Chanes for HYS, Among Others (Thanks!)

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Greetings!</p>

<p>I am currently a rising senior. The reason I am posting is not just for chances, but also suggestions of what other schools might be a good match for me. Here is my basic profile:</p>

<p>Male
Caucasian
Upper Middle Class
Public school
Live in a mid-sized town</p>

<p>SAT: 2120 (R 740, M 710, W 670). I know this is low for several of the colleges/universities I want to apply to, but I think I should be able to raise it by about 100 points altogether, if not higher. I took the SAT on a bad day for me, right after my school's finals, so I had no chance to study or prepare for it at all. </p>

<p>Subject Tests: 790 (US History) and 720 (Math II)</p>

<p>GPA: 4.00 Unweighted; my school doesn't weight GPA</p>

<p>Class Rank: 1 out of about 400</p>

<p>Course Load: My courses are about as difficult as my school offers. Granted, this a very light course load compared to other schools. At this point, I've taken 3 AP's: Calc AB (4), APUSH (5), and APGov (5). This is all that my school has offered/has fit into my schedule at this point.</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>Democratic Precinct Committee Person (11-12)
--Elected in my state’s Democratic Primary to serve as a Precinct Committee Person. My elected role is basically to connect with Democratic voters in my precinct and get them to turn out to vote and vote down the party line.
Student Government (11-12)
--ASB President
--Junior Class President
YMCA Youth and Government (Basically a model youth legislature which connects youth to the democratic process; 9-12)
--Elected as my state's Youth Governor(12)
--Youth Secretary of State (11)
My County's Democratic Party (10-12)
--Served on my county's Democratic Party Executive Committee (10-12)
--Voting Member on my county's Democratic Central Committee (11-12)
Young Democrats Club (10-12)
--President and Founder
Speech and Debate (9-12)
--Parlay and Impromptu<br>
--3rd Place in State in Parlay (11)
--3rd Place in Districts for Impromptu (11)
Violin
--All State (11)
--All City (9-10)
--Associate Concertmaster at my school's Orchestra (11)
--School Orchestra won State Competition (9-10)
Soccer (9-10)
--JV Captain (10)
Various Church Activities (9-12)
--3 different mission trips</p>

<p>I've done only extracurricular activities that I love instead of trying to pad my resume. I hope it doesn't look like resume padding, right?</p>

<p>Work Experience:
I work as an intern for a local state house campaign. (summer leading into 12).</p>

<p>Awards/Honors:
I'm on track to be a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist by the time college applications are due.</p>

<p>Recommendations:
Both teacher recommendations should be very, very good. I am less sure about the councilor rec -- the councilor who I had through last year (and who knew me quite well) was laid off, so now I am left with a councilor who barely knows me. I'm going to try and set up meetings with her at the beginning of the next school year, but still, it will be difficult to get a personalized recommendation from her, unfortunately.</p>

<p>Additional Info:
I have legacy from Stanford, and I am interested in majoring in Political Science or some similar field.</p>

<p>There is one other thing I'd like to bring up in my application, but I'm not sure how. Near the beginning of my junior year, a very close friend of mine committed suicide. It was absolutely devastating for me. Though I was able to get a 4.0 at the end of the semester, it was a real struggle throughout the semester (because my grades had taken a large dip, initially). I want to reflect how I overcame this difficulty in my college app, but I'm uneasy using the essay to do so, since people often say one shouldn't write about death in a college essay. </p>

<p>The colleges that interest me most are SYH (though I know they are probably reaches, I'll apply anyway), Georgetown, UC Berkeley, USC, Northwestern, Pomona, and UCLA. What are my chances at these schools, and are there any other schools in my reach that you might recommend for me? Just comment on this if you need more details and I'll be glad to provide the needed info.</p>

<p>Thank you once again, and best of luck to all of you who are still in high school in your college search!</p>

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<p>*Chances, not chanes in the heading. I guess that’s what I get for posting when I’m dead tired late at night.</p>

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<p>Scores wise kind of low so that will hurt you, just because the sheer number of crazy tests scores is always on the rise. However, that being said schools I /feel/ are emphasizing less on scores now-a-days compared to when I was in HS so I wouldn’t say it’s a make it or break it case. </p>

<p>I’m assuming you’re a CA resident, if so I’d say you are probably qualified enough to get into your CA schools, UC or not. As for Georgetown and Northwestern, I’d say you have a fair shot though once again these days nothing is that certain. I’d just try to raise your SATI scores to at least 2250 to be in a safer place. </p>

<p>As for your personal problem, I would be wary of that, but ONLY because it would be difficult for you to approach that subject and write about it. Also, it seems kind of disrespectful to somehow use that in a college application, not saying it is intentional of course but that is how it may come across to others reading it. I would try to stay away from it.</p>

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<p>Thank you for your thoughts. I appreciate them.</p>

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<p>awesome ecs and scores!!</p>

<p>HYS - ?
Georgetown - Low Reach
UCB - Match
USC - Match
UCLA - Low Reach
NW - ?
Pomona - Match</p>

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<p>I agree with gclauds, except I think Northwestern might be a low reach because my school sends dozens of kids to that school every year and some of them have lower stats than you do in terms of ECs and grades. SATs on the other hand look a little low. A 2200+ will help make you more competitive. Your ECs are not padding your application at all (at least not in my opinion). Most of them are impressive and connected to each other so I can tell where your passion is. The legacy at Stanford is a hook, but not one that is very useful, so I wouldn’t rely on it at all. Good luck! :)</p>

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<p>Thank you!</p>

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<p>Does anybody else have any differing or concurring opinions? :)</p>

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<p>Sorry, shameless bump.</p>

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<p>It seems like your focus throughout hs has been on politics, so I would definitely emphasize that in your essays/app. Your scores (like mine ><) are kinda low for HYS, but that being said you seem well rounded and you seem to excel in the environment that you are in, so you have that going for you. I would say that HYS are reaches (as they are for anyone), but you have a chance. As for the others, Im not really familiar with that admittance criteria, so I cant really give an accurate estimate. Hope this helps!</p>

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<p>Hey thanks for chancing me before Adodie. Your stats are probably better than mine since practically all of your EC’s are inclined towards poli sci in some way, and it looks like you’ll be valedictorian. You’re the Junior class president which I find to be extremely impressive and you have lots of accolades/leadership experiences. Get your SAT up at least 100 points this summer and I’d say you have a great shot at UC berkeley, which is an excellent school-and probably the best school on your list which you have a >50% chance of getting into. HYS are kindd of reaches just because the pool of applicants is so ridiculous. Apply to Stanford early since you have legacy there, but you’re on track to get into a top school man. Additionally I suggest avoiding your friends’ death in your essays/apps, however if you get the chance in an interview bring it up in the most sincere manner possible. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Thank you everybody for your chances/answering my question. I guess I have one last question. I want to make sure that I make it clear that, to be a Precinct Committee Person, I was elected in my state’s primary election (it was neat to be able to vote for myself in my first time voting, even if I was running unopposed and it is only a county position xD). I’m afraid that an admissions officer might mistake the position for a school position or just a position on just some random committee, but at the same time, I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging while saying I actually had to file for candidacy and run for the position. How and where should I convey that in my application, and should I convey that in my application?</p>

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<p>One more bump. I’d love as much advice as I can get! :)</p>

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<p>I agree with what’s been said, raise your test scores, wrote a great essay and you have a shot.</p>

<p>Other schools to look at – the NESCACS maybe? (Middlebury, Bowdoin, Amherst)</p>

<p>Chance me back?</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1358808-chances-brown-nescacs-please.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1358808-chances-brown-nescacs-please.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>If you’re applying to Harvard you might need 3 Sat subject tests.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the feedback (I’ll make sure to chance you back 617Ocean)! </p>

<p>Shrivats88: Could you (or somebody else) clarify what you mean by saying I need 3 subject tests? Do you mean you simply recommend 3? On Harvard’s website, it says the college only requires 2 subject tests. Still, thanks for the advice.</p>

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<p>I think that Harvard used to require 3, but now it only requires too. That being said, it wouldn’t hurt to submit 3.</p>

<p>It is always a lottery at the HYS-level, but I think that you are a qualified applicant, and may get lucky enough to get a spot at HYS.</p>

<p>Chance me back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1371747-chance-me-what-tier-college-should-i-looking.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1371747-chance-me-what-tier-college-should-i-looking.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Okay, I think this is my very last bump. Thank you to all who have/might comment with advice/critiques!</p>

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<p>I know you wanted a reply to your elected position and how to present that to ADCOMs, well you never say yo are unopposed. You have to embellish the position responsibilities. Be honest in saying this is an once in a life oppurtunity.</p>

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<p>Thanks for answering that question @fatherofm. I very much appreciate it.</p>