Ivies Chance?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Day 30213, my post looks like the gazillion other chance me posts…but oh well! I’d appreciate it if you guys would chance me for the Ivies regular decision (HYP) and Stanford all for RD. I have already applied RD to Cornell and Dartmouth (love the dang atmosphere and Cornell’s marine bio program). For those who have seen my UChicago ED1 Chance me, this is pretty similar to that.

Here are my stats and demographics:

Demographics: South Asian Male
Status: Undocumented DACA, Divorced Father is Green Card, Brother is a US Citizen in the US Army.
Income: 0k for the past two years, going on with around $24,000 from my brother abroad who provides money. Before my father became unemployed, he was earning around 40k and we were still low income.

Stats: GPA: UW ~3.75 Weighted 4.9/5.33
Lives in: Suburbs of Chicago

ACT: 35 SAT 2: Chemistry 760, Math II 800, Biology E 720 (oof and not sending)
Senior AP Courseload:
-AP Physics C E/M and Mechanics
-AP Economics Micro and Macro
-AP Calculus BC
-AP Spanish 6
-AP Literature and Composition
**My school does not offer AP until Junior Year, but I will have taken 11 AP courses and 12 AP tests by the end of the senior year with all my other classes that aren’t AP being High Honors courses.

EC:
-Symphonic Wind Ensemble
-Played at Carnegie Hall this Spring
-School Pep Band Leader (basically musical cheer team for 3 years)
-Korean Culture Club Leader
-200+ Hours at a University HealthSystem Hospital
-Aquarium Fanatic. I breed and sell aquarium fish and plants as a hobby
-Neurology research at Feinberg (Northwestern) for a whole summer and continuing
-Published medical research case on fistulas as the first author
-Worked at my aunt’s Cafe for around 24 hours a week during the past two summers
-Host the official community server and work with the game developers for a popular game (Rusted Warfare)
-Co-manage part of the Chicago aquatic plant society where I do my aquarium stuff
-Solo Drone photographer and an avid member of Sky Pixel.
-Fluency in three languages: Korean, English, and Spanish. Semi-fluent (able to hold a conversation, however) in Japanese

Awards:
-Youth Volunteer recognition for Northshore Community Hospital
-Premio de Bronce for the National Spanish Exam
-Honor Rolls all 4 years high school.

Hooks:
-DACA
-Low/No income (from parents)
-Divorced parents
-First generation student in the US and will be the first to complete college in the US in my family.

Common App is just good: around 8.5-9/10

LOR: STELLAR. English teacher and AP Chem teacher who I am the assistant teacher for her class this year. 10/10 and 10/10

I’m a really weird and quirky guy so my essays are really expressive of my personality and quirky themselves.

Again, thanks!

2

I actually think you have an amazing chance for at least 1, because despite your financial struggles and status, you have still achieved great things. (Interesting spike in the aquatic/marine bio area!)

I read online somewhere (cant remember but it stuck out to me) from an admissions officer that when a student is particularly great despite hardships, it really really gives them a boost. I would definitely say you are competitive, but then again it is the Ivies, so make sure to have some safeties.

3

Thanks for this. I reckon the Ivies are something that’s a dice roll for everyone; even the most competitive applicants around. I’ve been thinking really hard lately trying to assure myself that I could always do more research publish more things next year if I get rejected from UChicago ED1 and perhaps even apply again there.

Do you think there are good full need meet colleges that could be matches or at least low reaches?

4

@HKimPOSSIBLE absolutely. due to your low income and high achievements, you would be qualified at a lot of state schools or maybe even more selective institutions for aid. I don’t know your preferences or any state universities off the top of my head, but a quick google search would definitely help. For ex. (this is NJ/NY based lol home for me) Rutgers and SUNY Buffalo are my safeties, but you could qualify for TCNJ scholarships too! It all depends.

Good luck!

5

How much would scholarships help for in-state students since I would be unable to take advantage of FAFSA as a DACA? For ex. UIUC, UIC, and such.