Half Hungarian, Half Barbadian... Chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>My mom is an immigrant from Barbados while my dads heritage is mostly Hungarian (don't know if I should play the 'black' card, or the ethnically ambiguous card). I am just a sophomore but I'm always trying to better my chances at the schools I'm aiming for (because they're pretty competitive), so any advice on ways I can improve my chances would be phenomenal!</p>

<p>Current GPA: 4.0 / 5.1 (weighted out of 6.0) will probably go up to hopefully 5.3</p>

<p>SAT: 1330 (7th grade), 1820 (9th) I'm gonna try and raise it, currently in ap Calc so my math should go up and my reading should too (from practice and studying) , aiming for 2100+</p>

<p>APs (I've yet to take any exams):
Human Geo (4-5) 9th grade*
Psych (4-5) 10th
Physics B (4-5) 10th
Calc AB (5) 10th
US History (?) 11th
Earth + Environmental (?) 11th
English (?) 11th
Stat (?)
Calc BC (?)
Physics C (maybe, ?) self study
Biology (?) 12th
English (?) 12th
World History (?)</p>

<p>My rank will probably either be 1/650 but since my class is so big it's hard to know for sure (so might be 2 or 3)</p>

<p>ECs: </p>

<p>Sports - thinking about starting track this year (so it'll be 10-12 grade) and cross country next year (11-12)</p>

<p>Clubs: NAHS (probably a leadership position next year), Tech Club (possibly a leadership position next year), Compassion in Action (service club, probably leadership next year), Key Club (11-12), NHS (11-12) and possibly the Math honors society (11th-12th). Student council (10-12) with hopefully some office my junior and senior year, looking to get at least one sort of art award in the next few years (like with scholastics). Going also for the presidential service award (250+ hours), internship with the 2012 DNC.</p>

<p>Hooks: first gen, black</p>

<p>My college list:
UNC - Chapel Hill
Princeton
MIT
Stanford
Duke
Yale (legacy)
Cal tech</p>

<p>Also I'm thinking about going into engineering which is sort of rare for a black female I'm guessing, or computer science/programming/software engineer.</p>

2

<p>To be honest, even though your ethnic background may make your admissions easier, none of those schools are realistic (maybe UNC). You should seriously consider applying to schools with mid 50% scores of 1800-2000; do not apply to these prestigious schools just because of their name. I really don’t mean to sound harsh, but I don’t see you getting into any of those schools.</p>

<p>However, if you were to get a 2150+ on the SAT and 720+ on subject tests–at bare minimum–you would be much, much more competitive for admission.</p>

3

<p>Too much is hypothetical right now for us to really chance you. We are basically chancing somebody who does not exist right now and class rank/GPA could easily change before you apply to college. Come back no earlier then the beginning of junior year.</p>

4

<p>@rubi3, the only reason I seem optimistic about these choices is because 1: I’m almost sure I can get my scores up past 700 each, and I’m really confident in getting a high score in the sat subject test for mathematics and possibly world history and bio/physics (as longs as the physics one doesn’t go into physics c since its offered nowhere in my school district). And 2: because two students last year (that I know of) we’re accepted into Harvard and MIT (Harvard was the Val and she was Hispanic, MIT was the sal and she was asian, she was also accepted into Stanford) with similar stats to myself (but without any sports, art, and student council). They’re gpa’s were pretty close to my own and I’m pretty sure I’m doing much more rigorous course then them (they probably did Calc in junior/senior year, along with physics if they ever even took it) . </p>

<p>And @artsygirl13, yeah I get what you’re saying … It’s not so much about chancing as it is about making sure I can do everything I can to increase my chances. I just worry about starting senior year and hearing that my chances are pretty low and having no time to better them. :&lt;/p>

<p>Any more advice on increasing my chances?</p>

5

<p>How can you be a legacy at Yale, but a first gen applicant?</p>

6

<p>Well okay, nobody in my mother or father’s family has gotten a college degree or gone to college except my grandfather who came to the us on a student visa with a full ride to Ohio state, and then a full ride to Yale after he graduated valedictorian of his class… I consider myself first gen, my mom hardly lived with her dad for 5 years of her life… I guess I’ll just stick with saying I’m a first gen…</p>

7

<p>It’s too early to recommend you safeties, but you know you’re applying to school that are reaches for anyone.</p>