Hello! Ah, "chance" me, please?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>Hello hello! This is my first thread/post on CC. It's 11 PM and I need to work on my English essay but, alas, this is much more fun.</p>

<p>I am a high school senior living in Ohio of a class of about 700 students of varying cognitive capacities. I'm ranked 27 in my class with an unweighted GPA of 3.8 and a weighted GPA of 4.2. I'm taking 5 AP courses out of my seven bells. My SAT came out to be an O.K. 2030 while my ACT composite is 33. </p>

<p>I'm involved in varying extracurriculars and clubs, but the two most worth noting are marching band and journalism. I've been a marching clarinet for three years now as part of one of the biggest bands in Ohio - maybe even THE biggest, but I can't say for sure - and am the opinions editor of our school's newspaper. I also work part-time at a party store, *occasionally do volunteer work, and am a part of the Junior Classical League (Latin club) and National Honor Society. </p>

<p>I intend to major in Computer Science. I know very little about programming and know only what my AP CS class has taught me about Java so far, but I absolutely love it and can't wait to work my way towards becoming a software engineer. </p>

<p>Frankly, I only recently started considering Stanford. On the basis of rankings, it outscores Ohio State in computer science. OSU is my safe school, but that's not to say that I wouldn't mind at all going there. It's a highly reputable public institution with a great social atmosphere and isn't too far from home. There's a decent chance of me getting some sort of merit scholarship. </p>

<p>Stanford, along with other big name universities like MIT and the Ivies, have always turned me off a bit. I feel that there may be a bit of elitism pervading said institutions, and that the low acceptance rates lend more prestige than academic credibility to a name.</p>

<p>But. From the little bit of research I've done so far, Stanford seems like a great place. Even though I don't really think I'd be accepted there, I suppose I don't have anything to lose by sending in an application.</p>

<p>So...what do you knowledgeable folks of CC think? I'm sorry for this being such a long post, but it is my first here and first impressions are always important ^_^</p>

<p>Thank you...I hope someone actually bothers to read this. Back to my English essay!</p>

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<p>I’m bothering to read this because I hope people will read my stuff too! Haha yes it is way more fun anyway i think for you it is a high reach (as for most people) You might want to get into some volunteering. Try to center it on your interests like you said computer science or shoot for an internship. You just need something to tie all your interests together.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the response! Yes, my chances at achieving Stanford are clearly slim. I’m awfully behind the ball game considering that it’s October and I’ve done virtually no work towards filling out applications for colleges and scholarships. Argh! Curse you, marching band and AP classes. I miss having a life…</p>

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<p>Oh wow, but I think you should still apply. A lot of people don’t apply to schools because they think they have no chance, but honestly if it’s somewhere you want to go, apply. All admissions officers look for different things.</p>

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<p>Think about this: if you “intend to major in Computer Science” but “know very little about programming” and have only learned Java, how will Stanford view you as a candidate? The competition will know more, have been involved in a variety of related experiences, competitions, etc. Do you have a strong record in math-sci and ECs in that area? Think strategically.</p>

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<p>Good point.</p>

<p>I suppose I could always knock off the more knowledgeable candidates. Ya know, with a combustion-based projectile weapon.</p>

<p>…
<em>serious face</em> >:|</p>

<p>EDIT: On a more serious note, it seems that OSU will be my destination. There’s Case Western too, but I’m not a fan of Cleveland.</p>

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<p>Your newness to CS shouldn’t discourage you, if you have the strong math-sci experience. Just think about your strategy.</p>

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<p>You sound a lot like me!! My GPA and SAT were exactly the same as yours pretty much, and I had a foot in all types of ECs with no clear direct interest. And I got in!! Obviously, that doesn’t mean you’ll get in without a doubt, but I’d still say definitely apply.</p>

<p>You should also take a better look at Stanford though instead of just going by rankings. From what I’ve seen compared to other top-rated institutions, it’s quite a bit different in terms of the people and social scene here. When I visited other similarly ranked places such as Columbia and UPenn, there seemed to be much more of a professional and intellectual feel at those campuses compared to Stanford. So make sure you know what the “feel” of the campus is (if you know what I mean.)</p>

<p>Apply!! And good luck! :)</p>

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<p>If you have any other hook (URM, varsity sports, other leadership), that may help.</p>

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<p>Ah… I have a 2230 SAT and 34 ACT but afraid of applying stanford since I think they would be too low -_-… and I have almost the same GPA as you…</p>