I'm only looking at 3 colleges

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>3.86 UW GPA
SAT: 800 Math, 750 Verbal, 750 Writing
SAT II: 800 Math, 790 Physics, 750 US History, 750 Writing
AP: 5 World History, 5 Calculus BC, Expecting 5 US History, Expecting 5 Physics B and C, Expecting 5 Macro and Micro Economics
Chess Club
Varsity Tennis
Violin
Piano
Academic Bowl (Team Captain)
Knowledge Master (Team Captain)
Principal's Cabinet Member (9th Grade)
Kansas ARML A Team
Captain of Fed Challenge Team (9th Grade)
100 Hours Community Service (Tutoring)
Canada/USA Mathcamp my sophomore year
PROMYS this summer</p>

<p>Academic Bowl High Scorer (At 4 different tournaments)
AMC/AIME/USAMO (10th Grade): 122/9/0
AMC/AIME/USAMO: 132.5/11/10
Fed Challenge Team 3rd Place Regional
Participated in National Guide of Piano for 10 years, received
Top Talent Recognition year 2000-2004.
National Federation of Music Club 45 point Gold Cup Winner (piano
solo) and 30 point Gold Cup Winner (piano concerto).</p>

<p>I'm an Asian Male Junior who goes to an average public high
school in Kansas. Oh, also, my low GPA is due to my freshman
year, I got a 3.7 because my grandmother (who raised me) got
cancer, and my life kind of went into a turmoil for a year,
everything was pretty bad that year. Sophomore year, I got ahold
of my life again, and I got a 3.92, and Junior year looks like I
have a 4.0. So that explains me relatively low GPA. I plan to write an essay about this.</p>

<p>I understand the need for matches/safeties, but right now I'm only looking for my chances at Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. Any feedback is appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Assuming you have Canadian safeties, go for it. If you're counting on getting into one of these three you're nuts!</p>

3

<p>Lol but about what would my chances be for getting into one of those 3?</p>

4

<p>MIT seems like a good school for you, but it is still a reach....</p>

<p>USAMO helps, of course</p>

5

<p>I don't see anything unique in the EC department other than the grandmother's cancer, and I don't think sympathy gets you into college. For those schools, you really need to show passion to a specific subject, ECs related to that subject, which makes your app stand out. Chess club, Violin, Piano, Math teams, do you realize how many people come in with those same ECs for these schools? IMO you need something unique. Less than I'd say average chances (which for most of these schools is like 10-15%). You are looking at 3 schools, but if you don't apply to any others, then you will find yourself out of school next year.</p>

6

<p>Is there anything I can do to shore up this application? Obviously I'm gonna have matches and safeties, I was just wondering about my chances to these 3...</p>

7

<p>What about varsity tennis...are you ranked, team captain, skilled enough to be recruited?</p>

8

<p>Not skilled enough to be recruited on 4th on the team (top 6 are varsity). Our team has been top 4 in the state for the past 6 years in a row though...</p>

9

<p>What can I do to help my chances over the summer and throughout next year?</p>

10

<p>Pursue whatever you're really interested in - the usual research, college math classes, and perhaps some more math contests?</p>

11

<p>HYS, an Asian candidate with OK GPA from non top school, high but not unusual SATs, good but not outstanding ECs, probably 15% chance at each.</p>

12

<p>i'm applying early at harvard does thtat help?</p>

13

<p>Another Asian who knows how to play on violin and crazy and math and science. Sorry but you are not unique</p>

14

<p>So what can I do to make myself unique?</p>

15

<p>Honestly, you should attempt to get some type of elected leadership position. You, unfortunately, come off by your stats are the stereotypical "smart asian". You play piano. You do math competitions. You like science. While I'm not sure about MIT, I would think that Harvard and Stanford would certainly want to see that you can be a leader in the mainstream. Hope that helps, and good luck!</p>

16

<p>Thanks, any more advice?</p>

17

<p>I don't think you are should worry about it.</p>

<p>This late in the game, you either have the credentials or you don't. You have an impressive record, even if you could have done more. Sure, you can start some things now, but... I don't know. You are just as qualified as the average applicant - though there are those who are obviously superior and those inferior - and top schools do accept some of their 'average' applicants. </p>

<p>If that makes sense. (Not really, reading it over. Meh.)</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

18

<p>hmm i was impressed with statistics and thought you had around a 30% chance at each college before i read the other comments. i understand what they're saying, but i think as long as your essay shows your passion for quiz bowl/piano/whatever you have probably a better shot than the average applicant.</p>

19

<p>So leadership+good essays. Anything else I can do? Community service, internships, etc?</p>

20

<p>Um...I'm not sure what everyone else is talking about, but I'd say you have an excellent shot. </p>

<p>So far, you have a good number of things going for you:</p>

<p>USAMO x2; MathCamp; PROMYS.</p>

<p>Those three effectively distinguish you from a lot of people. </p>

<p>I went to PROMYS two years ago, so private message me if you'd like to talk. PROMYS was a very awesome experience, and I think that you'll find that it may help you in your college application experience...</p>