I'm running out of time, PLEASE HELP!!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi CC!</p>

<p>I planned on finalizing a list of schools and completing some applications during the summer, but as this became less and less of a reality, my drive to complete college related work became a disappointed-looking elephant in the room of my now even-more-concerned-about-my-educational-future head.</p>

<p>I'm sitting here a few days before my counselor wants early decision paperwork, and I don't have a final list of schools (should I at this point?). I'm seriously considering ED at UPenn. I live in the Philly suburbs, I have legacy due to my father's Wharton Graduate degree, and after taking the Penn tour I was enamored by their undergraduate major system.</p>

<p>My definite list right now:
UPenn
Carnegie Mellon
Penn State Honors
Drexel ("VIP App", pretty much guaranteed acceptance)</p>

<p>Tentatively on My List:
MIT
Princeton
Berkeley
University of Maryland Honors
University of Southern California
Boston College</p>

<p>I plan to major in Computer Engineering or Computer Science with a focus on Engineering. If I go to Penn or CMU, I will focus on Computational Biology or Bioinformatics respectively. I have a great interest in Biology and have researched these Computer Science departments to an extent to find such interdisciplinary majors. I hope to find them at other schools on my list.</p>

<p>Now for the good stuff</p>

<p>Scores
Took the SAT Once
- Math : 760
- Critical Reading : 800
- Writing : 670 (I got a 10 on the essay but 8 grammar questions wrong, I erased a lot during the main section and didn't pay for hand grading, I bet I would have gotten >700 if I had)</p>

<p>Subject Tests
- Math II - 780
- Biology - 800
- Chem - (Not Yet Graded, most likely >760)</p>

<p>AP
Biology 5
AB Calc 5
[Currently taking Calc BC, Computer Science A, Physics B, English Literatire (yup our school only offers the lame-ish versions of AP classes)]</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars
- Musical Theater: lead role, past four years
- Chamber Singers
- Select Chior
- Men's Chior
- Future Business Leaders of America Competitor
- Computer Club
- Anime club vice president (should I mention this?)
- Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Competitor
- Run my own general consumer technology consulting company
- Community Service : Part of a 4 man, independent ensemble that has performed 6 times at local retirement communities (vocalist)
- "Study Abroad Mission and Homestay" 2 weeks, Tokyo, Kyoto, Toyama</p>

<p>Awards
- Pennsylvania Governor's School for Information Science and Technology Valedictorian
- Future Business Leaders of America Computer Security Competition: Regional (2nd place), State (3rd place), National (6th place)
- Pennsylvania Music Educator's Association: District Choir (2007), Regional Choir (2008)
- National Japanese Honors Society (3 years)
- National Honors Society (2 Years)
- Ambler Gazette Citizen of the Week
- National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist (so far :))</p>

<p>Well that's all my info for now. I would appreciate recommendations of schools and where I should be in the application/essay writing/high school process.</p>

<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Oh yeah forgot to mention GPA:
4.0 first three years, keeping it up :3</p>

2

<p>4.0 weighted or unweighted?</p>

3

<p>Unweighted, straight As.</p>

<p>Please chance!</p>

4

<p>And what's your weighted GPA then? How rigorous is your course load?</p>

5

<p>Our school has a ridiculous weighting system, arbitrary points are tacked on for AP and Honors Courses, so my weighted GPA is somewhere in the 5-6 range. I don't even think it's reported.</p>

<p>In terms of course load, I have completed the two AP courses mentioned above, and I'm currently taking four more. (although I had the 'opportunity' to take more, our school's master schedule never allowed this!)</p>

<p>Other than that I have taken all honors and gifted core courses, the next highest level offered at our school. I have taken some 'academic' level classes such as Intro to Computer Programming, but only because they are only offered at this level.</p>

6

<p>UPenn: Low Reach
Carnegie Mellon: Match
Penn State Honors: Safety
Drexel ("VIP App", pretty much guaranteed acceptance): Safety
MIT: Reach (as it is for everybody)
Princeton: Reach (as it is for everybody)
Berkeley: Match
University of Maryland Honors: Match
University of Southern California: High Match
Boston College: High Match</p>

<p>Nice stats. You have a good chance in getting in the majority of those schools. Chance me back: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/580933-low-gpa-no-chance-all.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/580933-low-gpa-no-chance-all.html&lt;/a> (my stats aren't nearly as good as yours :) )</p>

7

<p>I think you would have a strong chance at Penn as a legacy, but you must apply ED for the legacy benefit. Penn makes it clear and they take the majority of every class ED.</p>