need to check that. If it doesn't, the GPA that it reports on the transcript is a translated one, and the translation process is favorable even if a person has mediocre IB grades. I THINK that the GPA that will show up on my transcript will be a 4.9, though it may be 4.8.</p>

4

<p>I wouldn't both retaking Physics. Why when you already have a 770?</p>

5

<p>I can't really give you your chances because, let's face it, how would I know? So sorry, this is probably unhelpful. Your profile does look impressive though. Anyway, I agree with gj. Why retake a 770? It's an excellent score, and 30 points probably won't make that much difference provided you could get an 800 the second time. Also, some colleges might think, "Doesn't this person have anything better to do than be obsessive about SATs?"</p>