Getting into Stanford

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi guys! I would like you guys to predict my chances in getting into Stanford with the following credentials:</p>

<p>Grade: 11</p>

<p>GPA (so far): 3.78 (including freshman year, 3.88 GPA w/o. Unweighted.)</p>

<p>SAT: 2250 (800M, 750CR, 700W)</p>

<p>SAT II: Chemistry (800), World History (800), Literature (750), Hebrew (800)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
1.) Cello (6 different orchestras, done it for approx. 11 years)
2.) Crew (Rowing for all of high school)
3.) Swimming (same, all of high school)
4.) School-sponsored trip to Cambodia (application required, 9% acceptance rate)
5.) Co-chair of the Gay-Straight Alliance club
6.) Worked at the school restaurant
7.) Volunteering in the local animal shelter
8.) Tutor at a local elementary school
9.) Internship at a local medical lab</p>

<p>Transcript (not including electives and health classes):
Freshman Year:
*Spanish II Advanced– A
*Advanced Geometry (hardest math course in school, more so than BC Calc. Yikes!)– B/B-
*English 9 Honors– B
*Physics I Honors– A
*World History 9 Honors– A</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
*Spanish III Advanced– A
*Advanced Algebra II/Trigonometry (still hard for me)– B+/B
*Darkness in Literature Honors (1st semester)+Spirituality in Literature Honors (2nd semester)– A-
*Chemistry I Honors– A
*World History 10 Honors– A</p>

<p>Summer School: Biology I Honors– A</p>

<p>Junior Year:
*Spanish IV Advanced– A
*Honors Precalculus (yes, I dropped down, too easy now...)– A
*Comedy in Literature Honors (1st semester)+Contemporary Literature Honors (2nd semester)– A
*AP Chemistry– A
*AP United States History– A
*Philosophy Honors– A</p>

<p>With good recs and a good essay, do I have a chance?</p>

<p>I currently live in Brookline, MA (go to Brookline High School) and I want to go to college in California, mostly for meteorological reasons (lol). Do I even have a chance as an out-of-state applicant?</p>

<p>Thanks for helping me out!</p>

2

<p>Are your junior year grades projected?</p>

3

<p>What do you mean by that?</p>

4

<p>Are you a rising senior or a rising junior?</p>

5

<p>rising senior</p>

6

<p>:) שלום! אני אוהב שאת גם יודעת עברית </p>

<p>lol well anyway, all scores are amazing, same with grades. gpa may be a tad low but i think your standardized testing more than makes up for it. i really see your passion for animals in your ECs!</p>

<p>yeah, just write a good essay and you’ll def be a competitive applicant. good luck! :)</p>

7

<p>thank you!</p>

8

<p>Stanford: High Reach</p>

<p>Your SAT and GPA aren’t particularly high for Stanford, but your SAT II scores are definitely impressive. It’s hard to get a sense of your ECs because you didn’t provide the number of hours, your involvement, any awards that you got from them, etc. None of those activities really stand out unless you got some form of recognition. </p>

<p>You shouldn’t be discouraged because Stanford is a high reach for everyone and you are a fairly competitive applicant. I wouldn’t recommend doing their SCEA option, but it doesn’t hurt to apply. Don’t take me too seriously because I am, after all, just another high schooler on this website.</p>

9

<p>Apply SCEA if you believe your application is set to go and if it is your first choice. Did you get a 5 on AP Chem and APUSH?</p>

10

<p>Thank you guys for the advise! I will definitely apply for SCEA. #classof2015hs: yes, I got a 5 on both of the AP exams. </p>

<h1>frostyy: More information about my extracurriculars:</h1>

<p>1.) Cello: I’ve been involved at top orchestras at the New England Conservatory for the past two years. I also got accepted to Boston’s top (and only) youth philharmonic orchestra. I’ve gotten concerto competition awards and several private recital opportunities.
2.) Crew: I’m not particularly great, but I am second boat in varsity.
3.) Swimming: Varsity for grades 10-12; I’m planning on being captain next year. Got to regionals.
4.) School-sponsored trip to Cambodia: Very hard to get into. Got over 70 hours of community service. 2 week-long trip.
5.) Co-chair of the Gay-Straight Alliance club: Self-explanatory.
6.) Worked at the school restaurant: One of the head chefs and got a servsafe certificate.
7.) Volunteering in the local animal shelter: Got over 100 hours of community service by helping the animal shelter/adoption center/hospital with maintenance and taking care of their canines.
8.) Tutor at a local elementary school: Taught algebra and sciences to several kids in grades 5-7
9.) Internship at a local medical lab: At a company by the name of Alnylam. My dad is a new employee there, and he offered me an internship opportunity in the biochemistry department.</p>

11

<p>Your extracurriculars are well-rounded and although they are really different you obviously are committed to each and everyone. You have taken the most rigorous classes so that is great on your behalf and it’s what is expected. The only issue, if there are any in your application, would be your GPA. I sound like a jerk when I say this and I apologize for that, but with a school like Stanford or any ivy for that matter, the 4.0 GPA seems to be the standard, I really should not say that because if freshman year was to be included in my application to Stanford, they would laughs and ask why I even bothered. You’re a wonderful swimmer from what you’ve written, athletics is wonderful for any school. You’ve made the extremely selective youth orchestra, so congratulations; that is a wonderful achievement. You’ve seemed to tackle every challenge and take every opportunity that was offered to you. If I was an AO I would definitely advocate for you during the final decisions. What school wouldn’t want you? Try for USC and their Trustee Scholarship since you want a California college. Good luck.</p>

12

<p>Thanks! Hopefully I can include the first quarter of senior year on my transcript and that will raise my GPA to 3.80 w/ freshman year, 3.90 w/o. The quarter ends right before the SCEA deadline… I really hope I can make it!</p>

<p>Could you tell me more about the USC Trustee Scholarship? I am very curious!</p>

<p>Also, would being a first-generation student of Israeli nationality (and citizenship) help me at all? Does Stanford have this sort of affirmative action, or is being out-of-state more significant?</p>

13

<p>on most application forms, white and middle eastern are the same box. i go to a parochial jewish/israeli school so a lot of the israelis have to say they are white</p>

14

<p>Yes, wherever they ask for racial identity, I always put down “white” because all other options, including “other,” do not apply. I guess the same thing goes for Stanford.</p>

<p>Also, I forgot to tell you guys one thing.</p>

<p>I accidentally signed up for the SAT I sophomore year (I wanted to take the SAT II Chem, but there was a computer glitch) and did it anyway. I got an 1870 on it (610CR, 720M, 540W). Second time around, I was much more prepared and got a score of 2250. Would Stanford forgive me this score or would it still look at it?
I mean I did take it sophomore year without any preparation… I am nervous now!</p>

15

<p>it’s honestly fine. i took the SAT the beginning of my junior year and got a 2020 (very unbalanced; 600 math, 640 reading, but 780 in writing) with no practice. i think them seeing the first scores actually looks better than a plain 2250 because it shows you weren’t originally good at it but you practiced and you’re really dedicated to your goals. </p>

<p>don’t worry! your position could put you at an advantage. dedication and other personal qualities >>>>>> a score. good luck!</p>

16

<p>Should I also consider HYPM, UCs, and the Claremont colleges?</p>

17

<p>Also what do you guys think of my senior year schedule?</p>

<p>*AP Calculus AB
*AP Calculus BC
*AP Spanish V
*Psychology in Lit H
*Race and Identity in Lit H
*AP Physics C
*AP European History</p>