<p>Please chance me for MIT (EA), Harvard, Stanford, Caltech, and Columbia.</p>
<p>I'm a Chinese male who goes to an average public high school in Oregon.</p>
<p>Grades:</p>
<p>GPA-4.0 unweighted (no idea what weighted is)
Class rank- 1(out of 344)</p>
<p>Standardized Testing:</p>
<p>SAT- 720math, 750 critical reading, 690 reading
ACT- 34 composite
SAT IIs - 790 mathI, 790 chemistry, 780 US history, 800 mathII
AP - got 5s in English Language, US History, Calculus AB, and Chemistry</p>
<p>I will be taking 5 more AP classes this year (senior year)</p>
<p>ECs: </p>
<p>Piano - 10-11 years
Science Bowl - Junior and Senior year
Volunteer at library - 100 hours or so
NHS joined at end of Junior year</p>
<p>Honors and Awards:</p>
<p>Trig-star state winner, placed 8th in nationals out of 32 states
National Merit Semifinalist (at least I should be)
OMTA Participation Trophy (for piano)</p>
<p>I think my grades and test scores are probably decent enough to have a chance at these schools but I know my ecs are really weak cus I slacked off during my first two years. Think I have a chance?</p>
<p>The two things that will hurt you most are:</p>
<ol>
<li>Your SAT I score,</li>
<li>The fact that you are an Asian male.</li>
</ol>
<p>Yea your ECs are pretty sparse as well. You have 11 years of piano, but the fact that you only have one minor award to show for it, speaks for your dedication to your instrument.</p>
<p>MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Caltech, and Columbia get kids with grades like yours way too often. You don't have anything that will make you stand out.</p>
<p>At this point, the 5 schools that you listed are all reaches for you.</p>
<p>Also, if you're applying early to MIT, why not also apply early to Caltech?</p>
<p>I could probably bring up my math and writing score up, but that would be offset by a much lower CR score probably below 700 so my overall score will probably stay the same. Will that help me?</p>
<p>That SAT really is going to hurt. Also, I agree with above posters that your ECs are lacking. A friend of mine got into Harvard with a similar record in piano (she had a lot of awards though), but she also did another musical instrument for the same amount of time (she had no other EC's). That shows extraordinary talent and commitment. Doing piano for 11 years is great, but there's also quite a few other people that did the exact same. More awards could have let you stand out, or be something unique to add to the school's diversity. Your SATs aren't particularly great, and it would be a much better chance if you could pull them up to 2200+ to be competitive.</p>
<p>Stanford CalTech and Columbia are going to be reaches too because, again, your SATs and EC's. These 3 are highly science-based schools, and being in the Science Bowl for two years not only does not demonstrate a passion for science, it does not demonstrate a commitment either (plus it's your only science EC). Your SATs, while within their ranges, is not within the typical range of the Asians that are accepted there.</p>
<p>Still, I wish you the best of luck and I hope I'm wrong xD</p>
<p>He still has a 34 composite...I dunno why you're all railing on his SATs, since his SAT IIs are extremely good.</p>
<p>However, I do agree with the other posters in that the Asian male who plays piano and is good at math and science is the posterchild of overrepresented in the college applications world.</p>
<p>I still haven't decided on what fallback schools to use. Can anyone suggets some? I am interested in either engineering (probably electrical) and finance.</p>
<p>Also, someone wanna give me a rough percentage as to my chances of getting in at least one of these schools? Thanks!</p>
<p>UC Berkeley fits the bill rather nicely for both. It's engineering school for EE is ranked something as in 2nd or 3rd in the country. I don't know much about its finance program, but it's business school is ranked 5th.</p>
<p>I'm not sound to act mean or anything, but you have to realize that there are hundreds of other asians who have the same exact scores (or about) and same exact ECs. What asian applicants do you know that doesn't have good grades, plays piano, and gotten some academic awards?</p>
<p>I think the schools you have listed are reaches. If you're still in your junior year, you have some time to build up ECs. If you're a senior, then there's not much time left. Just try to do as much as possible, and really spend some time on your essays. If you don't have the ECs/Grades (SAT I could be higher), then really really REALLY put as much effort as you can into expressing yourself. When applying to MIT, they are looking for innovative entrepreneurs.</p>
<p>I just took an SAT practice test and got 770 math, 760 writing, and 660 reading cold after 6 months of not looking at an SAT. Hopefully I can pull up those grades a bit before the October test. How much will that help? I know the reading's a bit low but that actually is around what I normally scored before, I just got lucky with my first SAT.</p>
<p>Also, can someone also chance me for Harvey Mudd, Yale, Northwestern, and Princeton? I know they are probably all reaches but which school do I have the best chance for?</p>
<p>Princeton/Yale-Reach
Again, too many Asians with our pianos and violins applying there. You won't stand out that much
Harvey Mudd-Slight Reach
My friend at Harvey Mudd says the average SAT II Math of incoming males is 800. Whether I choose to believe that or not, one can't discount the fact that you have close to no science-related ECs.<br>
NorthWestern-Match</p>
<p>I don't think you really have to take the SAT again now that an above poster mentioned your stellar ACT, but if you do want to, make sure you do it in one sitting and to simulate a testing environment.</p>
<p>Yah, my parents and I are still debating on whether or not to take the SAT again. My CR score is sure to drop and we are afraid that my math and writing might not go up.</p>
<p>BTW, I have a question about putting up awards in the application. Should awards such as Honor roll, NHS, and in school awards be put up since probably every single person who's applying has them?
Also, does anyone know if an award that says that I have been selected "outstanding Chemistry student of the Year by Action of the Portland Section of the American Chemical Society" is any good? My chemistry teacher sort of just gave it to me at the end of the year and I can't really find anything about it. Thanks!</p>
<p>To be honest, I would put all of them as reaches but only because all of these schools are huge ^&%ing gambles. You're a lottery applicant, but plenty of those still get in. It's just hard to predict.</p>