I need matches....

Applying to College
1

<p>So as of now I'm apping to HPMS, UCB, Yale if I get rejected from Harvard EA (which is probably likely). The problem is that I really need some matches. I have my in-states as safeties, but what are some matches? Ugh......</p>

<p>Rank: 1 of 683
GPA: 4.0 (unweighted)</p>

<p>1550 SAT I May Soph year (800M 750V)
2290 SaT I March Jr year (800M 770CR 720W)
SAT IIs: 800 Math IIC, 800 Writing, 800 Chem, 800 Physics
APs: 5 Calc BC, 5 AP USH, 5 AP Chem, 5 AP Phys C (on both parts)</p>

<p>Major Awards/Important things
[First of all, my main thing and passion is research, which I do sometimes around 15-20 hours a week for a month or so, then it goes back down to just 5-10 on the "off-season"]
Siemens Westinghouse Regional Finalist (2004)
Siemens Westinghouse Semifinalist (2005)
ISEF Finalist (2005)
RSI
Top 10 Presentations at Research Science Institute
National Merit Semi (not too big of a deal though, right?)
AP Scholar w/ Distinction
USAMTS Silver Award
123 AMC 12B (highest in state)
6 AIME
Taken Mathematical Structures, Number Theory, and Linear Algebra at University (all with A or A+)
Attended HOBY leadership seminar, and another similiar local leadership program
Random School awards like student of the year in calc 1-2,3-4
3 major internships (2 of which will almost certainly produce published papers maybe not by the time EA decisions get out but definitely by Early Winter/Spring)
Accepted to conference with one of above projects</p>

<p>ECs and stuff</p>

<p>100 volunteer hours at local hospital (soph and part of jr year only though, got busy with research)
30 or so hours at library
Karate black belt (9 years of it)
Founded Science Research Club
President of Spanish Honors Society (3 years in club)
VP of NHS (2 years in club)
VP of Speech and Debate (2 years in club)
Random other positions in less prominent clubs (done 2 other clubs for 4 years now)
[I have had other positions, such as VP in all the clubs I'm Pres. in now, etc. but those are jr and soph year]</p>

<p>4 recs:
-One amazing one from Chemistry teacher,
-one from Harvard professor that I worked under (actually, I worked under his postdoc, who I actually worked with, but both will probably sign the letter) very closely and just submitted a paper for publication,
-one from English teacher,
-one from either a Math Prof (senior/grad classes only) or a 10th Grade Physics teacher</p>

<p>Essays: pretty good (it's hard to judge yourself)</p>

2

<p>Northwestern? Although I'd put you in a safety-match for Northwestern considering RSI and all your research.</p>

3

<p>omg WOW I have to say im uber jealous! haha i think basically any school for you is a safety lol</p>

4

<p>What is northwestern strong in? I'm into Math/physics/chem. Just pure science in general.</p>

5

<p>If you decide to apply to UCB, might as well apply to UCLA since it's one application, and UCB, UCLA are matches for you</p>

6

<p>UChi may be your type of school, but you have to be interested in the core program--you can't take a lopsided program, but I think that is just as well for undergrad. You can get great research opportunitites in the grad school as an undergrad. The undergrad school is very small and the classes are, like, 18, seminar like and intensive. They have very strong programs. However, as good as your app may be, Chi is not really a safety school, you should get in imo.</p>

7

<p>u'll get into HYPS, etc.</p>

8

<p>You're pretty much up there with Jesus in the admissions race.</p>

9

<p>Tufts would be a reasonable match :)</p>

10

<p>Northwestern is very strong in chemistry. But physics isn't that great--not bad, just not in the caliber of what a typical RSI looks for. I think you'll get in one of HPMS anyway (Y is missing because it's pure science/math isn't as good as the other 3)</p>

11

<p>Simply as a matter of stats, you are a match for any of the top schools. They won't split hairs between a 1550/1600 and a 1600/1600 on the SAT. One is just as good as the other. Your EC's are not that impressive for HYPSM. The Karate is good since it shows long term commitment, though. Try to show "passion" in one/two EC's over the others. </p>

<p>The problem is that there is no such thing as a match for the top schools unless perhaps you are a URM, legacy, or development case with your stats. For everybody with a completely outstanding app like yours, there are 5 or 6 other people who are virtually identical that they have to waitlist because they don't have room for everybody. Thus you have the stats for HYPSM, but you can't be sure because of the basic randomness that is built into the process.</p>

<p>If you apply to the very top like HYPSM, then good luck. The next "rank" are NU, UChicago, and so forth. The next "rank" after that are Washington U, Emory, Tufts, and so forth. You should be careful about what is known historically as "Tufts Syndrome" where a school will reject your app because they think you are using them as a safety. For schools like WashU, Tufts, and Emory, make sure that you show a lot of interest by visiting, attending presentations, and talking about what you love about the school in an essay. I would recommend that you concentrate on finding the school where you love the environment instead of justing taking the highest USNWR ranked school. The difference in quality of education at the #1 school versus the #20 school isn't a major concern. In fact, Harvard is frequently mentioned as a school where the profs have less than stellar interaction with undergrads since they are mainly oriented towards research.</p>

12

<p>Dufus3700,</p>

<p>Is research an EC? That is my true passion. I spend sometimes 40-50 hours/week (well, the 2 weeks before a major competition is due), but usually around 10-20/week year round on it. My personal statement is about passion for research/science/math.</p>

<p>And how good are UChi, Northwestern, etc. overall? I have little direction; I know I want to do math/pure science, but I don't what major exactly. And I may not apply to UCLA since I have to pay the application fee. I may still go for it thoguh.</p>

13

<p>After a person qualifies for consideration based on academic measures such as 1) taking the most challenging curriculum possible at the hs, 2) gpa and rank, and 3) standardized test scores; then they consider the EC's, essays and recommendations. You totally qualify on academic measures. Most people with your stats would be thinking that they are going to be accepted to all of the ivies. </p>

<p>Actually, people with your stats deserve to be accepted to all of the ivies. The problem is that there is not nearly enough room. What you want to do is to stand out from the crowd with your EC's. The way to do this is in the essays. Adcoms do not want well rounded applicants. They want to build well rounded freshman classes, but they do not want people who are all fairly good at a lot of things. They want somebody who plays piano at concert level and has won national awards, another person who has been published in national magazines, and so forth. The standard thing said is that adcoms do not want EC's to show a lot of activities with little commitment to any of them. Adcoms want to see "passion" (hate that word) in one or two activities. You want them to read your app and come away with two words to describe you. In your case, they might be Research and Karate. Research is a great EC. Let them know about it in the essays, and the awards and recs back it up.</p>

<p>There are about 3500 4-year colleges in the US. Any school that you go to is going to be a great school and give you a fantastic education. Harvard is more impressive to your grandmother than UChicago, but I don't think that Harvard is a lot better school. You seem to have the right attitude by looking at other schools. I think you should read up on the atmosphere at different schools and base your choices on that instead of just prestige. You can use the USNWR rankings to just get a list to research. Then get something like Princeton Review's Top 345 Colleges or some other guides like that. The USNWR rankings are at:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/natudoc/tier1/t1natudoc_brief.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/natudoc/tier1/t1natudoc_brief.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Any of the top schools are in your target area. Do be careful that your safeties are convinced that you are serious about them, and that you are not just using them as safeties (even though you are). Colleges such as Tufts and Emory will reject people with outstanding stats if they think they are just being used as a safety. There are two kinds of safeties: academic and financial.</p>

14

<p>Oy, you have a very good shot at HPMS. I'd be surprised if you were even deferred from Harvard's EA program, though upsets do occur. I'm very confident you'll be accepted at at least one of these colleges you mentioned HYPS MIT, and I'd almost be willing to call them matches. I suppose you should be looking into safeties really.</p>

15

<p>r u asian? lol</p>

16

<p>Indian lol.</p>

17

<p>"You're pretty much up there with Jesus in the admissions race."</p>

<p>Hahahah. I can just see it.
Father: God. Occupation: Creator of the World.
Mother: Mary. Occupation: Virgin
EC's: Making wine from water, healing leprosy, walking on water
Major: Religion & Physics</p>

18

<p>Be a Biology major and study Evolution.</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
Mother: Mary. Occupation: Virgin

[/quote]

That must be hard. How much does she get paid? ;)</p>

20

<p>"Be a Biology major and study Evolution."</p>

<p>...I don't get it. lol</p>