Good Grades > Bad ECs??

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am fairly confident in academics:
10 APs, all passed, national AP scholar
14 APs this year
4000 Standarized Testing (SATI+SATIIChem,writing,math)
National Merit Semifinalist
4.0 U, 4.53 W (highest in history of school)</p>

<p>Really Bad ECs:
However, I only have one EC (besides NHS, etc.) classical/jazz guitar for about 15/20 hrs/wk but only since sophomore year so I can't really make that a selling point. What do you guys think my chances are at:
CalTech (EA)
MIT
Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Stanford
USC</p>

<p>Do you think academics can negate the really poor ECs? Because all I hear about is how the top schools are looking for "well-rounded individuals" and I am rather nervous.</p>

2

<p>i'd sell your musical interest heavily. also, think of a future career ambition to rationalize why you worked so hard for your grades. for instance, you want to be a mathematician. you love math, and you study all the time b/c you want to be a mathematician. this way you not only have grades, but you have your music, and you have your math (or whatever future career) ambition.</p>

<p>i think you have a good shot at those schools you mentioned. make sure you apply to all of them to maximize your chances of getting into at least one of them</p>

3

<p>btw, why is USC on your list? it doesn't fit with the other schools</p>

4

<p>I'd say you're into all of those, though schools do want "well-rounded students", a genius or two won't hurt them ;)</p>

5

<p>USC is there basically because my stepsister is an alumna and my dad is therefore enamored of it and is forcing me to apply. It is still a good school, but you're right -- it really isn't in the same league as the others. Thanks for the advice, it does seem prudent to play up my lone EC and my studying as an EC (most of the stuff I do isn't for school anyway).</p>

6

<p>USC= safety</p>

<p>since the Ivies love EC's, and you don't have many, i'd stress your passion about the ones you <em>do</em> have</p>

7

<p>14 aps this year?</p>

8

<p>you sound like a big book worm lol .. no offense but those types of people arent the most desireable for adcoms.. definitely sell your music involvement.. if possible.. you will probably get into a few of them, but not all, EC's will hurt you. On the other hand, being a genius wont hurt =) 4000 is amazing</p>

9

<p>yet another reason why bsbllallstr8 is the man</p>

10

<p>yeah, it would be helpful to be one of those people who likes to do a lot of different things. But I mostly just like to read, etc. and I am not going to pander to colleges. I did play Freshman/JV b-ball and that might help some, but yeah "book worm" is a fair description I suppose.</p>

11

<p>4000 is really impressive. I am also taking the same SAT II's. You'll definitely get into atleast one of those schools. Good Luck.</p>

12

<p>Honestly, I don't think you have a very good chance at being accepted into those colleges (except for USC). My sister had simliar scores + GPA (3980 "SAT III", 4.6 GPA), a few (very few- band for 2 years, 300 hours of c. service, etc.) ECs, some college classes (less than you), and a lot more awards. She applied to Stanford (EA) and Caltech. Results: Deferred and then later rejected from Stanford and rejected from Caltech. Sorry if I just shattered your confidence... Are you a female? I hear the female admission rate for MIT is significantly higher than the male admission rate. You might want to apply to a small school named Franklin Olin College of Engineering. It provides free tuition ($120,000) for accepted students. In addition, it places a lot of weight on GPA and standardized test scores for admissions. Another plus is you'll meet my sister :)</p>

13

<p>yeah, if I didn't have my doubts I wouldn't have posted</p>

14

<p>14 APs?</p>

<p>How?</p>

15

<p>child, make up ECs. colleges dont call ur skool to check to see if u were really a part of these clubs</p>

16

<p>if you're gonna make up any ECs, make up ones that the college CANNOT call up, for example: reef aquarist, snowboarding, waterski, hiking, camping, and stuff like that....if it's a part of the school (or organized group), there is a slight possibility that if the college was really ambitious enough, they could call someone up. Unlikely, but possibile.</p>

17

<p>There's this guy I know who scored a 1560 on SATI, had a 4.23 weighted GPA, and few ECs, and he was not accepted into UPenn.</p>

18

<p>yeah colleges really like ECs. but what really would u put on? once u spend a minute at a club meeting, ur kind of a club member.</p>

19

<p>you guys are PATHETIC if you are really considering making up ECs. thats a disgrace............absolutely PATHETIC. I can't believe people on this site would actually stoop so low...........</p>

20

<p>Sad thing is, a good portion of people (15%?) share this mentality and bs their apps. </p>

<p>Kudos to you OHSOFABULOUS2006. If you didn't sound like a big enough jack@ss, this just seals the deal. Please, don't encourage people to lie on their apps. It just makes everyone here look bad.</p>

<p>And also, drop that urban slang and mindless chest beating about how great the class of 06 is. No one cares.</p>