Do I stand a chance?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I'm pretty much your stereotypical Chinese kid going to school in Florida. I'm an Econ/Poly Sci. hopeful. I have far too many reaches and I need a bit more matches. Hopefully new recommendations as well?</p>

<p>GPA: 4.58 W/3.94 UW
Rank: 5/~500, but constantly fluctuating.</p>

<p>SAT: 1930 (640V, 720M, 570W)
ACT: 33 (32E, 35M, 30R, 34S, 11W)
SAT IIs: 720 Math IIC</p>

<p>APs:
European History: 3
English Lang.: 4
Statistics: 4
Psychology: 4
US History: 4
Physics B: 4</p>

<p>I plan on taking AP Lit, Physics C, AP Gov, AP Micro/Macro, AP Spanish, AP Calc AB and BC for my senior year. I've definitely taken the most difficult courseload available during my junior and senior years.</p>

<p>ECs:
Mock Trial 9, 10, 11, 12 Captain
Key Club 10, 11 K-Family Relations Chair, 12 Lt.Governor, District K-Family Chair
Academic Team 9, 10, 11, 12
Spanish Club 10, 11 Public Relations Officer, 12 (Treasurer?)
Mu Alpha Theta 10, 11, 12
Student Council 10, 11, 12
Class Board '08 10, 11, 12
School Improvement Writing Team 9, 10
Chi Epsilon Mu 10
National Honor Society 11, 12
Sociedad Honoria Hispanica 11 Founder, 12 ?
Teen Court 9, 10, 11, 12
Junior Leadership 11
Model U.N. - In the process of chartering</p>

<p>Summer Activities:
RYLA - Seminar for Tomorrow's Leaders
Boys State
- County Attorney
- House of Representatives
- Supreme Court Justice
Clemson Summer Economics Institute</p>

<p>Awards:
Academic Letter 9, 10, 11, 12
Highest Honor Roll 9, 10, 11, 12
Key Club Distinguished Member 10, 11
Key Clubber of the Year 10
Key Club "Hour Power" 11
HOBY Delegate</p>

<p>Right now I'm looking at:
Harvard
Yale SCEA
Columbia
UPenn - Wharton
UF Honors
Dartmouth
Cornell
UNC- Chapel Hill
Vanderbilt
Georgetown
Wesleyan?</p>

<p>I'm definitely going to retake my SATs (It's been nearly a year), ACTs, and SAT Math IIs. I also plan on taking SAT Physics and SAT US History. Currently I'm trying to find an internship with either Morgan Stanley or Merill Lynch and introducing the idea of a student representative on the School Board. I also plan to run for SAC in my upcoming senior year. </p>

<p>As far as schools go, I'm looking for schools that have an intellectual, yet fun-loving atmosphere. Preferably with decent school spirit and good extracurriculars, but apparently thats not the case with the majority of the Ivies.</p>

<p>Thanks for chancing me!</p>

2

<p>The ivies are okay as long as you don't equate fun-loving with semi-professional sports. With the possible exception of Harvard, they each have their own quirky ways of having fun. Somehow though, I've never heard Harvard described that way. I think Wesleyan would be a good match/reach for you (Wesleyan is one of those LACs where men have a definite advantage over women in admsissions.)</p>

3

<p>All the ivies and UNC-CH out of state are going to be reaches with your SAT score. That's just how it is.</p>

4

<p>You need 3 SAT II's for ivies..
so, if you're planning on retaking the SAT I, that doesn't leave you too much time..</p>

5

<p>Harvard: REJECT
Yale SCEA: REJECT
Columbia: Maybe
UPenn - Wharton: REJECT
UF Honors: In
Dartmouth: Maybe
Cornell: Maybe
UNC- Chapel Hill: In
Vanderbilt: In
Georgetown: In
Wesleyan: In</p>

<p>"As far as schools go, I'm looking for schools that have an intellectual, yet fun-loving atmosphere. Preferably with decent school spirit and good extracurriculars, but apparently thats not the case with the majority of the Ivies."</p>

<p>If that's not the case with the Ivies, then why the hell are you applying to them? It's more than half your list.</p>

6

<p>I apologize, that description offers a vague interpretation. I meant as far as school spirit goes. I understand that not many of the students have strong school spirit like flagship state schools, but they're strong in other aspects. They have the intellectual, yet laid back atmosphere, save Cornell. I understand Harvard has a work hard, play hard mentality, which I can appreciate as well since that's how my high school is. I know for sure Yale has good extracurriculars.</p>

<p>Thank you for chancing me. I understand I need to take three subject tests for Ivies. I plan on taking the SAT one more time and taking my subject tests once more. With ample preparation of course. I also plan on taking my ACTs again, but this time I'll study.</p>

<p>Thanks again for the chancing me!</p>

<p>Also, if possible, anyone want to chance me for Duke, Northwestern, and WashU as well? I'm trying to narrow my list down to 7 or 8 schools.</p>

7

<p>^They're all still reaches.</p>

8

<p>Don't bother with the SAT I, there is no sense in confirming a bad score. Let them assume you were sick. Take SAT II Math over again too.</p>

9

<p>Thanks for the advice guys! I'm just hoping that my ACT score is an indication that I have made improvements in the past year so I'm planning on taking the SAT I in October and the SAT IIs in November. Should I reverse that? Anyone want to offer some advice on that? And thanks ses, I understand. Like I said I have a ton of reaches. Or atleast I believe they're reaches. I'm still trying to narrow my list down.</p>

10

<p>Anyone else?</p>

11

<p>thats certainly a very difficult course load in your senior year, i would honestly get rid of two of those classes (you don't want colleges thinking you sit home all day studying)...if you did happen to include on your apps that you have this and that job, and this and that sport/volunter etc.. as well, they may think the school you come from isn't very competitive and that grade inflation may occur. no offense, but your SAT score doesn't show extreme intelligence nor that you can handle SEVEN AP classes in one year. also, you won't be able to put in as much time as you could in each AP class because you have too much to juggle with. and another thing, i would get rid of physics and substitute it with another science class since you've already taken physics b..or this can be one of the classes u decide to drop. </p>

<p>
[quote]

Harvard: REJECT
Yale SCEA: REJECT
Columbia: Maybe
UPenn - Wharton: REJECT
UF Honors: In
Dartmouth: Maybe
Cornell: Maybe
UNC- Chapel Hill: In
Vanderbilt: In
Georgetown: In
Wesleyan: In

[/quote]

they only school i see your "in" is UF Honors and UNC is a possibility..perhaps Vandy and Wesleyan too. RAISE THOSE SAT SCORES!!! (especially writing..rumor has it colleges will start to look at them for the class of '08)</p>

<p>GOOD LUCK!!!</p>

12

<p>for ivies you would probably need 2100 at least to stand a chance against the stiff competition.</p>

<p>for the rest you still will need 2000+ IMO, just make sure to work on your SATs a lot during the remainder of teh summer and you have a good shot with your ECs and GPA.</p>

13

<p>all of you who are saying "raise your SAT score" are fogetting or overlooking his 33 ACT score.</p>

14

<p>yeah but theyll still see his low SAT score, unless he doesn't send them...but he'll have to when he takes the subject exams</p>

15

<p>if he send the ACT im pretty sure he doesnt have to send the SAT2S, in which case your application is strong except at ECs, where you have nothing to stand out on (kinda typical chinese kid, you know?)</p>

<p>umm, if i were you heres what i would make my list as (including UMich cuz i think it should be o on your list... you should get in and i think youd like it)</p>

<p>REACH - fav 2 ivies - sorry, but at this stage in time, all ivies are a reach for pretty much everyone who doesnt have spectacular ECs, and even for some of those who do</p>

<p>SLIGHT REACH - duke, Gtown, Nwestern, UNC</p>

<p>MATCH - UMich, vandy (maybe UW madison or USC if youre interested)</p>

<p>SAFETY - UF Honors</p>

<p>thats 9 which really isnt too bad</p>

16

<p>They take the highest ACT or SAT though. if he can score well on his SAT IIs they will just assume that he was ill or what not, correct?</p>

17

<p>people tend to do better on the ACT..so i dunno...</p>

18

<p>Thanks guys. Yeah I kind of understand that my ECs are not spectacular. My school apparently went downhill after our last principal (He was just promoted, so hopefully our new one will be better.). I just got funding for the AMC at my school. Unfortunately it's too late to really affect me for college applications, but hopefully it won't be for others. My passion really divides between Mock Trial and Key Club. I think I'm going to focus one of my essays about the projects I do as a Lt. Governor in Key Club, but other than that I realize I have pretty typical ECs, especially compared to my competition.</p>

<p>SATs seem to be my weakest point though. I really need to retake them, I slacked off in testing my junior year even though I should have done more.</p>

<p>Thanks again guys for the input thus far.</p>

19

<p>Bump. 10 char!</p>

20

<p>Why don't you consider the University of Chicago? They have great economics and political science and you could just submit your ACT which is pretty good. It might be a pretty good fit for you.</p>