<p>Hey guys, I am going to be a senior next year and I wanted to know what my chances are at these colleges
I am a Hispanic Male, I live in Southern Texas, and I attend a large public school (3000+ students). I plan to major in Physics and Minor in Chemistry.</p>
<p>GPA:
- 5.3 weighted GPA (rank 19 out of 704)
- 3.53 UW (I have a 93.13/100 average.. I hate my school :( )</p>
<p>SAT IIs:
- 780 Physics
- 750 Math Level II
- 780 Chem</p>
<p>AP Tests:
- 3 on World History
- 3 on US History
- 4 on Physics C Mechanics (Self Taught)
- 4 on Physics B
- 4 on Language and Composition
- 4 on Chemistry</p>
<p>(taking 4 more my senior year: Calc AB/BC, Environmental, English Lit, Music Theory)</p>
<p>Sports:
- 2 years on Varsity Cross Country (Captain)
- 2 years on Varsity Tack and Field </p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
- After realizing there are little to no science clubs at my high school, I started the Astrophysics club to bring science to my peers. (President)
- President of Environmental Club (I have organized public clean-ups and have accumulated 500+ hours with the club)
- A member of NYLSC (I was invited to the presidential inauguration for outstanding leadership in the NYLSC)
- I volunteer in the summer for Mission Service Projects for lower class families
- Currently employed as a Math tutor at Mathnasium
- I helped start the first Physics C curriculum at my high school
Based on the information I have provided, please chance me for the following universities:
-Cornell University (ED)
-Harvard (EA)
-Rice University (RD)
-MIT (RD)
-University of Michigan (RD)
-University of Texas-Austin (RD)
Also, if you guys have any suggestions on how I can improve my chances at any schools, please give me some insight on that too!</p>
<p>Most of your schools are reaches for everyone. The main thing you could do realistically in time for college apps would be to raise your ACT score. Your automatically in at UT as you’re in the top 8 percentish of your high school. Just follow your science based passion!</p>
<p>Just a heads up, you can’t ED Cornell while EA Harvard.
Just like the previous poster said - try to up the ACT score/ try the SAT I.
Your SAT II scores are excellent and balance out your weaker AP scores.
Being URM will help, especially at the big name private schools (except MIT).
Your GPA is a tad low in CC terms, but your class rank should help that.
Good luck and make sure you interview when you apply!</p>
<p>UT-Austin, Rice, and Michigan are all very good chances. Actually, you should have automatic admission to UT unless it’s been changed from top 10 to top 5%… Your other are reaches for everyone, but your ECs could help. Did you do the written portion of the ACT as well, Harvard and Cornell will want that.</p>
<p>I knew Early Decision was bonding, but I didn’t think that would conflict with the EA Harvard. Oh yes I did, I got a 10 on the Writing. I will interview in September and do a campus visit in October. I was going to try to have a conversation with someone in the dept. of Physics as well. What ACT score should I aim for??</p>
<p>To start, good luck with Senior year :). Your ACT score is really good already, but Ivy league schools want students who have ACT scores of 33+. You’re fine, but a retake wouldn’t hurt. It seems like you go to a pretty rigorous school which really great. Your AP scores aren’t bad, but your only “bad” scores are the history ones. Getting 3’s on the history exam doesn’t really matter because you wish to become science major. Your SAT II scores are really good though, showing that you have well developed skills in math and science. Like stated above, those schools high reaches even for the best students. My advice to you at this point is to keep doing well in your Senior year and get good grades and good scores on those AP exams.</p>
<p>The EC’s you participated in show your love for science which is really good. Ivies really pay attention to EC’s and leadership opportunities, so I think you’re fine in that area.</p>
<p>Overall, I would suggest to retake the ACT for a more competitive score and keep on working hard. There’s not much to say because the schools you want to go to are hard to get accepted to. I hope you do really well Senior year and do well on the AP exams :).</p>
<p>Hey! I do think cornell is realistic, especially with ED chances! With regards to academics, your gpa seems kinda low, for unweighted at least. But your weighted gpa is certainly high, and so is your rank, so I’m interpreting that to mean that you’re taking a very very very rigorous course load and not doing TOO well, but no one in your school is doing TOO well anyway, hence the high rank? If that’s the case, I’m sure you’ll be fine ACT score can be bumped up, maybe try the SAT? My only comment is that for a prospective science major, a 33 on Science on the ACT doesn’t reflect as well as it could SAT II scores are great, though AP scores look fine, 3’s don’t really matter since they’re in history…</p>
<p>With regards to your ec’s, they look pretty focused! Your sports don’t seem to be your most redeeming feature, actually what I noted was that your other ec’s seem to revolve around education - implementing curriculums, leading others, exposing youth to astrophysics etc. If you eventually want to end up as a professor, those would certainly be great things to write about and list on your app as well Not to demean you or anything, and I certainly mean no offence, but many other applicants to such highly selective schools have often won awards in the math or science area if they intend to be science students.</p>
<p>What would give you an edge over the cliched Olympiad winners and ISEF finalists would be communicating that you value passion over achievement. Instead of doing a research internship so that you can submit a project for ISEF, you chose to inspire those around you, and make an impact in your own community. Personally, I think that that is much more admirable Make sure you show that in your essays and I’m sure you have a great chance for cornell :)</p>
<p>Thank you xoxoviviannnn! Actually I did try the SAT twice and ended up at a 1990, so I gave up on that… Well I agree with the Science part, I am retaking it in September and hopefully I can bring that up more and get a 36 on math! As far as unwieghted GPA my school views a 100 as a 4.0 unlike most schools that view an A+ or A as a 4.0, so not even the valedictorian has a 4.0. I love the way you phrased “Passion over achievement” I really want to center my essays around this subject! Thanks again!</p>
<p>In that case, don’t worry about GPA I’m homeschooled abroad and when I did concurrent enrollment with a local school an A was worth a 3.6 and a A+ a 4.0, so I totally get it. Terrible gpa while maintaining a higher than A average! ): Hope you found my help constructive :)</p>
<p>So far your stats look pretty good. Like some others said, I would try retaking the ACT in September. Your score is good, but a higher score can certainly help you out. I saw that you have some great SAT Subject Test scores, but please note that if you submit these scores, you will also have to submit your SAT I scores. This is because Cornell does not allow Score Choice.</p>
<p>I had a friend with similar stats as yours (same ACT score, better AP scores but not as good SAT II scores) who got into Cornell ED. Also president of a science club in our school and majoring in astro physics. I think your stats combined with your ethnicity will help you get in. </p>
<p>-Cornell University (ED)-match
-Harvard (EA)-high reach (for everyone)
-Rice University (RD)-match
-MIT (RD)-high reach
-University of Michigan (RD)-safety
-University of Texas-Austin (RD)-safety</p>
ACT score can be bumped up, maybe try the SAT? My only comment is that for a prospective science major, a 33 on Science on the ACT doesn’t reflect as well as it could