kinda chances, but kinda not...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>I know that stanford is my number 1 dream school. It has everything I want from a west coast location, IMHO best academics anywhere (yes I mean stanford and duke > HYP IMO), and the number 1 sports teams in the whole country for countless years. The problem is, its just about every other genius's dream school as well, and I know that I have no chance (check out my stats and gasp at the mediocrity). So would I be better off applying to Northwestern or Duke ED and have at least a better shot of getting in there rather than applying EA to stanford and getting rejected anyway? Keep in mind that I know ED/EA are meant for people whose number 1 choice is the school they are applying to, not just a way to boost chances of admission, and that I know that NU and Duke are no walk in the park to get into either, so please don't attack me on that. My logic is simply that if I know I will be very happy at those schools, but just not as happy as I would at Stanford, then should I just go ahead and apply there, or should I still try for Stanford.</p>

<p>thanks,</p>

<h2>CL8</h2>

<p>Stats:
demographics:
*I am an Asian Indian Male (most likely won't help)
*From a competitive public high school in Oregon: Beaverton High School, which was also rated the best AP school in Oregon, so yeah, its a smart school. (being from oregon isn't going to help either)
*student body at school = 500+</p>

<p>The Numbers/ECs</p>

<p>*Freshman year:
Language Arts (Honors): A/A
Social Studies 9: A/A
Advanced Algebra 2: A/A
Bio/Chem/Phys 10 (Honors): A/A
SAT Math Prep: A
SAT Verbal Prep:A
Spanish 1:A/A
Team Sports:A
Health 1:A
Web Design:A
Computer Programming:A</p>

<p>*Sophomore Year:
AP Chem: B/A
Lit Comp 10 (Honors): A/A
Physics 2: A/A
Pre-Calc: A/B
Social Studies 10 :B/A (can explain this B)
Spanish 2:A/A
Symphonic Band: A/A
Team Sports: A
Health 2: A</p>

<p>*Junior Year: (Projected Grades for second semester)
Human Anatomy: A/A
IB Biology: A/A
Spanish 3: A/A
IB Calculus: A/B (should be able to get an A, but I'm assuming worst case scenario)
IB Psychology: A/A
Team Sports: A
IB Seminar: P (pass, no credit class)
IB English: A, A
Study Hall: P (pass, no credit class)
IB TOK 1: B (our TOK teacher is sooo hard!!)</p>

<p>*Senior Year: (projected schedule, maximum possible grades)
IB Biology HL 2: A/A
IB Calculus HL 2: A/A
IB English HL 2: A/A
IB TOK 2: B
IB Environmental Systems: A/A
(no idea what to take but will probably be a non IB/AP academic class)
AP Physics: A/A
IB Spanish SL: A/A
Team Sports: A</p>

<p>IN SUMMARY: I should finish high school with around a 3.85, or at very worst 3.8 UW for fresh-senior year.
*I know however that stanford, UCs, and Umich weight grades differently, so this number should go down slightly for these schools</p>

<p>*class rank UW right now = 38/515. Weighted = 30/515 (will go up because not many kids have taken hard classes yet)
*IB Diploma Candidate (to be)
*Varsity tennis 4 years (will have 4)
*Science Team 4 years (will have 4)
*World Quest Trivia 4 years (will have 4)
*Science Club Treasurer (1 year)
*Science Club VP (2 years)
*Math Club (4 years) (VP 2 years)
*Speech and Debate Team (2 years)
*Portland Youth Philharmonic (will have 2-3 years)
*Mathfest Algebra 2 1st place freshman year
*Oregon Invitational of Mathematics Tournament Participant Fresh Year
*Mathfest Participant (will have 4 years)
*Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Rising Star Program (will have 150-175 volunteer hours done)
*Mathcounts Tutor (about 50+ volunteer hours)
*School Team finished second in state for mixed doubles.
*Right now I get about a 1920-2050 on the SAT, 28-30 on ACT according to Practice Tests for SAT, and the PLAN (it's like the PSAT for SAT except the ACT version) on ACT, but I'm shooting for at least a 2100 on the SAT and 32 on the ACT. Don't count on me getting a 2100 or a 32 because its not going to happen as far as I can tell right now. (Score breakdown Math: >700 Critical Reading: 600-660 Writing: 550-610)</p>

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<p>oh come on, 57 views and not one of you want to bash me, tell me I'm an idiot or something?!! This is kinda urgent people, well not really, but still I would really appreciate any feedback. You can call me names, or w/e, but please please respond.</p>

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<p>I dont knw, ure xtra currics and gpa seem great, but might want to get a higher score on the ACT or SAT, but they might not be that detrimental. U should ahve a decent chance. Might depend a lot on ure essay and recs...</p>

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<p>Other threads here seem to imply that Stanford doesn't put as much weight on EA as other schools may. So logically you should invest your EA/ED elsewhere and work on submitting the best RD at Stanford as you can.</p>

<p>(Please consider the validity of the advice at your own peril.)</p>

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<p>His problem is what's wrong with Early Decision -- does he settle for a better chance at his second choice schools or try for his first choice. Stanford to a low percentage early, and counting atheletes and legacies, it doesn't look that much better than the RD numbers. If your sure you would be happly going to Duke or NU then apply there (I live by Northwestern and this morning it was -4 degrees out and windy!)</p>

6

<p>Posts like this bug the crud out of me. Kids with almost all advanced classes with mostly A's in these courses have no reason to worry. Your SAT scores are fine and all they indicate is this you had better things to do than study for a standardized test that only tests test taking skills. Your EC's are beyond fine.
Seriously, all the kids on the HYPSM threads freaking out about 3.5's and 690's put a bad taste in my mouth. And have you (collective you) considered that there is a life outside of the designated "elite?" Get some perspective. Employers won't care about where you went to college anyway.
Your stats and EC's are fine. You're going to get into somewhere good, and if you don't get into Stanford, guess what?-tons of kids ith perfect stats and scores get rejected. It's not the end of the world.
Be proud of yourself and stop being so self-deprecating.</p>

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<p>go do something fun</p>

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<p>"Be proud of yourself and stop being so self-deprecating."</p>

<p>Its hard to when one is so mediocre :(</p>

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<p>Mediocre...did you read any of my post?
If the occasional B is mediocre, then I'm a failure, and hey, I still make honor roll every quarter.</p>

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<p>Um, mediocre?
Take this from someone who got in. You're not mediocre. Learn to appreciate your accomplishments, of which you have many.
Now go out and try something new and exciting, or go do something you love.</p>

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<p>"Its hard to when one is so mediocre"</p>

<p>You know, when you say that, you're insulting many who are reading this, because many don't have stats as good as yours, and calling yourself mediocre is like calling us stupid. Did you ever think of that?</p>

<p>Quit your pathetic whining and get real. Apply EA if you want, but I'd suggest that you not come on here asking for chances and insulting people in the process. This post seems like the typical ego-booster.</p>

<p>Your SAT score needs to be 2200+. You have great ECs, but you show no passion. Plenty of applicants with the same profile as you are rejected simply because they show no passion. I would be surprised if you weren't one of them. (How many Asians--and non-Asians alike--do you see who have primarily math/science ECs? Stanford gets tons of them, as do all the elite schools.)</p>