Here we go-- hopeful junior (HYPS, U Chicago, J Hopkins, CMU, Duke) :: help? ::

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>School Type: Private, Boarding
Personal : Black Male (username = a long story =X)
Rank: *School Does Not Officially Rank-- Unofficially: 1/118
SAT: 2270 (750 CR, 760 M, 760 W)-- 1 sitting
SAT II: Physics: 690 (horrible... will be taking 3 in June, hoping for 750+ )
GPA: *7 point scale</p>

<p>Freshman: 6.72/6.72
Sophomore: 6.92/7.04
Junior: 7.00/7.35</p>

<p>I'm not sure about the cumulative, was around 6.82 at the begining of this year though, maybe 6.9 + by now?</p>

<p>Courseload: Hardest courses-- All APs + Honors Courses (1 AP Last year, 3 this year)</p>

<p>AP Exams:</p>

<p>Latin AP Vergil: 5</p>

<p><em>will be taking 3 more in... a few weeks~ o___o;</em></p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<h1>3 Regionally Ranked JV J.E.T.S team [Division 2]</h1>

<p>National Latin Exam- 2 x Maxima Cum Laude, 1 x Summa Cum Laude
Book Prize: #1 GPA in Sophomore Class</p>

<p>*will probably get a few more by the end of this year/beginning of senior year</p>

<p>EC:
Math Tutor
School Newspaper-- Writer
School Literary Magazine-- Writer
Varsity Quizbowl Team
Forensics/BioTech Club-- Member
JV Cross Country Team (3 years)
Track & Field (3 years)</p>

<p>Extra: Summer 2007 @ Pennsylvania Governor's School of the Sciences</p>

<hr>

<p>Chances:</p>

<p>Princeton
Stanford
Yale
Harvard
U Chicago (legacy-- grandfather + uncles)
Duke
J Hopkins
Carnegie Mellon</p>

<p>??</p>

<p>I know that my ECs suck, but what do you guys thinks? Should I do some volunteer work over the summer, or what should I work on [since athletics seem to be a lost cause XDDD;]? Any help/advice/chancing would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Princeton = Reach
Stanford = Reach
Yale = Semi Reach
Harvard = Reach
U Chicago (legacy-- grandfather + uncles) = Match
Duke = Match
J Hopkins = Lower Match
Carnegie Mellon = Lower Match</p>

<p>Do something that shows your passion .. it seems like you're a science enthusiast, so maybe try to find some research opportunities .. otherwise, volunteering is ALWAYS good.</p>

3

<p>How did you do on PSATs?
If you're a black male and did anywhere near that SAT 2270, then top colleges like Harvard and Stanford should have already mailed you brochures/info encouraging you to apply.</p>

4

<p>^ I actually didn't do that well on the PSATs (208). I think I was having a bad day since I got 217 and 218 on the two practice tests my school made my class take. I did get letters from Columbia, Duke and U Chicago though (even though I did so badly), and I just recently got a letter from Yale for my SAT score.</p>

<p>mj93: I'm probably going to end up continuing the research I start in gov school through an independent study at my school during my senior year. I was wondering if I should do like 50-75 hours in the time I have before gov school :)</p>

<hr>

<p>Does anyone know what the "National Achievement" semi-finalist/finalist cutoff is? I already know that my 208 on the PSATs will only get me commendation, so I was wondering if I might have gotten that one (as some sort of conciliation prize, LOL).</p>

5

<p>You seem to have a good chance at any of these schools!As mentioned focus on one or two EC's,(passion),Leadership, pres. of any clubs etc. The mailings from any top colleges don't really mean that much as I believe they mail to students that score in a range, to get you to apply(yeild up).</p>

6

<p>Princeton HUGE REACH 3-5%
Stanford HUGE REACH 3-5%
Yale HUGE REACH 4-6%
Harvard HUGE REACH 3-5%
U Chicago (legacy-- grandfather + uncles) Those truly aren't real legacies, but you have about a 90% at acceptance.
Duke Reach 70%
J Hopkins 80%
Carnegie Mellon 99%</p>

7

<p>Sorry, but I didn't see that you were black. Disregard my chances, you have much greater for HYPS. ECs are very,very weak, but your race will make up some of that. You're going to need to pull out some more SAT IIs for HYPS, and 690 is pathetic considering you can get like 20 wrong and get an 800 on physics, which doesn't forecast good results on the upcoming sat IIS. (3 needed for application).</p>

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<p>^ I don't think that I'm a sure-in @ HYPS, but I think I have a chance, regardless of my race. My test scores (minus my SAT II) are strong, and my GPA is as well. Moreover, I don't think that the fact that I'm not the next Yo Yo Ma doesn't make my ECs "very, very weak." They aren't good, but it's not like I haven't done anything at all. I also think that your latter comment was unnecessary. I know that I didn't do that well on the Physics SAT II, but I plan to do much better (and actually prep for) the 3 I'm taking in June. =/--</p>

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<p>I wouldn't get offended? You're asking for chances, you're bound to get a few over-hyping yourself and a few from the negative side. Regardless, negative comments tell you what you can do more of.</p>

<p>The ECs are generally weak, as he said. I won't say mine are better, I'm not competing with you, but don't be too defensive. He's right. It's not like you haven't done anything, like he said, but none of them stand out. You're not focusing on anything or demonstrating a passion for something.</p>

<p>I would not say the 690 is pathetic. You did say it was horrible yourself though. However, it isn't that bad, and you can still retake it, if you find the take. What are you majoring in? If you're going into science, it'd be a good idea to retake.</p>

<p>Class rank, GPA are perfect. No worries.</p>

<p>If you can pull off the essay, you're probably okay for Chicago. I love the offbeat ones, so they're perfect. But they're going to take the Common App, too, so if quirky essays aren't your specialty, don't worry too much.</p>

<p>You're pretty strong in everything except ECs. HYPS are okay, being black helps (and that isn't detracting anything from what you've done, you'd be a strong candidate as anything else). You can likely boost the Physics SATII.</p>

<p>Go for it.</p>

10

<p>^ Thanks. I think it was just his language that turned me off (i.e. choosing "pathetic" over "bad"), but I see where you both are coming from and will try to work on it (i.e. get a few leadership positions, maybe a bit of volunteering, and by starting an independent research project next year)! I think I might want to go premed/sciences, but wouldn't taking 3 new SAT IIs [including one other science] make the Physics grade moot ?</p>

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<p>yeah, your ecs are fine, i was a math tutor, i worked at nordstrom, i fenced recreationally, and i was a special olympics ski coach, that was it. my academics were marginally better than yours, and I am 3/4 white and 1/4 japanese, not much of a URM advantage there, and i got into stanford, and then tufts, plus USC and carnegie mellon with full rides. it will come down to your essays, but your definitly passed the academic and EC threshhold for being considered by the commitees. its jsut a matter of distinguishing oyurself through your essays and recs form the everyopne else like you.</p>

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<p>When posting chances threads, you should convert the GPA to the form that we--and adcoms--know.</p>

<p>J Hopkins: match
Carnegie Mellon: match</p>

<p>As for the rest, it's difficult to say, but I'd say you have good chances. I don't get where 1MX goes from 5% at Stanford to 70% at Duke -- the admissions/selectivity gap between the two is small, and 70% would make a school a safe match, not a reach...</p>

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<p>You will get into at least one of these (Princeton, Stanford,,Yale,Harvard) and all of the rest.</p>