Last time, I Promise

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I have new SAT scores, and I guess I just wanted some reassurance that I don't need any more safeties. I'm worried that my ECs are weak, and I also unexpectedly had to change schools Senior year, so my class schedule changed :( Anyway, I'll just cut to the chase:</p>

<p>Female 12th grader now in VA (from CA)
GPA (according to new school's scale): 4.026
They do a weird grading scale, which is explained in the school report, where there's basically no A- and...it's complicated, nevermind.
SAT: 2360 superscored
2120 in May: 670 CR/650 M/ 800 W (11 essay)
2330 in Oct: 780 CR/780 M/ 770 W (10 essay)
SAT IIs: 730 Math II, 720 Chem, 690 US History
Hardest courseload possible, with the exception of AP Physics this year (I wanted to take it, but my new school had some rule that my old school didn't, so long story short is I'm taking Honors Physics and self-studying AP Physics C and taking the exam in May).
Senior year courses:
AP English Lit
AP Government
AP Psychology
AP Calculus BC
Advanced Choir
Philosophy/World Religions
Honors Physics</p>

<p>other APs: AP Chemistry- 5 (11th), AP US History- 4 (11th), and AP Euro- 3 (10th)
I'll have 8 APs by the time I graduate.</p>

<p>Probable major: Chemical Engineering </p>

<p>My essays should be from good to amazing; my English teacher really likes my personal statement, but I still don't like it very much. I'm working really hard on the rest and I've been told I'm a good writer, so I'm confident about them.</p>

<p>ECs:
- Singing is my main passion; I've been in school choirs since 5th grade
- I also co-founded an arts program at a home for abused children last year, but couldn't continue it since I moved :(
- JV Basketball (3 years)
- Crew/Rowing (1 year)
- Young Democrats (3 years)
- The Alliance (GSA) (3 years)</p>

<p>Work Experience:
- part-time: scoreboard operator (2 years)
- summer full-time: office assistant at local law firm (2 summers)</p>

<p>A lot of the leadership positions I was going to have I lost because I had to move, but I'm going to try to explain that without sounding whiny in "additional information" sections. My grades also dipped somewhat 1st semester this year, but I'm bringing those up as well. I have 2 amazing teacher rec, 1 good one, an okay counselor rec (she likes me a lot but doesn't know me very well), and if necessary I'll get an amazing rec from my old counselor/head of high school who really liked me and offered to write me one.</p>

<p>Possible hooks: low-income, URM (black), female interested in engineering
Possible weaknesses: ECs, 2 Bs in Junior year (from all As before) and uncertain grades this year, Subject Test scores.</p>

<p>Colleges:
Uber-reaches
MIT (EA - first choice)
Stanford
Yale
Brown</p>

<p>Reaches:
Rice
Cornell</p>

<p>Matches:
University of Michigan (Priority)
University of Wisconsin (rolling - applying this week)</p>

<p>Safeties:
University of Minnesota (rolling - applying this week)
Virginia Tech (In-state)</p>

<p>I had to re-work my list to take out my UCs, as they're too expensive OOS (and no longer safeties/matches). So, what say you?</p>

2

<p>Your safeties are more than adequate, and I would be very shocked if you didn't get into UMich or UWisconsin. That being said I think that your ECs are average. While they aren't as amazing as those of some applicants they do show that you have several passions that you have become very involved in for a long period of time, which is the main goal of the EC section. Let's put it this way: your ECs won't win you a bunch of points but they won't be the reason why you are rejected (not to say that you will be).</p>

<p>And as a low income URM female engineering student I think it is fair to say that you don't need to use your ECs as a hook :)</p>

<p>Good luck with the process. I think that come April your mailbox is going to be obese (the good kind :))</p>

3

<p>Oh I hate to be a downer or be the one to break it to you, but you know you need Math 2 and a Science SAT subject test for MIT, right? That's where I'm applying early, as well, along with Caltech and UChicago (and why aren't you applying to Caltech for Chemistry?).
I think you have a good chance with your top ones, and you're in to Rice and Cornell. I'm from California originally, too, but my safety is still UC Santa Barbara. If I have to, I suppose I'll just have to pay a lot with loans and such. Hopefully it won't get to that point though! If you want to see my stats, they're on this post:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/587107-kind-posters-please-chance-me-i-beg.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/587107-kind-posters-please-chance-me-i-beg.html&lt;/a>
Good luck!</p>

4

<p>^ Do you pay attention?</p>

<p>SAT IIs: 730 Math II, 720 Chem, 690 US History</p>

<p>Nuff said.</p>

5

<p>^ I added the subject test scores after I posted originally, so he may have replied before I edited it. </p>

<p>Anyway, thanks for the reply. What do you think knowing my subject test scores? Anyone else?</p>

6

<p>Oh, and I'm not applying to Caltech because it's just too small for me, and I know the area too well (I've lived in Pasadena 10 minutes away from Caltech all my life, and I REALLY want something new). That, and I probably wouldn't get in with my Math SAT II. I looked at them for a long time, though.</p>

<p>And I forgot to mention my new school is still pretty good - #55 in the nation apparently.</p>

7

<p>It's hard to realize how good the gpa is, but I will try:</p>

<p>MIT (EA - first choice) - 35%
Stanford - 35%
Yale - 35%
Brown - 50%</p>

<p>Reaches:
Rice - 55%
Cornell - 55%</p>

<p>Matches:
University of Michigan (Priority) - 80%
University of Wisconsin (rolling - applying this week) - 90%</p>

<p>Safeties:
University of Minnesota (rolling - applying this week) - in
Virginia Tech (In-state) - in</p>

8

<p>^ thanks. I tried to edit in my rank but it's too late. My school gives everyone who has a 4.0+ the title of 'val' and my GPA should go up, so my rank should be 1/~550 (def. at least top 2% even if my GPA goes down). Only about 10 people have over a 4.0, so...yeah; GPA shouldn't be an issue.</p>

9

<p>Well in that case, add about 10% to the big reaches, and 20% to the regular reaches, and another 10% to the targets.</p>

10

<p>ok so low income + URM + woman interested in engineering + 2360 SAT = IN
I'd say very high chances for all!</p>

11

<p>^ lol, thanks. anyone else?</p>

12

<p>por favor?</p>

<p>why, yes, yes I am shamelessly bumping up my own post.</p>