<p>I was just wondering how chess can play a factor in admissions.
For example, if USCF rating is 2000+ and ranked in the top 40 in the nation of your age group, is that comparable to being in the top olympiad study camps (USNCO, USPhO, USABO, USAMO) or getting Intel finalist, Siemens finalist, ISEF Grand Award?</p>
<p>I haven't seen many people with chess as an EC, but I'm not sure if it is up there as one of those "hook" ECs. For example, if you earn some of those top math/science awards aforementioned, I'm pretty sure you're guaranteed admission, provided other scores/grades are ok...but can chess do the same (with the 2000 USCF rating, not recreational chess)?</p>
<p>Not sure if Ivies actively "recruit" for their chess teams like athletics go, obviously if adcoms have some quota to fill a few chess players in their freshman class, chess would be amazing. But if they run their teams more as recreational clubs...</p>
<p>It may help, but I do know someone who was a legacy for Harvard, a URM, and among the top chess players in his large, Northeastern state, who was deferred and then rejected.</p>
<p>^I agree. The student may have had a really weak GPA or test scores. Just because someone is great at chess doesn't mean they're excellent at school.</p>
<p>However, I do think, because the OP is nationally ranked and obviously very good, this is a good EC.</p>
<p>"northstarmom, im sorry but there had to be something very wrong that you didn't know about that applicant because his outcome seems impossible."</p>
<p>His scores weren't great. His SAT I scores were all in the mid 600s.
I personally know the young man, who is doing well at a top 20 college outside of the Northeast.</p>
<p>I am actually wondering the same thing here myself. I was ranked as one of the top players in the west coast, and I have successfully created my own competitive chess team since then, but I don't know if adcoms would even consider Chess a prestigious EC...</p>
<p>I put that I was captain of my chess club as one of my ECs. I don't know if its going to hurt me or not since I am asian and colleges might get the impression that I'm one of those typical asians.</p>
<p>Hmm so I guess chess is good, but not that good?
It seems like success in chess still requires a passionate essay to truly back it up and help out admission, whereas something like being in the olympiad study camps/research awards speaks for itself and "guarantees" acceptance.</p>
<p>Idk I get the feeling that unless I were comparable to Garry Kasparov, its just yet another EC...that is unless I write an amazing essay about it.</p>
<p>I doubt that it is an "ivy caliber" EC. If you are a highly ranked national player, then you know which universities have highly competitive teams. Those are the universities that would view chess as a hook. I don't know if they still do, but a few years ago there were a few universities giving full scholarships to winners of competitive national scholastic tournaments. A call or email to the USCF would confirm which universities these are. </p>
<p>At the ivies, you can search to find out if there is a team, and then contact the club president and ask your question. My guess is that these will be school clubs run by students, but I don't know. Where it might benefit you at the most competitive schools is to demonstrate your passion and determination to improve, which you do in your essay and interviews. Taking a leadership role at a chess club or establishing a business teaching chess to beginners might be of interest. BTW, don't do this just to impress colleges.</p>
<p>
[quote]
northstarmom, im sorry but there had to be something very wrong that you didn't know about that applicant because his outcome seems impossible.
[/quote]
Please, please, PLEASE, for your own sakes, disabuse yourself of this belief IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE can count on an Ivy acceptance, or on acceptance to any school that takes fewer than 15% of its applicants. These are reach schools for everyone! Often, the results of college admissions are incomprehensible, but if you believe that anyone is a shoo-in for these schools (including yourself), you may be setting yourself up for major disappointment. </p>
<p>Search these boards for the saga of Andison. Read the thread asking "Has this happened to anyone?" about being rejected from all schools except one's safety.</p>
<p>As for the OP's question, no one can tell you "how much" a particular EC will help. It depends on the rest of your application, the strengths or weaknesses of the rest of the applicant pool, whether the college is looking to beef up its chess team, whether the college is losing its strongest chess player and needs to groom some replacements, whether the college got applications from 23 top-ranked chess players that year, how the people who read your application are feeling that day, etc.</p>
<p>Do what you do because you want to do it. Apply to the schools you want to apply to because you want to go there. Have reaches (which includes all schools with acceptance rates less than 20%, no matter your statistics), matches and safety schools to which you would be happy going. Make your application as strong as you can, and let the chips fall where they may.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Please, please, PLEASE, for your own sakes, disabuse yourself of this belief IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE can count on an Ivy acceptance, or on acceptance to any school that takes fewer than 15% of its applicants. These are reach schools for everyone! Often, the results of college admissions are incomprehensible, but if you believe that anyone is a shoo-in for these schools (including yourself), you may be setting yourself up for major disappointment.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>1)Northstarmom indicated that his scores were indeed lackluster.
2)I'm already in a top 10 college.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Search these boards for the saga of Andison. Read the thread asking "Has this happened to anyone?" about being rejected from all schools except one's safety.
[/quote]
Andison was not a Harvard legacy, a URM, and a top chess player in what was probably a very competitive state.</p>
<p>I used chess in my app and wrote an essay about it. I think I displayed an enthusiasm and passion for it so that helped me I'm sure. I'm not nearly as good as those FL guys or most top scholastic players but I'm decent. I don't think skill would matter as much unless you were going to specifically play on an established team.</p>