Chances

<p>I've done a chance thread already, but it was quite a few months ago and a lot has happened academically between then and now. Debated whether I should make another, but I wanted to see how these changes will have impacted my chances, if at all. Would rather you not look at any of the replies to my old thread, as it might introduce a form of bias. It's long, but bear with me. Gracias.</p>

<p>Colleges:
Harvey Mudd College (Deferred ED)
MIT
Stanford
Caltech
Rice
University of Rochester</p>

<p>I would appreciate it if you label each as Safety, Match, or Reach (Slight, Mid, and High for the last one), but you don't have to if you feel you can express your opinion better in a different way.</p>

<p>My senior class size is 493.
It offers 67 weighted courses, which include 28 IB, 12 AP, and 27 Pre-IB (not part of IB but are advanced courses to help prepare for IB classes).
Of 98 teachers with 15 years of experience, 51 have master's degrees and six have doctorates. </p>

<p>Here are the 2007 standardized test score averages:
SAT - 596 (Reading), 610 (Math), 592 (Writing).
ACT - 25 (Composite)</p>

<p>For IB Diploma students, roughly 100% of the 40 students trying for the diploma earned it for the class of 2008.</p>

<p>For the information on me, I'll primarily look at the information in my Common App application and my MIT application.</p>

<p>My GPA for the past three and a half years (including 4 semesters of Math classes at a High School as a 7th and 8th grader) is 4.52. This puts me roughly about 12% of class (4.561 - 4.902 is top 10%). GPA for Sophomore and later is 4.68. GPA for Junior year and later is 4.75.</p>

<p>Class schedule this year:
IB English 12 (Year)
Digital Art and Design (Semester)
IB Chemistry 1 (Year)
IB Theory of Knowledge (second part of year course)
IB Physics 2 (Year)
IB Mathematics HL (Year)
IB Spanish 5 (Year)
Linear Algebra at CU Boulder (Semester Math 3130)
Complex Analysis Independent Study (Semester; with Calculus 2/3 teacher as advisor; see below)</p>

<p>One notable class that I have taken is Calculus 2/3, which included Multivariable and Vector Calculus and was taught by a former Professor at Harvey Mudd.
As is evident, I am doing the IB Diploma and expect a score of around 36.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT - 710 / 690 (Reading), 750 / 800 (Math), 630 / 670 (Writing)
Taking tomorrow's and I believe I will reach 700 in Writing (essay will be improved).
SAT II Math - 800
SAT II Physics - 750
ACT - 31 (English), 33 (Reading), 36 (Math), 33 (Science), 33 (Composite), no essay.
AP Calculus BC - 5
AP Computer Science AB - 5
IB History SL - 5
IB Computer Science SL - 5
Will take tests in IB Math HL, IB Physics HL, IB Spanish SL, IB English HL, AP Physics C, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, and maybe more AP tests.</p>

<p>Other Activities:
People to People for three years to Australia, China, and Europe. I went to the Presidential Inauguration with People to People.
Ultimate Frisbee Team for the past two years. Five hours a week for 30 weeks roughly.
Karate for 4 hours a year, 46 weeks a year, since I was 8. I am a 1st degree Black Belt.
I've golfed for the past two years for roughly 5 hours a week, 15 weeks per year.
I am in Math Club this year for 3 hours a week 36 weeks a year. I was a substitute on the winning team of a Colorado State University Math Day tournament this year. I qualified for the AIME last year with 100.5.
I am in Science Bowl this year for 4 hours a week 36 weeks a year. I will be on our B team and focus on Physics and Chem.
I tutored at my school for 2.5 hours a week 30 weeks a year last year.
I was inducted into the National Honor Society this year.</p>

<p>The teachers that are writing my letters of recommendation are my former Calculus 2/3 teacher (who taught at Harvey Mudd) and my Theory of Knowledge teacher.</p>

<p>Supplemental Materials:
For MIT app, I did both optional essays. One was about People to People trip to China, and the other was about my Extended Essay. I think they are both strong, with the trip essay being very strong.
The adult that leads Math Club and Colorado Math Circle wrote a letter of recommendation for Caltech, MIT, and Stanford.
My L.A. teacher from last year also wrote a recommendation for Harvey Mudd, which was something they suggested after I was deferred ED. That and getting strong grades second semester, which I did (4.714 with only one B in Spanish).</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Screwed up the essay today, but oh well. Still awaiting feedback.</p>

<p>Answer or I will break out in song! I'm not a good singer.</p>

<p>bump 10 char...</p>

<p>very very very nice work. Almost perfect. MIT: low reach, Harvey Mudd: Match, Stanford: High Match, Caltech: Low reach, Rice: Match, I don't know much about the University of Rochester so I can't really chance you on that. Overall, great job!
Chance me please?
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/606719-chance-me.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/606719-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>High match for Stanford but low reach for Caltech?</p>

<p>bump 10 char</p>

<p>Solid ACT and SAT math, albeit somewhat low reading and writing scores for the schools you mentioned. I think if you played to your strengths in your essays (math and science), which you obviously have, Caltech may not judge as harshly on your reading/writing. Stanford is a long shot for anyone. Good luck!</p>

<p>lol AK12654, you do not know what you are talking about. You are an ok candidate, but nothing really shines on your resume. If you got deferred by HM I don't think you have a great chance at Rice Stanford or MIT, but you never know.</p>

<p>I was only deferred because of an essay that I could not get to work at all and bad Freshmen year grades (I know because this is what they told me). If I hadn't screwed up Freshmen year (an awful 4.0 weighted, when my grades since have been on the order of 4.7), and I had been able to write a good essay (this was the only essay out of all of my essays that I couldn't get to work), then I would have gotten in.</p>

<p>colleges don't consider weighted and most tend to forgive freshman year. I still don't think you have a great shot, esp. with the intense competition this year.</p>

<p>The idea that "colleges don't consider weighted" is an amazingly misleading idea. The point of stating the weighted GPA is to demonstrate that I have taken the most rigorous classes that my school has offered. To think otherwise is being ignorant. </p>

<p>I personally called Harvey Mudd to inquire about my deferral. One of the admissions officers specifically said that there were only two things that prevented them from accepting my through Early Decisions, and one was my Freshmen grades. The reason that I said that was to illustrate that using my deferral at Harvey Mudd in determining my chances is not a very strong point because it was due to a difference between ED and RD and not my strength as a candidate.</p>