honest opinion of my chances, please

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>Here's the thing, I would just like some realistic views on my chances because people at school seem to feel that getting into Stanford is an easy feat, while people on CC have shown me that this is far from the truth.
I've posted on the Chances thread, but I didn't get very many answers...so here it is again. My apologies to those of you who will get annoyed, I just really want some honest opinions.</p>

<p>I am a senior at a large public high school in Arizona
Female/East Indian
GPA: 3.8UW/4.6W
Rank: 3/600 something
SAT: 2200 (720M, 720V, 760W)
SAT II: 720 USH (I will be taking Literature, Biology, and Math IIc in October)</p>

<p>Senior Year Classes:
IB/AP Statistics
IB/AP English 12
IB/AP Calculus BC
IB History of the Americas
IB/AP Spanish 5
IB Biology 2
(Full IB Diploma Candidate)</p>

<p>Thus far I have taken AP tests in Human Geography (5), US History (5), Psychology (4), and Biology (4)</p>

<p>ECs -
Volunteer at Hospital (8,9,10)
Volunteer at Hospice (10,11,12)
Shadow/Volunteer at a Doctor's office (10, 11, 12)
Science Research at ASU (11, 12) - Conducting a study on the effect of water mediation on the interaction between Acheta domesticus and Hogna carolinensis, will be furthering this study with the use of stable water isotopes this year
Public Forum Debate (10,11,12) - Varsity letter each year; few regional awards; Captain for 2 years; more importantly, responsible for increasing involvement and interest in PFD, while turning our school into a leading PFD competitor for our state
Key Club (9,10,11,12) - Organized various service projects (i.e jean drives, reading buddies, holiday cards); Vice President; Committee Head
Spanish National Honor Society (11, 12) - Founding Vice President; organized service projects with neighboring elementary schools such as school supply drives, art immersion for children learning english as a second language, tutoring
National Honor Society (10,11,12) - Induction Chair</p>

<p>Currently, I am combining pretty much all of the skills I have gained through these EC's into organizing a benefit concert to support a cancer foundation. This involves getting sponsorships, raising community awareness, publicizing, putting together presentations to encourage donations, and of course, recruiting entertainment in the form of some local bands and hopefully one or two more known bands.</p>

<p>Awards: Few debate awards (have made it to quarterfinals in PFD at almost every tournament), 1st place at local science fairs, nothing too extraordinary</p>

<p>Recs: One from my 11th AP English teacher, also our Debate coach; One from sophmore Adv. Chem/senior IB Biology 2 teacher, also Key Club advisor</p>

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<p>I think you would have better shots than alot of higher scoring people because those EC's are pretty nuts.</p>

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<p>sorry I'm not sure how to edit my thread, but my unweighted gpa is actually 3.96, that's a typo...i don't know if that makes any difference but thought i'd put that in there.</p>

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<p>55% chance of admission if applying early</p>

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<p>Scores aren't low at all, but I think a retake to 1500 M+V might help. </p>

<p>The benefit concert you are putting together is similar to what my "hook" was - the organization of a golf tournament fundraiser. How much do you expect to raise? If it is several thousand, that could have quite an impact on your app. Be sure to have proof (ex. a newspaper article) that shows your PERSONAL impact on the success of this event.</p>

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<p>Would it be a good idea to send a newspaper article along with my application, as a supplemental piece of information? </p>

<p>Since you have experience with this, stambliark41, what did you do? Did you find that sending something along was helpful?</p>

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<p>I sent in:
*A one pg info sheet that gave some stats (money raised, volunteer hrs put in by my volunteers and by me, # of golfers, # of guests @ dinner, etc.)
*Newspaper article that covered our event
*Event program</p>

<p>This may have been pushing it, but my admissions officer mentioned it when she met me so it did help. I think I mostly sent in things that could be looked over quickly; a 6 pg report of your event would be a bad idea. </p>

<p>This is something I was very involved in and it was a big part of all 3 of my recommendations as well as my essays. Since you view this as somewhat of a consolidation of your interests, it might be the basis of a great essay for you as well.</p>

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<p>Just be careful that when you are showcasing yourself, you don't come off as the student trying to get into college. You need to show a real passion. I don't know if your ECs, although fantastically ornate, show a real passion for something. That needs to be addressed in either interview or essay format. What I mean is, you need to show Stanford, or wherever, that you did all these things because you wanted to and not just to get into the school. In my humbly honest opinion, the list of ECs comes off as being a little overdone. I'm not trying to be rude, and please don't try to call me jealous, but it seems to me that you may be trying too hard. I hope you had fun in High School and you did all this stuff because you loved it, if that is the case, you are a great person. However, if you were just following a Princeton Review Book or something, Stanford will sniff that out before you can say "Single Choice Early Action."</p>

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<p>Haha thanks halopeno2, I've always thought the same (about having enjoyed high school) when looking at the many other posters on this board; I definitely did not realize I came across in the same way. I can assure you that I have enjoyed high school to the fullest - I've done the whole dating thing, I've done prom and homecoming, I've done the partying, and I've done those lazy afternoons/nights spent driving around with friends instead of studying for the neverending stream of tests that is high school. </p>

<p>While maybe not a clear passion to you, I am passionate about two things - public speaking and biology, specifically problems I believe that our generation will be facing in the future (i.e. the loss of fresh water; cancer). I think these these two tie in very well together because it is one thing to be a scientist that has done all this great research, but it is another, far better thing, to be a scientist who who has done great research and can voice the importance of this research to the common public. I am proving exactly this through the benefit concert I am organizing. I am not using this concert to get into college, I'm not even sure if I will be making a big deal out of it on my college apps; instead, I am doing this because one day I want to be a pediatric oncologist, treating kids with cancer. Since I can't very well do that right now, this is my way of helping, of making a difference in a world that has become increasingly self-centered and materialistic (in my humble opinion).</p>

<p>Sorry for the long post, but thanks halopeno2, for helping me realize exactly why I have done what I have done for the past few years - you've made me verbalize that I have felt inside, and realize that no matter where I go to college next year, high school hasn't been a waste of my time, because I've done it without the sole purpose of "getting into college". :)</p>