I know, I know... but a chance please?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
1

<p>Hola! Um, well right now I'm going to be a senior next year, and I'm trying to narrow down my list of colleges to apply to. I really do like Rice, but I feel like it's a really big reach and I don't know if I really want to apply. I've promised myself a limit to 5 or 6 applications, and I don't know if I should keep Rice on the list. A friend of mine says no, but someone else says I should at least try. Mind taking a look and say what you think, please? :D</p>

<p>Korean Asian female w/ one brother at UW
in middle class family, parents didn't go to college</p>

<p>3.929 UW GPA at end of junior year
31/482 rank in a public Washington school- I'd say decently competitive
first 2 years of high school were in a competitive, public OR school</p>

<p>SAT: 610CR, 700M, 660W
retaking in October, hopefully better..... but who knows
ACT: yet to be taken, but I might in September
SAT MATHII: 610 (It's terrible. Don't remind me. But I have no time to study/retake it.)
SAT USHISTORY: 640</p>

<p>I'm not great with SAT's.</p>

<p>AP EXAMS
US History (10th): 4 on exam, w/ a B,B,A grade trend
English Lit (11th): 3 on exam, w/ an A,A grade (I know it's bad. I swear I'm smarter than this though for reading.)
Calculus (11th): 5 on exam, w/ an A,A grade
Psychology (11th): 5 on exam, w/ an A,A grade</p>

<p>junior classes
AP English Lit
AP Calculus
AP Psychology
Yearbook
Human Anat/Phys
French III</p>

<p>senior classes (most likely or hopefully)
AP English Language
AP Economics
AP Biology
AP Environmental Sciences or AP Physics
AP Statistics
Peer Mentoring</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICS
JV cross country (3 years) - voted most inspirational
JV swimming (2 years) - stopped because I moved states, conflicted w/ XC
Diversity Committee (3 years) - secretary
Key Club (4 years) - vice president
Amnesty Int'l (1 year) - started it up myself for next year, president
National Honor Society (1 year) - couldn't do it junior year, I had moved to a new school and they require you to be in the school for a semester</p>

<p>volunteering at OMSI Body Worlds 3 exhibit this summer
volunteering at hospital (started this summer)</p>

<p>undecided on a major.....</p>

<p>What do you think? Should I keep it on my list to have a shot? Other than Rice, University of Washington, Scripps, Trinity U (TX), Santa Clara, and USD are on my list so far.</p>

2

<p>Well, Rice is definitely a reach for you. And if I absolutely had to guess, I'd say you probably won't get in. BUT that doesn't mean you can't get in. Your extracurriculars and GPA are fine for Rice, and you're out-of-state, which will help. Take an ACT practice test to see if you should take the real ACT. Rice looks at applications holistically, so they look at more than your stats. As I've told several people looking for "chances": show personality (through your supplemental essay, etc.); write excellent essays (have a few people edit your essays... English teachers are the best); show lots of interest (interviews, campus visits, contact with students/alumni). </p>

<p>If you really like Rice, why not apply? It won't hurt... and you may get in! Good luck.</p>

3

<p>Definitely try taking the ACT; like many others, I did better on it than the SAT. I'm a Korean male matriculating this year from Washington and I would say the non-test score parts of your application are similar to mine, so you'd have a decent shot with a better test score. But I have to echo Mary.loves.you and say definitely start working on those essays right now so they really reflect you (plus it's nice to be able to throw a few away without pulling out a bunch of hair also). </p>

<p>Definitely give Rice a try. The worst that could happen is they say no.</p>

4

<p>Well I just took my first practice ACT test and I got a 29 composite score, with a 26English, 30Math, 32Reading, and 26Science.</p>

<p>My test scores confuse me. I do worst on CR in the SAT, then do best on Reading in the ACT.</p>