Interesting Situation...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys, </p>

<p>So this is kind of a chance me thread but at the same time it's a thread intended to help me weed out some colleges from my list. </p>

<p>First off, though, I would just like to say that I am in an interesting situation. I am an international student that has lived on the east coast for 6 years and attends a semi-competitive public school. Due to my international status, I do not qualify for in state tuition and coming across scholarships and federal aid is pretty hard. Consequently, money is a huge deal for me. My family is not poor enough to get a lot of need-based aid from top universities, but at the same time we are not rich enough to pay straight out. Also, I plan on going to medical school and as a result I want to spend as little money as possible on undergrad while still getting a great education. Thus, I am looking for a solid school where I have a good chance of receiving a full ride or close to one.</p>

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<p>Objective:</p>

<p>Race: Asian Male
GPA unweighted: 4.0
GPA weighted: 4.45
SAT: 2280 (800 math, 750 critical reading, 730 writing). I plan to take the SAT again in October to get a 2300+.
SAT Subject Tests: 800 world history. Expecting an 800 on math and chem on the June tests.
Percentile: Top 5%, but school doesn't rank.
APs: world (5), comp sci (4). Anticipated: chem (5), US (5), Macro (5), Micro (5), Lang (5)</p>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<ul>
<li>4th at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) two times. (2011, 2012)</li>
<li>Rensselaer Medal Recipient (2012)</li>
<li>Jefferson Book Award from UVA (2012)</li>
<li>Best science student of the year in 10th and 11th grade (2011, 2012)</li>
<li>National Merit Commended Scholar (2012)</li>
<li>Numerous medals in Science Olympiad at regional and state. (2009-2012)</li>
<li>Numerous TSA trophies at regional and state. (2009-2012)</li>
<li>Numerous MUN awards.(2009-2012)</li>
<li>Runner up in Economics State Challenge (2012)</li>
</ul>

<p>Clubs:</p>

<ul>
<li>President of Science Olympiad this year, member all four years</li>
<li>President of TSA this year, member all four years</li>
<li>MUN member all four years</li>
<li>National Honors Society (10-12)</li>
<li>National Math Honors Society (11-12)</li>
<li>National Science Honors Society (11-12)</li>
<li>National Spanish Honors Society (11)</li>
<li>It's Academic (9)</li>
</ul>

<p>Summer Stuff:</p>

<ul>
<li>Research at a top 25 university</li>
<li>Gov school</li>
</ul>

<p>Volunteer: </p>

<ul>
<li>Over 300 hours doing park work, school help, tutoring, etc.</li>
</ul>

<p>Here are the colleges I think I might want to apply to (need to cut out like 10ish):</p>

<p>Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Duke
Dartmouth
UChicago
WUSTL
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wake Forest
William and Mary
Tulane
GW
American
UMD College Park
UVA
Vtech
Rutgers
Tufts
GMU
UPitt BS/MD
Baylor/Baylor BS/MD
Rice/Baylor BS/MD
Howard BS/MD
Rensselaer-Albany BS/MD
BostonU BS/MD
Saint Louis University BS/MD
Case Western Reserve BS/MD
U of Rochester BS/MD
Penn State BS/MD
VCU BS/MD</p>

<p>Again, money is a huge thing, I want close to a full ride and consequently I included some schools where I thought I had a shot at some money. Please help me cut down on this list based on my stats and also chance me for some of the programs. I am okay with brutality, just be honest. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>dang those are some amazing awards. I think you have a shot at everything to be honest although nothing is guaranteed. Just do a bunch of research for which schools offer the best scholarships and visit campuses (lots you will probably cross off your list with one look) to narrow your list down. Best of luck!</p>

3

<p>Well, if money is a huge issue, look at University of Texas at Dallas, you qualify for a full ride + a 5000 dollar housing stipend. Combine that with National Merit Scholarship and you are looking at around 7 thousand dollars + a full ride a year. Pre-Med does not matter, so as long as you ace your GPA + exams, you can easy get into Harvard and help pay for it all with the 7 thousand a year and the money from a job if you get once. One of my friends went to texas at Dallas and later went to Harvard. I know a few people that went to UPENN after UTD. So, you can save alot of money and make some. Furthermore, pre med doesnt matter, i recommend checking UTD out.</p>

4

<p>Weighted GPA I assume is +.5 for AP?
The awards are nice, and I assume you are going to major in the sciences? The only major problem I am getting is that your personality is not showing through your ECs. Colleges do not only look at your achievements, but also your personality. Make sure to write great essays. You are very qualified, but you need that one last step to make it into HYP. The bottom half of the non BS/MD colleges look like matches/high matches, as well as Duke. HYS are reaches (for everyone), and Chicago is also a very hard school to get into.</p>

5

<p>You have the grades, test scores and ECs/awards to make you competitive. As long as you really show off your personality in your essays, you’ll have a good chance. I’d say to keep HYS, as well 3-5 other “reaches” (maybe 1 more ivy and a few LACs?). You are competitive enough for them, but acceptance is still a total toss up. I’d say to then have around 5 low reaches/matches, and then a handful of safeties. It’s hard to cut out the schools for you without knowing your personality, likes and dislikes, ect., so I think it’s ultimately up to you. Because money is an issue, I would advise you to first review the total costs for each school and then cross off the ones you cannot afford. That should get the number down a bit.</p>

6

<p>Can you guys also tell me what my chances are at receiving merit aid at some of the schools that give merit based aid like duke, uchicago, WUSTL, or Vanderbilt?</p>