Chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Asian, Female - currently in the US</p>

<p>GPA: 5.2686/5.0 weighted, 3.9149/4.0 unweighted
SAT I: 2050--Reading 600, Math 740, Writing 710, Essay Writing 11/12
ACT: Composite 34, E 33, M 35, R 35, S 32
AP Scores:<br>
AP Bio: 4 AP Chem: 3 AP US Hist: 4 AP Euro: 4 AP Eng Lang: 5 AP French: 2 (Horrible score, probably will not send)
Will be taking: AB Calc BC, and maybe AP Eng Lit
IB Scores:
IB Bio SL: 5 IB French B SL: 5
Will Take:
IB Hist HL IB Physics SL IB English A HL IB Math HL IB Chemistry HL
Ranking: 40/534
School is public and in top 100 of the Best Public High Schools in the US (ranking by USnews)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
- Marching Band (9)
- French Club (9,10,11,12)
- National Honor Society (11,12)
- National French Honor Society (11,12)
- Mu Alpha Theta National Math Honor Society (11,12--Parliamentarian)
- Outreach Volunteer Club (10,11,12)
- International Baccalaureate Student Organization <a href="11,12">IBSO</a>
- Helping Our Peers Excel - Freshman Mentor program (12)
-IB CAS (at least 150 hours of Creativity, Action, and Service)
---Stiches of Love Sewing Group (11,12)-Make things and donate to orphanage
---Jazz Levels III-VII (10,11,12)
---CAMP Counselor (one-to-one with a camper with special needs)-99 Hours
---Hospital Volunteer (70 hours)
-People to People Student Ambassador Program (Current member)
-Community Pool Lifeguard (12-Summer 2010)
-Photo studio Intern (Summers of 2007-2009)
-Destination Imagination Regional Challenge 4th Place</p>

<p>Hobbies:
Royal Ballet Level I-III
Swimming Levels 1-12 (complete)
Ice Skating Levels 1-6 (Complete)
Lifeguarding
Flute</p>

<p>Living experiences:
Taiwan (5.5 yrs)
Canada (5.5 yrs)
Texas (2004-Present)</p>

<p>Course workload for Junior + Senior years:
Junior:
AP/IB European History
AP/IB Biology (SL)
AP/IB Chemistry (SL)
TAG AP/IB English (SL)
TAG AP/IB Pre-Calculus
IB SL French IV
IB Theory of Knowledge (Spring semester)
Office Aid</p>

<p>Senior:
IB World Area Studies (HL)
TAG AP/IB English (HL)
IB Chemistry (HL)
IB Physics (HL)
IB Math (HL)
AP/IB Calculus BC
IB Theory of Knowledge (Fall Semester)</p>

<p>Schools:
McGill University
University of Toronto
Queen's University
University of British Columbia
University of Texas in Austin
Princeton
Northwestern University
Duke</p>

<p>Schools that I would love to get into but seem impossible-parents think I have a chance 0.o:
Stanford (probably impossible, but my parents want me to try)
Johns Hopkins (same with Stanford)
Yale (according to Newsweek, their Life sciences program is number 9 in the world while McGill is number 10...so I think that's why they want me to apply there)</p>

<p>Life Sciences as a major</p>

<p>Suggestions for other schools I can apply to are welcome.</p>

2

<p>Welcome to CC. This is the place where the extraordinary are ordinary and you and I, well, maybe just I, watches as 2400/36 ask their chances to the Ivies. To my fellow CCers, yes, I’m a little harsh, but I think all of us, deep down, know that CC is largely made up of extremely competitive applicants.</p>

<p>Anyways, your SAT isn’t too good. I’d submit the ACT if I were you; it’s quite a bit better. Your GPA seems ridiculous, but I don’t have a clue how your school calculates, so no comment. Your rank will hurt you, even if you go to a competitive school. The ECs are pretty ordinary, not bad by any means, but ordinary. I think you are pretty realistic as far as colleges go. Duke and Princeton will be reaches for you, Northwestern, maybe a high match. Stanford and Yale will be high reaches, and Johns Hopkins, well, apply. I think it’s just a reach, not necessarily grouped with Yale and Stanford. I can’t say much for the Canadian schools. Oh, yes, and by the way, I’m one of the more pessimistic and not-so-accurate chancers, but you are ORM (over-represented minority), so that does another hit. Any other CCers, feel free to correct me.</p>

3

<p>I also forgot to add SAT Subject tests:
SAT II: Biology 750, Math II 660, Will be taking French </p>

<p>^Thanks for the reply</p>

<p>about my school’s GPA that’s what it says on the transcript but they calculate it like this:
AP/IB Courses 6.0 for 100, 5.0 for 90 (and so on down), I’m not too sure about the non AP/IB courses since I didn’t take any but I’m pretty sure it’s 5.0 for 100, 4.0 for 90, etc</p>

<p>unweighted- I have no idea how they calculate that either. but it includes all courses taken while the weighted on has core classes.</p>

<p>I would also like to add UChicago and Washington St. Louis to the list.</p>

4

<p>I agree with JustAnotherTry.
For P,Y, & S, chances are unlikely as you’re ORM with no real hooks. Nonetheless, you should still apply, you’ve got nothing to lose. </p>

<p>For UChicago, WUSTL, Duke, Johns Hopkins, you have more of a shot at. Still reaches, but more realistic than PY&S. </p>

<p>Work on amazing essays that make you stand out, because really it will be a lottery for a spot at top schools.</p>

5

<p>I remember some time ago, one of the better-known chancers posted something along these lines, and I’ll try and remember the quote:
“Harvard could have replaced all its 2000 freshman with the next 2000 in line, and there’d be no difference in their quality.”
It’s sad, but true. At one point, all the competitors are close enough and strong enough that it comes down to a lottery ticket and a crapshoot. There are those who believe otherwise, and I respect their opinions as I hope they do mine, but this is generally true for HYPSM and other top schools.</p>