HYPS, Amherst, Haverford, Northwestern, Pomona, Brandeis, Berkeley and Santa Barbara

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a white, male at a large public high school in California who wants to major in one of the physical sciences. What are my chances at the following schools?</p>

<p>Amherst
Brandeis
Harvard
Haverford
Northwestern
Pomona
Princeton
Stanford
UC Berkeley
UC Santa Barbara
Yale</p>

<p>I am an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate and have straight As up to now. I do not know my class rank, but I expect that I am among my school's top students.</p>

<p>Freshman Year</p>

<p>Pre-IB English 9
Pre-IB Biology
Pre-IB Geometry
Pre-IB Spanish 2
Healthful Living
P.E. 1</p>

<p>Sophomore Year</p>

<p>Pre-IB English 10
Pre-IB Chemistry
Pre-IB World History
IB Spanish 3
Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry
P.E. 2</p>

<p>Junior Year</p>

<p>IB English 11
IB Chemistry
IB Higher Level Mathematics 1
IB History of the Americas, Theory of Knowledge
IB Art and Design
AP Spanish 4</p>

<p>Senior Year</p>

<p>IB English 12
IB Physics
IB Higher Level Mathematics 2
IB Twentieth Century World History Topics
IB Music
IB Spanish 4/5</p>

<p>On the new SAT, I scored a 2220 (740CR, 700M, 780W). I scored a 740 on the SAT II Chemistry and a 750 on the SAT II Math IIC. I have started taking some of many Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests, but I do not have any of my scores yet.</p>

<p>Here are some of my extracurricular activities.</p>

<p>editor-in-chief of school's student-run newspaper
vice president of Model United Nations club
first violin in local college's orchestra
competitor on school's Academic Decathlon team in the highest division
vice president of local Jewish youth group</p>

<p>Here are some of my awards.</p>

<p>research award for the representation of Chile at the 2005 Davis Model United Nations Conference
delegate for the American Legion California Boys' State, a week-long mock government conference at California State University, Sacramento
1st place at the California Poppy Festival Academic Quiz Bowl
finalist in a local Holocaust remembrance contest for a short story</p>

<p>Here are some of my community service activities.</p>

<p>helped set up, run a raffle and clean up at a local karate tournament for 12 hours
assisted the staff with various tasks at the County of Los Angeles Lancaster Library for two hours a week from the summer of 2004 through the summer of 2005
cashiered and prepared beverages at my temple's pastrami booth at a local fair for four hours
prepared the programs for a local violin and piano recital
volunteered at school's book depository during the finals week</p>

<p>As far as work experience, I worked briefly for a plumbling company in their administrative office.</p>

<p>I also participated in my school's junior varsity tennis team for one year.</p>

<p>During the time between now and when I complete my college applications, I plan to conduct research on the chaotic behavior of a magnetic pendulum and compete in one or more science fairs in California (This research will serve as the foundation for my extended essay for IB). If time permits, I also plan on joining an additional orchestra in a neighboring town and/or seeking a job for a local newspaper.</p>

<p>I am open to suggestions of colleges as I think that there may be too many reaches on my list. Thank you for your help.</p>

2

<p>I agree that you have a lot of reaches. Many colleges will not be counting writing this year, so start with a combo of your math and cr being 1440. That makes Stanford, Princeton, Harvard and Yale major reaches.</p>

<p>You have a good shot a Cal, a fair shot at Amherst and Pomona (big disadvantage to be from Cali at latter these days).</p>

<p>Others are matches other than UCSB which should be safe, but who knows anymore.</p>

<p>I would take out some of the lottery schools where your SATs are below average and add some lower ivies. Still reaches, but more realistic.</p>

3

<p>HYPS are real reaches. Good record but nothing exceptional. You should add some good schools a tier down.</p>

4

<p>I plan on adding some more matches or safeties.</p>

<p>I'm curious. Zagat, why would you take out some of the reaches?</p>

5

<p>Keep your reaches and acknowledge that they are lottery schools. If you want to buy the ticket, then go for it. Do add some safeties. We had some exceptional kids shutout this year because they didn't have any true safeties.</p>

6

<p>I would replace them with more realistic reaches. In all honesty, if you are white, your chances at HYMPS are really low. Really low. More than half of val/1600s get rejected. Your chances are considerably below 10% IMHO. Your chances at Cornell, Penn and Brown are much better. </p>

<p>If you were my kid, simply, I'd be encouraging more realistic reaches. Schools where your cr and math add up to at least above average. Average and below is athletes, URMs and some legacies.</p>

7

<p>Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again.</p>

8

<p>What do you think are my chances at UC Davis and Dartmouth?</p>