<p>Looking at HYPS+Brown+Cornell+UCLA+UCB (and UCI for safety), majoring probably something related to business or econ. HYPS are obviously reaches, but I want to know if I at least have a fighting chance for Brown and Cornell. I was originally considering Dartmouth and Columbia, but my parents only want me to apply to 7 schools (no more)</p>
<p>SCHOOL: New Public, class of 2011 STATE: CA SAT/ACT: 2200, will retake, but chance as of now
SAT 2: Math II: 800 // World History: 800 // Chinese: 800 // Bio: 770 GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.83 W (I think, not sure about W) RANK: School doesn't rank, but would be 1 APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID: Yes</p>
<p>BIGGEST EC'S:
-Started company in freshman year (freelance graphic design; 100+ clients, $10K+ yearly)
-Traveled to Taiwan this summer to volunteer under Red Cross International; helped disadvantaged children learn English, visited homes of elderly, and talked with mentally challenged children. Will do similar, if not same, program the summer between my junior and senior year.
-KEY Club - @School level: Class rep / @Divisional level: Executive Assistant
-Link Cru - Helps incoming freshmen adjust to high school life. Part of 15-man Planning Committee who oversees and makes decisions over the ~140 Link Cru Leaders.
-CSF - VP starting junior year
-Givology - I'm going to be honest and upfront with you guys. I'm not quite sure what's the deal with this so far, but a friend wanted to start the club and I'm treasurer starting next school year (junior year).
-Math Club - member for all years of high school so far. We host the school's AMC tests. Hopefully VP this coming school year (junior year).</p>
<p>BIGGEST AWARDS:
-Picked up photography 6 months ago; 1xGrand Prize (national) 1xFinalist (international) 1xFinalist (national) 2xPublished (national), will be entering more
-HOBY Delegate School Finalist
-Various KEY Club awards (California/Nevada/Hawaii winner of website contest, District Convention Camera Intern, Distinguished Bulletin Editor+Distinguished Board Member @ Division)</p>
<p>looking back I think I'm a little lacking in the awards category.</p>
<p>You have a solid of chance of making Brown or Cornell. Amazing EC’s…maybe a better SAT score…but everything else seems top notch. However, you need to write a very good essay, that is the most VITAL thing to keep in mind. Because most people who are applying to the same universities as you will be writing a very good essay (and basically the same rank AND test scores), and if you don’t have the right essay…then it will definitely hinder your chances of being admitted. </p>
<p>Otherwise, you still have an awesome chance of being accepted.</p>
<p>to be honest, it doesn’t seem like u have a passion. Ur ECs r all over the place, with no real direction. for key club and CSF, it is obvious u don’t care about them since u have nothing to say other than that u r an officer.</p>
<p>to get into the top schools focus on 1 or 2 things for ur ECs</p>
<p>Are you guys *<strong><em>ing kidding me? He has legit as hell EC’s, with legit as *</em></strong> grades. Dont listen to these morons, your in excellent shape for those schools. I’d say your probably in to UCLA and UCB for sure if you write a good essay (maybe about your business?).</p>
<p>Are you referring to me? Because I definitely wrote “Amazing EC’s, everything top notch”…well…obviously CutAHoleinaBox has a lot of POTENTIAL of getting into whatever school he wants, but essay’s are VERY important. I know people with the same stats, as CAHINBOX, but they wrote a terrible essay and did NOT get accepted! So it comes down to that too!</p>
<p>Not sure if it matters (because I am repeatedly hearing that AP scores mean little) but I took Calculus BC, Biology, and World History AP tests and scored all 5’s. My junior year schedule would be 4 AP’s (Stats, US History, Computer Science, and Chinese) in addition to English 3H and Physics H (our school doesn’t have Physics AP).</p>
<p>I’m wondering if adcoms will take my sophomore schedule into account since most of the more difficult AP’s I did sophomore year. Relatively speaking, my junior year AP’s are decidedly less challenging. I know that if people just looked at my junior year schedule they would think that I’m not challenging myself, but the only other “serious” AP’s I could have taken would be AP Chem, and I don’t have the pre-req for that, as I’ve never taken Chem H. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Edit @ynot: Thanks for your advice! I actually spend more time in KEY Club than all others except for maybe my freelance graphic design. As Exec Assistant I’m expected to go to all events. Generally speaking, our division (~13 schools) has events every weekend, so I invest a big chunk of time in that. Unfortunately, I’m also required to attend meetings which frankly aren’t that productive, and could be better spent doing actual community service, but what can I say? Bureaucracies are bureaucracies, and business is business.
I kind of have to agree with you about CSF and Givology though, but I think the main problem is that I haven’t held positions in those clubs before so I don’t know what to expect. I was elected as VP of CSF (~200 members) at the end of last school year, so I’m starting my duties this coming school year. The friend that wanted me to be part of her board for Givology contacted me over the summer, so we still have to sort some stuff out once school starts. Hopefully both those clubs will be rewarding experiences.</p>
<p>Also. I don’t think I put that much emphasis into this, but doesn’t which high school I go to have a large part in college admissions? I go to a really new high school, and only one person has been accepted to Harvard (coincidentally, my older sister) with no people accepted to Yale and Princeton. How much will this hurt me?</p>
<p>I think you have good chances for Cornell and Brown. Your EC’s seem to be pretty unique in my eyes (I don’t know what ynot89125 is talking about). It seems like your pretty passionate about photography/graphic design. But don’t worry about awards. They usually don’t affect admissions unless its a really major award (Intel, USAMO, etc.) .</p>
<p>I’m a little confused at smilodon’s reply, not really sure what that means.</p>
<p>Is it possible for you guys to chance me for HYPS as well? I originally posted Brown/Cornell in the title because I was pretty sure I wasn’t qualified for HYPS, but after receiving all this positive feedback I’m letting myself have a little glimmer of hope lol.</p>
<p>j = i = sqrt(-1).
75+j35 is a comlex number (meaning it has two dimensions) Unless you take a higher level math, EE, MechE, or physics course, you will most likely never need to understand it.</p>
<p>I posted it because I didn’t understand where some of the responses came from so I posted something odd and outlandish.</p>
<p>Haha okay. Now that you used “i”, I get it. Haven’t really seen people use “j” for “i” though, but then again, I haven’t taken Physics yet (why can’t our school offer AP Physics, grr).</p>
<p>so like some other ppl have said, hone in on one or two ec’s rather than participate in a whole spectrum of activities. that said, very impressive ec’s!!! and the company thing is def unique~
maybe improve your sat score? but you’re only a sophomore so w/e, your score will just naturally increase.</p>
<p>HYPS: reach (well… it is for everyone. but you will be at the top of the pack so thats good… but itll still be a lucky draw, which means you’ll get in at 1 or 2 of them)
Brown: reach if you’re applying regular. match if applying early.
Cornell: match/slight reach if regular. match definitely if applyin early.
all the uc’s are matches/safeties for you</p>
<p>Thanks for the chance, Zoom. Just wondering - would it be in my best interest to replace one or both Cornell and Brown with Columbia and Dartmouth? Do you guys think I should add either Columbia or Dartmouth to Brown and Cornell and drop UCI (if you guys think I can get into either UCB or UCLA for sure)</p>
<p>Not bad…
I don’t think Cornell and Brown would be too much of a stretch for you…based on your grades, activities. I would raise the SAT score maybe to a mid-2200. </p>
<p>I would say you are competent for Cornell and Brown. The trick is, of course, showing that you are a fit for those two schools; that’s something that cc can’t really help you detect.</p>
<p>Your EC’s are decent. But try to make sure that all of your EC’s come together to show your passions. I can see you seem to have a liking for design/photography and community service. But if you want to have a shot for harv, yale, princeton and stanford, you might want to “stand out” more - it’s up to you to decide how exactly.</p>
<p>Thanks for the detailed input. I really appreciate it. You seem really knowledgeable so I have a few follow up questions to ask. (: </p>
<p>Do you think graphic design and photography is atypical enough for HYPS? I only ask this since on HYP chance threads I read things like Siemens, med internships, and hospital volunteering over and over again but I have yet to see art-related stuff. </p>
<p>Also, will colleges think it’s weird if my ECs show passion for graphic design and the like, but my intended major is focused around business?</p>
