Did My Stanford 2014 SCEA Chances Just Skyrocket?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>Today, I received an email (Good god, Stanford sent emails?!?) from Stanford saying they "would like to share with me" an entire80 page guide to Stanford. Out of all my friends out here in Wisconsin, I was the only one to receive this email--does it mean that Stanford is interested in me? I'm so excited!</p>

<p>How much would this do for my chances? </p>

<p>Also, while I'm at it, could you guys chance me based on my resume? </p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: 1940
CR: 800
Math: 560
Writing: 580 (essay: 6)</p>

<p>Sat II:
Lit: 800 (My mom made me start reading since age 2, since there's really not much to do here out on the farm...)
Math2: 560 (Hehe, never been very good at math)</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.5 (Stupid trig and geometry...)
Weighted: 3.9 something</p>

<p>Senior Schedule:
AP Lit
AP Calculus AB
Advanced Choir
Indian Culture
Cooking</p>

<p>College credit courses:
Analysis of Ulysses
Analysis of Ulysses 2</p>

<p>EC's:
Top Indian Cook in Wisconsin (it's like a Iron Chef-style competition every year)
Varsity Basketball (30 ppg, 10 rpg, 7 apg, All-State for four years)
I do research at the local state university on antibiotics of common substances.
Summer activities:
Band camp! I play the oboe</p>

<p>Volunteering:
I have 400 hours for my school's key club chapter which I founded--been president for all four years.</p>

<p>Recs:
1. My mentor at State university</p>

<p>School info:
Public
Live in plateville, wisconsin</p>

<p>Ethnicity:Indian</p>

<p>Hooks: My cousin goes to Stanford..? Not sure if that qualifies</p>

<p>I am applying to Stanford, HYP, and my safety is Wharton. </p>

<p>Good luck everybody! I can't hardly wait to apply for Stanford College Early Action!</p>

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<p>hmm okay i replied in your chance me thread, but i really want to get more opinions. stanford university is amazing, so i’m going to c/p my other post here: </p>

<p>Wow hmm, I think Stanford has done a really nice job this year scouting. You seem very well qualified: great testing scores (holy snap, 800 lit 560 math?) only add to your powerful resume.</p>

<p>I think it’s amazing you follow through with your passion in such depth; not only do you take part in cooking competitions, but you also compete in scientific analysis at a lab. The adcoms are going to definitely be impressed–be sure to hit big on that in your apps.</p>

<p>Keep up the oboing and key clubbing. Both are stellar activities.</p>

<p>As for me, I’m going to be a senior in Edison, NJ. Can you help me gauge my chances too?</p>

<p>SAT: 1990 (M 800 R 640 W 550)
SAT II: Math Level 2 800 Physics 800 USH 540</p>

<p>Unweighted 3.2 (wow, stupid american literature class)
Weighted 3.4 (that A in AP stats sure helped)</p>

<p>Senior Schedule:
AP Environmental Science
AP Physics C
Literature and Poetry
Drama</p>

<p>I’m a caucasian male.</p>

<p>I recently won this state-level drama competition for acting out a physics problem. I’m really passionate about bringing physics to the real world and stuff. Particularly interested in probing the quantum mechanical properties of homeopathic drug delivery systems, which is what I’m going to submit to my local science fair, under guidance of my mentor.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance =)</p>

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<p>Ah…Platteville. You really are out in the southwest middle of nowhere part of the state. The Iron Chef thing sounds like a great potential essay topic.</p>

<p>I applied from a small town like Platteville but did not receive one mailing from Stanford until I was accepted SCEA, so I am not sure what to tell you on that. I’d lean on the pessimistic side and say that you received the mailing because you submitted your email to the school (or one of its programs) at some point, or your email was sold/given to Stanford by an organization like CB.</p>

<p>Congrats on the CR scores! Both are impressive, especially the Sat II score given the nasty curve. However, I would suggest that you try to improve the writing and math scores if possible, especially if you consider Wharton to be a safety school. In all honesty, it is impossible for Wharton to be a safety regardless of your app, so I’d actually recommend that you choose a more reasonable school.</p>

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<p>The mailing just means they want you to apply, not that they’ll accept you once you apply. Are you Indian from India, or Native-American. If the latter, you have a massive hook.</p>

<p>(This all assuming you aren’t ■■■■■■■■. It’s hard to tell.)</p>

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<p>I’m Indian, the kind from India. I wish I was Native though =/</p>

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<p>I got the e-mail too, it’s nothing special. You have a good shot though.</p>

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<p>Yea I got it too, haha I thought it was just some mass email they sent to everyone with a PSAT score over a certain level or something.</p>

<p>Also I think you should rethink having Wharton as your safety. (Especially with <2000 SAT?)</p>

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<p>I believe it because of a PSAT score. When you check the box “Please let colleges contact me” or something like that.</p>

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<p>i think you seriously underestimate the difficulty of getting into HYPS/wharton.
please, for your own sake, apply to more safeties.</p>

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<p>probably 20-50k people also got that email. it doesn’t mean much.</p>

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<p>I haven’t been posting here very long, but the members have done a very good job of setting me firmly into a realistic state of mind in terms of college admissions. I think you’ll find that the same will happen here.</p>

<p>First and foremost, Wharton is not a safety. To anybody. It is one of the most prestigious business schools in the United States, and with an SAT below even 2000, that turns it into a reach at best – probably a high reach, more realistically, since you scored a mid-500 on both math sections.</p>

<p>Secondly, one of the main things that has been imparted to me here: mail means nothing. You scored above a minimum line in something, and Stanford responded. They do this to thousands of people; after all, it can only increase their well being. More applicants means more money and more chances for denials, which increases their selectivity rating. I know these emails and letters seem very customized and personal, but in the end you’re just a number.</p>

<p>To be honest, I wouldn’t even bother applying to HYP either. Frankly, your SAT is way too low. Now, if you can get it up into the 2200, then you might have a slightly better shot – and I mean slightly, as in an iota. Please realize that HYPS is not to be considered a viability for anybody. They have less than a 10% acceptance rate, and that is from all the immensely qualified students which apply there every year.</p>

<p>You need more safeties… many more safeties. In fact, you don’t even really have matches. Every single one of those schools is an extremely “high reach” and you’re not likely to get into any of them.</p>

<p>Try your state universities or a small liberal arts college. Work on getting your SAT scores up too. Those are killing you.</p>

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<p>Don’t want to be mean, but Wharton is not a safety for Indian kids who couldn’t break 600 on either the SAT math or math iic. Kids with perfect scores on both get rejected more often than they get accepted at Wharton and HYPS. I’d try to increase those scores a lot, to have a decent shot at these schools. Though I would still apply even if you can’t up your scores much, because you never know what can happen.</p>

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<p>Safety is Wharton…***??</p>

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<p>Have you considered attending a culinary school? You seem to be pretty geared toward Indian culture, and obviously Indian cuisine. Because, frankly, business school does not seem like a very realistic option for somebody with the math scores you do. Besides, if you hate math, I can guarantee you will LOATHE business. Stocks, bonds, funds – it’s all forumulas and speculation. You’ll be miserable AND lost. Why not go with something you enjoy? Even if it’s not in the food area, writing is obviously your forte. Play off your strengths.</p>

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<p>“Besides, if you hate math, I can guarantee you will LOATHE business.”</p>

<p>I don’t follow how you can guarantee that.</p>

<p>This is one example why my position (after about two weeks of visiting CC) is now that all prospective candidates for all schools should ignore all advice on CC (including my own).</p>

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<p>The OP doesn’t have the perfect grades and test scores, but his/her ECs are extremely strong. I wouldn’t recommend anyone with such strong ECs and pretty decent grades (B+ to A- average, nothing to laugh at) to not apply. Ever. Why not apply? Who knows what will happen? </p>

<p>Maybe you are just trying to lessen the competition for yourself…</p>

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<p>Correct me if im mistaken, but I thought Wharton stresses finance, which incorporates a huge amount of math. Regardless, it is obvious the OP’s strengths do not lie in math/science, so why he wants to attend one is beyond me.</p>

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<p>^ It does, which is exactly why I said what I said. </p>

<p>Also, there’s no point in applying to HYPS if you can’t even break 2000. Extra cirriculars are great, but they can only get you so far. There are students who score much, much higher and have an immense amount of leadership experience who get turned down regularly (again, less than 10% make it), for whatever reason. If the OP truly has his heart set on HYPS, then he should apply if that really makes him happy. Otherwise, imo, I don’t feel like it would be prudent when he could send his application fee to another, more realistic school</p>

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<p>No, no. You can’t list Wharton as your safety. Nobody is guaranteed admission to Wharton. It’s only the best business school in the US.</p>

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<p>@Penn. I didn’t think I had much of a shot at Stanford. I almost didn’t apply, thinking it would be smarter to save my money and EA status for somewhere where I stood a better chance. I could have sent my app to a more prudent, realistic school. Long story short I got in, and I’m matriculating there. You just never know. Top schools have a holistic review process. Who knows what they’ll end up preferring? Honestly, a 2000 SAT score does not automatically land someone in the reject pile. Check the decisions board at these schools to see that.</p>