Chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Interested In: CMC, Pomona, Stanford, UCLA, Columbia, Brown</p>

<p>GPA (unweighted) 4.00
GPA (weighted) 4.56
SAT reading 700 math 710 writing 780 Combined: 2190
no SAT IIs yet
5's on Lang & Comp AP and European History AP Tests
Currently taking US History AP and Chemistry AP, will take tests in May
Taking a ton of honors courses as well</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars
Drama Club
Involved in 3 school plays
Semi Finalist at Mother Lode Drama Festival
Youth & Government
Ambassadors Club
Presidential Service Award (for 200+ hours community service)
Actively involved in local music scene</p>

<p>And I'm doing the Stanford Summer College program this Summer.. is that a good thing to mention on another college's app?</p>

2

<p>Pomona = 80%
Stanford = 15%
UCLA = 50%
Columbia = 20%
Brown = 20%</p>

3

<p>CMC-Not sure
Pomona-Match
Stanford- Reach
UCLA- Match
Columbia-Big Reach
Brown-Big Reach</p>

4

<p>80% at Pomona???? I'm sorry, is the OP the child of the Pres of the college? The sat (cr plus m) is well below the school's average!</p>

<p>Paid for summer programs don't help you at colleges much but at least you did something constructive for the summer.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, I am definitely planning on retaking the SAT, I'm pretty disappointed in my cr/math scores.
I've heard rumors that applying ED at pomona doesn't really help, the admit rates around 16-17% either way. Is there any point, then?</p>

6

<p>Pomona: Reach - I saw some people on CC with pretty amazing stats and EC's get rejected from Pomona ED. And many who applied RD with stats like yours or better got waitlisted.</p>

<p>CMC really stressed leadership when we went for a Preview Day, but not sure if they expect every applicant to show that in their ECs.</p>

<p>You need more matches and some safeties. I'm not saying don't apply to the colleges on your list, but just have some more that are less selective.</p>

7

<p>You have the academics to get into CMC, but not the leadership. When we went to visit, the Admissions Officer basically said "if you don't have leadership in your application, you don't get in." So many qualified people apply there that they can afford to say no to a 4.0 applicant.</p>

<p>Pomona is kind of the same way. They care more about standing out and originality and less about leadership, but Bruce Poch did say that they had so many applicants like you (and me for that matter, I'm a junior too) that have good grades and scores. EC's and the small details such as essays become the deciding factors then. Your EC's are fine, but I don't see any interest or passion besides Drama.</p>

8

<p>Our family actually walked-out on a CMC Preview Day and didn't finish the events because in the CMC President's Welcome speech, she must have used the word "leadership" over a hundred times. We could tell it was not going to be a fit.</p>

9

<p>CMC: Reach
Pomona: Big Reach
Stanford: Big Reach
UCLA: Slight Reach
Columbia: Big Reach
Brown: Big reach</p>

<p>Retake SAT's, aim for 2300, and pick one EC and take a real leadership role. Don't just be involved in drama - write a play and produce it at your school. Or organize a city-wide music festival to raise money for XYZ. Something. You need a hook. Thousands of applicants just like you are rejected every year from all these schools.</p>

10

<p>Yeah, I definitely need to start working on having larger roles in the ECs I'm currently involved in.</p>

<p>Someone mentioned having more matches/safties which I'm definitely seeing I need to. Would UCSD be a good fit?</p>

11

<p>Also, if anyone has any other schools they'd recommend as a safety/match in socal, particularly the LA area, that'd be great :)</p>

12

<p>For UCs check out UC Irvine. I'm pretty sure you would be invited to their CHP (Campuswide Honors Program) which tries to make a big UC more like an LAC. You may get a academic scholarship at UCI. UCSD seems more geared to Science, Research and graduate programs to me.</p>

<p>I think Chapman in Orange Ca would be a safety for you and from what I remember they have a lot of performing arts programs. They will have a "Discover Chapman Day" in late Oct with break out sessions for various departments.</p>

<p>Here is something on their Theatre dept:
<a href="http://www.chapman.edu/sac/theatre/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.chapman.edu/sac/theatre/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

13

<p>I'm really interested in the PPE (Philosophy/Politics/Econ) Major, are there any colleges other than CMC and Pomona in the area that would have something like that?</p>

14

<p>People that replied so far are either too sanguine or the other way round. No, Pomona is not a safety and neither is UCLA a slight reach.</p>

<p>CMC: Low Match (35%)
Pomona: Reach (20%)
Stanford: Reach (10%)
UCLA: High Match (75%)
Columbia: Reach (15%)
Brown: Slight Reach (25%)</p>

15

<p>PTK, I honestly have more of a chance at Brown than Pomona?</p>

16

<p>What state? If CA, then a good chance for all UC schools. </p>

<p>the rest are all reaches.</p>

17

<p>Pomona is arguably the most difficult LAC to get into besides Harvey Mudd and on par with Amherst and Williams. Brown, on the other hand, is rather generous when it comes to admission compared to most of the other Ivies (with the except of Cornell, perhaps).</p>

<p>Besides, Pomona is definitely more number oriented than Brown as reflected by its 1490 SAT (M + V) average compared to Brown's 1390.</p>

18

<p>Mmm, I see PTK. Thanks.</p>

<p>And yes, I am a California resident, which helps a lot with UCs.</p>

19

<p>Given the fact that I am trying to attain more leadership roles within my ECs and I'm working on a unique essay topic, is there anything else I can do to make these schools more accessible?</p>

20

<p>Another question... as for this first generation business, if my parents are immigrants and attended college in another country, I'm still not considered first generation right? I highly doubt it, but just wondering.</p>