Final chance thread (I'll chance you back)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Got some new stats in and updated my extracurricular stuff.</p>

<p>Race/Ethnicity: White- European/Middle Eastern Asian- Pakistani</p>

<p>Gender: Male</p>

<p>School Type: Public</p>

<p>GPA: 3.87 or 97% (unweighted) and 4.64 (weighted)</p>

<p>Rank: 6 out of 676 students in the class of 2010</p>

<p>Tests:</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]ACT: 34 Composite[/li][li]SAT: 2050 (am taking it again and aiming for 2200) Math: 730, Reading: 690, Writing: 630[/li][li]SAT IIs: US History: 760, Math level II: 700 (retaking), Chemistry (taking later)[/li][li]AP: European History: 4, US History: 4, Calculus BC: 4 (AB Sub-score: 5), Chemistry: 3[/li][li]IB: Art Design SL: 5, Spanish SL: 4[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Class Rigor:</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Full IB Diploma Programme
[</em>]All Honors/MYP Classes Freshman Year
[<em>]All Honors/MYP Classes Sophomore Year + 1 AP Class
[</em>]7 AP/IB Classes in Junior Year
[<em>]6 AP/IB Classes planned for senior year
[</em>]Junior year class rigor were the hardest classes available to juniors at our school- IB Theory of Knowledge, IB English A1, AP USH, AP Calculus AB/BC (in 1 year), AP Chemistry 2, AP Spanish 4, IB Art Design.
[li]Senior Year Classes: IB Higher Level 20th Century Comparative History, AP Government/Economics, IB Higher Level English A1 (2nd year- 2 year class), IB Higher Level Math, IB Standard Level Biology, AP Computer Science AB[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Extracurricular:</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]I.B.S.A.<a href="International%20Baccalaureate%20Student%20Association">/b</a>- [9, 10, 11, 12]- Senior Class Senator (Class Rep- 3 from each graduating year)[/li][li]M.S.A.- [11, 12]- Co-Founder and Vice-President[/li][li]Science Fair*- [9, 10]- Two years competing at California State level (Won 1st place at County and District levels both years) - Project was conducted on Mammalian Biology [/li][li]M.E.S.A- [9, 11, 12]- 2 awards at County level (1st Place and 3rd Place)[/li][li]F.B.L.A.- [11, 12]- 2 awards at County level (2nd and 4th Place)[/li][li]Mock Trial- [11, 12]- Elite 8 at County Level (Pre-trial attorney) [/li][li]History Day- [9]- Competing at California State Level (Won 2nd place at County and Distrcit levels)[/li][li]Gaming Club- [9, 10][/li][li]Forum Administrator for a Gaming website- [11, 12]- Manage the Forums, the forum moderating team of 15 moderators, and any issues that arise.[/li][li]Link Crew*- [11]- Leading Freshman throughout the year and introducing them to high school.[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Sports:</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Soccer- 11 years played, made the school team in my freshman year, started, and then quit the next year to focus on school since I was already on an outside team. I continued outside of school, made All-Stars every year, and plan to retry for the Varsity team this year.
[</em>]I am filling out the recruitment form and the Athletic Supplement indicating my interest in playing for Johns Hopkins.
[/ul]</p>

<p>Community Service:- Well over 200 community service hours</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]Tutor at school [11, 12][/li][li]Tutor at Library [9, 10, 11][/li][li]Hospital Volunteer [11, 12][/li][li]Soccer Coach [9, 10, 11, 12][/li][li]Soccer Referee [9, 10, 11, 12][/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Recommendations:</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]Hospital- Excellent[/li][li]Counselor- Excellent[/li][li]Two teachers- Excellent/Very Good[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Honors:</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]National Merit Commended Student
[</em>]Junior Honor Court (for the top 32 junior students- allowed to attend senior graduation with honorary robes)
[<em>]On track for Valedictorian
[</em>]Honor Roll Student [9, 10, 11]
[li]Multiple Awards from Competitions which are listed in my EC section[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Summers:</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]COSMOS Summer Program at UCI- Attended for a month and worked with two other students under the supervision of two UCI professors on a long-term research project. The project was on The Effect of Anisotropy on 12-Sided Snowflakes and Cobaltite and including research done in UCI science labs.[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Further Research Aspirations (for the Woodrow Wilson fund from Johns Hopkins):</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]I am planning on working to create living human heart cells from rat cardiomyocytes under the supervision of a UCLA professor and Loma Linda Hospital professional. I attempted to due this research last year as well but was turned down at the last minute by the UCLA professor who stated that he was not taking any high school students at the time.[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>I know my SAT and my extra curriculars are not that strong compared to other people but what do you guys think about my overall shot, especially if I improve the SAT scores? I plan on majoring in Biology.</p>

<p>List of Schools (In order of importance):</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Johns Hopkins (ED- #1 Choice)
[</em>]University of Pennsylvania
[<em>]Brown University
[</em>]Cornell University
[<em>]Columbia University
[</em>]Washington University in St. Louis
[<em>]University of Chicago
[</em>]Northwestern
[<em>]Stanford University
[</em>]UC Berkeley
[<em>]UCLA
[</em>]UCSD (Safety Net?)
[li]Yale University[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>I guess these might be my hooks:
[ul]
[<em>]Athlete- Soccer- 1 essay on this
[</em>]Unique EC in the Forum Administrator for a Gaming website (video game hobby) - 1 essay on this
[li]Parents make around $60-70k (so I'm going for financial aid)[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Are my aims way too high? Please be honest with your critiquing.</p>

2

<p>First of all, your hooks aren’t really hooks. There are plenty of athletes, college admissions officers will (quite wrongly) look down on your video game hobby, and your income is just a little bit too high for a solid “challenges overcome” story.</p>

<p>That being said, your application is very strong. Your test scores are impressive (especially if you manage that 2200) and your extracurriculars are particularly good. I think you’ll have Johns Hopkins easily, especially ED. In fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t get in. Same for most of your backups, although I’d be a little worried about those in the Stanford/Yale vein; your ECs follow very typical “science kid” patterns, and not to the crazy extent that some of them take it. You’ll have a lot of competition.</p>

<p>As I said before, though, Johns Hopkins is basically a given. Good luck. :)</p>

3

<p>I’m kinda new to this, but hopefully I can give some help?</p>

<p>Stanford and Yale are really difficult to get into, and although you have some really interesting statistics, I don’t think you’ll have that good of a chance of getting in</p>

<p>UCSD is a definite. I’m tempted to say that UCLA and Berkeley are very possible, especially if you were to increase your SAT 150+ points.</p>

<p>The AP tests and Math SAT2 don’t really fit with the amazing grade you have…so…that might be a problem, albeit a minor one</p>

4

<p>Thanks but one thing I don’t understand is why a video game hobby would be looked down upon. Its shows that I’m not just about studying and I know someone who got into Stanford ED who even wrote her essays on video games (even went as far as to write about World of Warcraft). But again thank you for the chances. And the athlete hook that I meant is that I am planning on trying out for the Hopkins team whereas most other students just put up that they were in sports. Not trying to come off as I don’t agree with what your saying because I do. I think I shouldn’t have put those as hooks but as my essay focus points :P.</p>

5

<p>I don’t think that a video game hobby should be looked down upon at all. I think it’s a developing art form that needs to be taken more seriously by the mainstream. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached that point yet, so you have to realize that there is a risk involved. If you can pull it off, though, go ahead.</p>

<p>Same thing with soccer, really. While it will certainly be a point in your favor, focusing your essay on it could lead down some seriously overtrodden paths. Just something to consider/watch out for.</p>

6

<p>Yes I understand what your saying which is why I’m still debating the video game essay versus some other activity I’ve done, however, I am worried that writing about community service/clubs will be too cliche whereas writing about video games is less common.</p>

<p>And with soccer, I’m writing about how it has helped me develop as a person as well as a player in the 11 years I’ve played plus the four years I have coached/refereed.</p>

<p>But thank you for your input, I appreciate it a lot.</p>

7

<p>To add onto what Empires has already said</p>

<p>Do not write your essay as a generic “how <em>fill in sport</em> has affect me and taught me <strong><em>, </em></strong><em>, and </em>”</p>

<p>you may want to try a unique perspective of writing, such as an essay from the perspective of your soccer cleats, or something really different that will make admissions officers take a second look at your application</p>

8

<p>I think JHU is a good ED choice. I think the top ivies and Stanford will be tough as a half Asian from CA woith good but not great rank and scores.</p>

<p>You look good for all of the UCs and have a reasonable shot at NU, Cornell and WUSTL.</p>

9

<p>I think you’re a pretty solid applicant (I’d just submit your ACT score and not have to worry about your SAT unless you think you can score higher comparatively). Your ECs are fairly strong but somewhat general. Good luck!</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins (ED- #1 Choice) - match (I think you could probably get in)
University of Pennsylvania - reach
Brown University - match-reach
Cornell University - match-reach
Columbia University - reach
Washington University in St. Louis - match-reach
University of Chicago - match (essays count a lot)
Northwestern - match-reach
Stanford University - reach
UC Berkeley - match-reach
UCLA - match
UCSD (Safety Net?) - safety
Yale University - reach</p>

<p>Chance Me?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775406-being-recruited-but-chance-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775406-being-recruited-but-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>Thanks for all the input guys, I’ll chance those who have chanced me asap. Thanks hmom5 for the input and Jiapet, I never even thought about doing it that way, that’s a very good idea in my opinion and I’ll see if I can work with that, again thank you to everyone.</p>

11

<p>Bump (chanced those who chanced me)</p>

12

<p>You look great on paper! You’re EC’s show clear passion and your rank/ACT score is very very good. I would just keep your ACT score and not send your SAT, since a 34 is compared to a 2250. Your essay ideas are good, and don’t worry about videogames being “looked down upon”.</p>

<p>That being said, you have a very great chance at JHU, even better with ED. I would consider not doing ED since you can apply to more reaches and chance at a better scholarship with JHU, unless you are already set on JHU. Good luck!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775369-chance-me-please-columbia-early-decision.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/775369-chance-me-please-columbia-early-decision.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

13

<p>Thanks for chancing me (I chanced you back) but I’m going to stay with JHU ED because I prefer going to JHU over any Ivy League University. Its just a personal preference and I like the JHU Biology/Medical program which is why I would love to be able to attend JHU. I’m hoping doing ED will show the counselors that I’m interested and that JHU is my number one choice. Any other thoughts from anyone? (I’ll chance back)</p>

14

<p>i like your resume ^^
kinda well-rounded. </p>

<p>just like others
yale and stanford are both unknownn.( for everyone)
but for the rest i think you’re gonna make it, very good chance!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/776094-chance-me-please-international.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/776094-chance-me-please-international.html&lt;/a&gt;
thanksssss!</p>