Enough "chances"

<p>I find the "chances" posts on CC to be somewhat misguided. The people who frequent these websites are not admissions officers. They can only give a basic idea of one's chances at a school based on SAT's and GPA's that a poster could personally deduce by checking any college's website. That said, I'll give what I consider to be the most helpful tool for the perplexed applicant: the statistics of someone already accepted. I was accepted to Cornell Arts and Sciences, and these are the facts:</p>

<p>GPA: ~91.3 (my school doesnt calculate GPAs out of 4)
SAT: 2250 - 740 m - 740 w - 770 cr
SAT IIs - 770 chem - 760 math II - 720 bio - 720 US history
AP's: US History, 5 - Bio, calc BC, literature, - as yet unknown
Awards: Commended student in PSATs (from MA)
EC's : Mock Trial state tourny team, Model UN, captain of ski club, Senior editor in literary magazine, suicide hotline volunteer/operator
Jobs: kosher food coordinator for local area, filing in parent's practice for one summer, etc (no special internships)
recs: Good, very positive.
essay: very good, i think</p>

<p>Yep, that's about it. I did take the ACTs as well on a lark, but did not send them in. Since I'm deferring for a year, I think I may try to re-apply to Yale early decision or whatever deal they have, or maybe Columbia. Anyways, I think if your stats resemble these, you have a fine chance at being accepted. A friend of mine with lower scores, although better EC's (and a GREAT essay), was accepted, as well as a friend with roughly similar stats. Good luck to all those out there. And yes, I know that people do this in April when they get in, but I didnt do so then, and I'm noticing something of a flush of "chances" posts.</p>

<p>thats pretty encouraging, as i have similar stats and I'm looking to apply for 1st year transfer. however, do you not like cornell for any reason?</p>

<p>I have noticed a bit higher for av gpa, but that is a great guide for you "chances" people.</p>

<p>True, GPAs probably do run a bit higher. My school had a dual curriculum and I took 9 classes at a time, and our college counselors were very good about letting colleges know the rigors we went through. My general studies GPA, the one colleges probably cared most about, was around a 92. I think the highest overall in my class was 94. So while Cornell may tend towards higher GPAs, the students they were looking at from my school simply didn't have numbers as high as a 97, which would have been unheard of in GPA standards. And out of 50 kids, we got 12 into ivy or comparable (MIT) schools, so it must not have been a big problem.</p>

<p>Sounds like a rigorous but great program. Congrats man</p>