Harvard/MIT/Caltech

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Asian male from Virgina.</p>

<p>Will be applying to MIT/Caltech EA, Harvard/Stanford/Princeton regular</p>

<p>ACT: 36 (all sections)
SAT I: 2380 (Math: 800, CR: 780, Writing: 800), one sitting
SAT II: Math 2: 800, Physics: 800</p>

<p>AP Exams: All 5s on: Calculus AB, Calculus BC, both Physics Cs, Physics B, Biology, Environmental Science, Spanish, Computer Science A, US History, US Government, English Language, English Literature, Statistics</p>

<p>GPA: Weighted: 4.68, Unweighted 3.98 (Junior was 5.0, all APs)</p>

<p>Senior Courses:
AP European History
AP Chemistry
AP Economics
Real Analysis (university)
Topology (university)
College-level literature course</p>

<p>ECs:
Math Team, Captain
Science Olympiad (multiple 1st places)
Science Bowl
Chess Club (Captain, ~2000 ELO), also many chess tournaments
Key Club
~250 hours community service (normal volunteering + organized math/chess lessons at elementary schools)
Varsity tennis</p>

<p>Awards:
4x AIME
1x USAMO
USAMTS, ARML
Some state math contests
Some research experience, although no Intel/Siemens (yet)
Paper accepted into top journal in field</p>

<p>Obviously recs/essays are subjective. I consider myself a very good writer, so essays should be good. Recommendations should be fine (multiple professors will write).</p>

2

<p>Yikes another student with off the chart stats but ECs that are average at best for these top schools you’re aiming for. Clubs are average, chess captain is a modest plus. Did you play tennis all 4 years? Awards are all academic, do you have anything that reflects a potential major? I might be being too harsh, but at these 3 schools you mentioned, you’re chances are just as good or bad as the qualified applicant. Aim for some easier (but top) schools and I"m sure you’re in.</p>

3

<p>Wow, very impressive stats!! They definitely show a strong emphasis on mathematics and that area :slight_smile: I think you have a pretty good shot at MIT and Caltech. As for Harvard, I would say a bit less of a chance since I’ve found that it doesn’t focus on awards and scores as much as the other two. Good luck!</p>

<p>P.S. you are aware that Caltech does not accept AP courses, right?</p>

4

<p>@smarty</p>

<p>What do you mean by “average” ECs? All were four years (although I really don’t see how that will make or break an application in any case).</p>

<p>I am 100% a math major as evidenced by my high-level university courses and USAMO.</p>

5

<p>I’m really not sure what smarty is talking about either…you are a good candidate for all those schools!</p>

6

<p>I think you have a solid shot at being accepted. Your academics are as good as it get. Your ECs are pretty good. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were accepted to all of them. Good luck!</p>

<p>Chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1544406-chance-me-please-duke-notre-dame-johns-hopkins-etc-ill-chance-you-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1544406-chance-me-please-duke-notre-dame-johns-hopkins-etc-ill-chance-you-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>Reasonable shot at Caltech.</p>

8

<p>Even if you get 2400 and hundreds of 5s on AP, none of the three school can be “safety” or even “match”. They all are reach of any kind of student. There are tons of students applying for those three schools with 2300+ and 10 to 11 AP 5s… And many of them have or were in honors, varsity sports, lots of volunteer hours… If the science olympiad was international, that’s a plus, but still, there are so many students applying for the school with “perfect” stats like yours… I think that’s what smarty99 meant. Your stats and ECs are “typical” for Harvard, MIT, and Caltech applicant, not outstanding or special. If you were to apply for tier 2 schools, now your stats would be outstanding, because their applicant pool isn’t that high-achieving. </p>

<p>Not saying you are not a good candidate, but there are so many good candidates applying for those schools (or otherwise, they wouldn’t apply in the first place). You have a strong chance, but don’t “expect” you will get accepted. There are so many out there with that stats + ECs. Just as texaspg said, your stats and ECs are solid, amazing, and reasonable, but still average. But I’m can say you might get into one or all. Rock on the common app and supplemental essays. </p>

<p>The “average-ness” is not about you but about other applicants. On Youtube, Harvard Dean of Admission said Harvard would get just as good students as the accepted one, even if he reject those accepted students, choose another 2000 from rejected students, and repeat that 3 or 4 times.</p>

9

<p>HPS - reaches
MIT - low reach
Caltech - high match</p>

<p>That’s assuming you get good recs and have a good essay.</p>

10

<p>You will get in everywhere. That is what you wanted to hear, right? I said it, now believe it. lol</p>