Cornell/Amherst/Colombia/etc

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Chances of these schools and similarly ranked ones (just below top-Ivy caliber)?</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 uw, ~4.4 w (10-11)</p>

<p>SAT-I:
2360 (one and only attempt): 800 W - 760 CR - 700 M
(And should I take once more? I could probably do better on math...just made tons of DUMB mistakes)</p>

<p>SAT-II:
Biology M - 790
English Lit - 770
US History - 750
(I'm noting in my app that I took the last two on a day when I had a sinus infection + fever)</p>

<p>AP Scores:
Biology - 5
Chemistry - 5
US History - 4</p>

<p>Class Rank: At least top 4% (I got ELC)</p>

<p>Race: Chinese (born in China, US citizen now)
Gender: Female</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Model U.N - 11/12 - Treasurer
Community Connect Group - 12 - Vice President
Yearbook Editor (Clubs/Ads/Faculty/Academics) - 11/12
Youth Director's Council - 10/11/12
Key Club - 9/10/11
Independently taught conversational English to Chinese high school students during 11th grade summer
Brainchild tutoring during 10th grade summer
Job - 12 - 7-8 hours a week
Outside creative writing - 9/10/11/12</p>

<p>Academic Awards:
National Merit Semifinalist (probably finalist)
California Scholarship Federation
1st place, Honors Chemistry, California Invitational Chemathon
2nd place, Honors Biology, California Invitational Chemathon
1st place, Applied Science, California Invitational Chemathon</p>

<p>Transcript:</p>

<p>9th
Geometry H (<--Honors)
English 1
PE 1
String Orchestra
Earth Space Science
Basic Art
Spanish 1</p>

<p>10th
AP Biology
Algebra 2 H
English 2
World History
Spanish 2
PE 2</p>

<p>11th
AP Chemistry
English 3 H
Precalculus H
US History
Spanish 3
ROP Yearbook</p>

<p>12th
AP Physics
AP English
AP Comparitive Gov't
AP Calculus BC
US Gov't/Economics
ROP Yearbook</p>

<p>Note: PE 1 and PE 2 are required; there is no English 1 and 2 Honors; the only science class available to freshies is Earth Space Science</p>

<p>Extra note: I skipped a grade, dunno if that makes a difference.</p>

<p>Personal essay(s?): Dad's gambling problems+divorce, teaching in China</p>

2

<p>2260* (ten)</p>

3

<p>Well, if you want to get turned down for absolute sure, just keep making mistakes like you made in posting the wrong SAT I total score and by making "excuses" for your "miserable" SAT II English Literature score of 770 and SAT II US History score of 750. And of course, let's not forget your father's gambling problems and divorce as excuses for your problems. Oh, and let's not forget that you skipped a grade--obviously that must be an excuse for something.</p>

<p>After hearing all these excuses from someone who has a straight A average, and scored a 2260 on the SAT I and 2320 on their three SAT II tests, it's a wonder that you are even bothering to apply to these schools. I'm surprised that you think you deserve to go to these schools;--after all you didn't get a 2400 on the SAT and a 2400 on the three SAT II tests--right?</p>

<p>Look, admisssions officers pick students based upon academics and upon worthiness. Your academics are impecable--you don't need to go 2400 and 2400, but you need to come across as someone who is less concerned about their own problems and issues--and in trying to be 100% perfect--and more concerned about doing something for their family, their community, or the world in general. Go ahead and send this application in just as you wrote it here--and I guarantee you will be rejected from all of these schools, despite the great academics. </p>

<p>People who feel like they always have to stress perfectionism above all else suffer from something called obsessive-compulsive personality disorder--and this is the quickest way to having a dull and non-productive life. </p>

<p>Instead, of being anxious about such things, think about what you can still do--and how you will go about doing these things. Think about what you would do to help your father if you could--and then do it. Tell me what you would like to do to make the world a better place--and why you need education to make that happen. Tell me why you made the effort in school in the first place--what you want to accomplish--how fun being in the different competitions were--especially when you got the thrill of finding out you had won. All of these are positive feelings that add joy to the world--and keep you from beating yourself up everyday for not being "perfect"--which, by the way, nobody is. Also, consider this when writing your essay and filling out your college applications.</p>

4

<p>^ ignore the fellow. He seems to be having a bad day. </p>

<p>About the gambling father and divorce thing: dun make it into a rant and a pity story. Be sure to have some stuff about yourself. </p>

<p>Otherwise you seem ok. Grades and SATs are not bad. Pretty average run of the mill chinese academics. Might even be lower than average for chinese. Ecs are ok. You will make it to cornell with a little luck.</p>

<p>Personally, I do not think you are Ivy material though. Cornell with a little luck, but that's it.</p>

5

<p>I'm telling you I see people who send in apps like hers all the time who get rejected from the top schools--go look at the accepted/rejected threads at Amherst/Cornell/Columbia--etc. Almost all of them that are rejected are because they show no passion or think their scores weren't excellent--when in reality you can easily see through them and see that they were just plain self-centered, boring, or excuse-oriented</p>

6

<p>listen to Calcruzer... he is completely right...</p>