Chances...?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello, I just got rejected from Stanford SCEA, and am wondering what I'm doing wrong...I'm really doubting myself right now.</p>

<p>So what are my chances at other schools I'm applying to regular decision? (Penn, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Johns Hopkins)</p>

<p>DISCLAIMER: I'm 1) Asian 2) from suburbia and a crazy school district in the Bay Area</p>

<p>GPA: 3.97/4.55 (no high school rank, but somewhere up there)
SAT 730/800/800
SAT Subject: Math2 800/BioM 790/Chem 780</p>

<p>took 6 AP tests, mostly math/science related, two 4's four 5's.</p>

<p>some extracurricular/miscellaneous stuff:
-member of Mensa
-summer internship in Penn Radiation Oncology labs (got a recommendation from the professor)
-current traineeship at Stanford Radiation Oncology labs
-taking all community college courses for senior year in this accelerated program
-did JV and Varsity basketball
-webmaster for the Job Shadow program
-...among other things (random activities)</p>

<p>So like am I basically screwed because I'm a Bay Area Asian? Can anyone relate?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>snap... u had awesome stats? good ECs, AND ur part of mensa????? wow.... ur scores were better than mine by a longshot. but im from SoCal/LA</p>

<p>i dont think that living up in the bay will affect ur chances for stanford, it might for Cal (u might have better chances for UCLA) i say u have a GREAT chance at those schools. i mean, they are REALLY comeptitive and unpredictable, but ur chances are better than majority of the applicants out there.....</p>

3

<p>@Big_D: Why would living in the Bay Area give you better chances for UCLA rather than Cal?</p>

<p>@OP: Reject at Princeton/Yale, slight reach/match for everything else.</p>

4

<p>they say, if you live in norcal its easier to get into UCLA and if you live in Socal its easier to get into Cal. Diversity purposes or something.....</p>

5

<p>I don't think that's necessarily true. Berkeley says it considers "geographic region," but I think that's more for OOS students.</p>

<p>To the OP: you have a good shot at the other schools. I see no real weaknesses. You did apply to some UCs for matches/safeties, right?</p>

6

<p>Reach at Princeton + Yale.
Slight reach/match for Brown + UPenn.
Match at JHU.</p>

<p>It really depends on luck though for the top schools.</p>

7

<p>good chance at all...</p>

8

<p>If you look at the stats, all the UCs are about 95% in-state students IIRC.</p>

9

<p>Hey thanks everyone. I thought the same things too--Princeton and Yale reach, Brown and Penn match/slight reach, and JHU match.</p>

<p>But then again, I thought I was pretty good for Stanford until I received the decision letter.</p>

<p>Yeah, and I applied to UC Berkeley/LA/SD for safeties.</p>

<p>More feedback appreciated!</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
I applied to UC Berkeley/LA/SD for safeties.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I don't think Berkeley, and to a slightly lesser extent UCLA, can be considered a safety. Cal rejects plenty of 2300+ scorers, and the rest of your application doesn't stick out particularly. Your ECs are somewhat weak, though the internships are good.</p>

<p>UCSD, though, is a safety.</p>

11

<p>You're like many other Asians. Good grades, SATs, research, but weak extracurricular activities.</p>

12

<p>umm.... i agree with kyledavid. you cant really consider UCLA and Cal as safeties......</p>

13

<p>Really? Well I'm just basing my UC considerations in the context of my school...
We have like half of each class matriculate into a UC each year, and around 20 or 30 each into Berkeley and LA (each class has around 400 to 500 people)
But then again, I really don't know. I was just assuming that the UCs focus more on your objective stats than do the privates.</p>

<p>And just to clarify, I have more extracurriculars, like Science Bowl and Southern California Academy of Sciences (weird, because there isn't a Northern California division), and basketball club team captain that I've been doing for around four years, and I work at a tutoring center part-time. But yeah I wouldn't say these ECs are very outstanding...just very focused on science is all (and basketball).</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
I was just assuming that the UCs focus more on your objective stats than do the privates.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>For perspective: Berkeley rates GPA, rigor of course load, and essays to be the most important (most of the other factors like scores, ECs, volunteer work, etc. are considered "important"), so I would say its admissions are as subjective as objective.</p>

15

<p>Why don't you try for MIT or Caltech if you're so focussed on science?</p>

16

<p>I think you have no problem getting into ALL the UC's. Good luck.</p>