Early Decision Advice/Chance Me

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hi, I was a CC lurker for a while but finally to join because I am in need of advice! I’m a female Asian senior attending a Midwest large public school. I'm having a lot of trouble deciding which schools I should apply for at which deadlines. I would be very grateful for any advice :)</p>

<p>Stats:
4.5 GPA weighted (Our school doesn’t rank, but I am in the top 5-10% range)
ACT: 35
APs: World History (4), US History (5), Chemistry (5), BC Calc (5), US Govt & Politics (4), Lang & Comp (5)
Senior load: AP Physics C, AP Macro and Micro, AP Literature and Composition, AP French, Calculus III
National Merit Semi Finalist
Note: unfortunately, I have a lot of B+ in math on my transcript</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Accounting internship under a nonprofit organization
Volunteer Certified Tax Preparer (2013 tax season, will do again 2014 season)
ILMEA All-State Honors Band
Nursing center volunteer (3 years)
Woodwind Ensemble-played at various local elderly care centers (6 years, first chair)
Science Olympiad-three state medals (4 years, President)
Debate Club (4 years, President)
DECA-a business club (2 years)
French Honors Society
National Honors Society</p>

<p>I would like to apply Early Decision. However, I cannot decide which one to do it for. Here is my current list of desirable colleges, in order:</p>

<p>MIT (early action)
UPenn*
Stanford (regular)
Carnegie Mellon*
Brown (regular)
Northwestern*
UBerkeley (regular)
UChicago (early action)
Wash U*</p>

<p>*possible early decision college</p>

<p>I have more, but disregard them. I am applying as a computer science major for all except Penn, for which I will be applying to Wharton. Northwestern and WashU are the most realistic reach for me (whereas for UPenn and Carnegie Mellon I am very doubtful about getting in), so I’ve been thinking to apply early decision to either one. But as you can see from my list, there are a bunch of other schools I would rather choose over it. However I am terrified that in regular decision, all the colleges I want will reject me :( So I am wondering if I should pick something lower (lower as in according to my list-Northwestern and WashU are both great schools overall) and just get over with this applying process quickly. On the other hand, if I choose, say, UPenn, and I get in, I’d be ecstatic-at the very least I will have a chance to go to other schools should I get rejected in the early round. </p>

<p>I am so indecisive; I've been switching back and forth every couple days :/ What should I do?
Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>Oh wow, in my anxiety I completely forgot to ask about the Chance me part xD How realistic are my chances for schools like MIT, UPenn, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Brown? If it’s extremely low, I’d rather not waste my ED and just make the most out of Northwestern (and be haunted by my decision for the rest of my life, of course).</p>

3

<p>MIT: Reach
UPenn: Low Reach
Stanford: I think its a high reach for anyone
Carnegie Mellon: Not really familiar
Brown: Low reach (but you have a solid chance)
Northwestern:Match
Berkeley: Match (especially since they dont take in race)
UChicago: Reach, really focuses on essays</p>

<p>I think you have nice numbers, but your EC’s are kinda contradicting in a way. Colleges are going to find it hard to see a “passion” in one area. However, being a female applying to computer science is a nice hook. I would definitely apply to the schools you listed, BUT MAKE SURE YOU APPLY TO AT LEAST 1 SAFETY lol. btw thanks for chancing me, good luck! </p>

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<p>For me Northwestern has been a dream school for a REALLY long time. I can honestly say that there is no school in this entire world that I would choose instead of NU. As a fellow senior applicant I just want to say that we have only one chance at applying to colleges and the fear of rejection shouldn’t make you “settle” for NU or WashU if you have a true dream school.
Based on your stats I think you have a very solid chance at getting into WashU and NU as a regular applicant so maybe you should use your ED on UPenn
MIT-reach
Stanford- I don’t even know if this school exists cause no one gets in…high reach for everyone
Brown- Low reach/match
Northwestern/Berkley-match
UChicago- Reach/Low Reach </p>

5

<p>Thank you very much for your replies!</p>

<p>cms4515, I got the impression that Northwestern is pretty important to you in your other post, and I admire your dedication to it. I guess my apathy towards it is due to the fact that it’s too “familiar” to me and would rather go to the coasts. But I hope you get in! I’m just curious, which school are you applying to?</p>

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<p>Hi pyrefox!! Although I’m not sure about how to ‘chance’, I think that all your choices are good! Like the poster above, you should apply to some safeties as all the schools you listed are pretty competitive. Good luck! :)</p>

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<p>@aimhigh333 Thanks for the input! Yeah, I’ll be applying to safeties but they didn’t pertain to my dilemma, so I chose not to mention them :)</p>

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<p>I pretty much have to agree with most of the posts above. At this point, you’re super competitive, but it’s down to luck.</p>

<p>Question: I’ve seen that tax preparer thing around a few times. How do you get to do that?</p>

<p>Chance me? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1690007-claremont-mckenna-duke-bucknell-grinnell-uofr-chances.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1690007-claremont-mckenna-duke-bucknell-grinnell-uofr-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@Woandering It’s called the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. You go through some training, prepare tax for low income families and singles and at the end get a fancy certificate with the IRS name on it. I enjoyed doing this immensely and will be doing it again for the 2014 tax season.
You’ll have to hunt around for the nearest VITA center, but I did mine through the Center for Economic Progress organization.</p>

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<p>@Pyrefox Thanks for the response. How long does it take? </p>

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<p>@Pyrefox I found the website which answered some of my previous questions. However, you said you would be doing it for the 2014 season. The website says 2014 is closed. Does that mean, I can only go through training in 2015 November?</p>

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<p>@Woandering The training or the program itself?
For training you have to register online and take online classes on your own time. You’ll also have to take an exam (again, online) and pass that. Once you do that, you take an actual class (I think it was just once–twice, at the most), in which you get familiar with the program you will use to prepare tax.
The program itself is a couple months long, in the spring. I don’t remember the specifics, sorry, but I did it once a week for ten weeks.</p>

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<p>Oh oops I didn’t see that you replied.
The 2014 season is during 2015 spring. Tax is funny that way–it means that we are preparing tax for the 2014 year.</p>

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<p>So if I signed up now, I would train in November of 2015, and volunteer during 2016 Spring? @Pyrefox</p>

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<p>@Woandering Why so early? I’m pretty sure I trained a couple weeks before the season–maybe it’s different in your area? </p>

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<p>@Pyrefox Actually I was looking at the one you went to. They say training is in November.</p>

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<p>@Woandering Oh wow, you’re right, sorry o_O But yeah, I guess that’s what you’d have to do.</p>

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<p>@Pyrefox Hi sorry, one last question. Do you know if I apply through IRS, they’ll accept me, even though I’m a minor? This feels like something for adults only.</p>

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<p>@Pyrefox Within Northwestern? I’m applying to Weinberg</p>

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<p>@Woandering Hmm sorry, I have no idea. I’d think it wouldn’t hurt to ask.</p>

<p>@cms4515 Ah I see; again, hope you make it!</p>