Looking for some helpful input! Chance me...

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hey all,
I'm looking at some medium to high tier schools within the East Coast, and I'm looking for unbiased opinion from some people who do not know me in the slightest. Any help in the slightest will be appreciated, especially by those long time lurkers and posters who have an idea of what sort of chances I have.</p>

<p>My application schedule looks like:
EA: Northeastern University (really big on this), UMass Amherst, and University of Virginia
ED (maybe): JHU or Northwestern?
RD: Bowdoin, BU, Colby, New York University, Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon.</p>

<p>Asian Male, Massachusetts resident for 12 years, Bengali-Japanese (those two languages and English spoken at home).</p>

<p>I go to a competitive HS of 2000 or so.
My 99 problems are my GPAs of 3.2/4 UW and 4.2/5 W.
No ranking in my school, but from what I know, I just make hte top 25 percent of my (fairly competitive, if I say so myself) class.
SAT of 2110, M730, R670, W710. Looking to retake into the 2250s.
ACTs to be taken soon (eek!)
SAT Subject tests of 710 Math 2, 700 Chem, and 670 Bio Eco (meh)
AP Scores:
4 on USH (self study)
4 on Enviro Science (self study)
4 on Chem (grrr)
4 on Bio :not bad face:</p>

<p>I bet my essay will be decent. Not great, but polished, entertaining, and revealing about my character. I'd be willing to call it an 8/10.</p>

<p>Transcript: I tend towards a Honors/AP heavy schedule, usually at a 5:2 ratio compared to normal (Curic I) classes. Frosh year is the exception, as we couldn't take any honors that aren't math.</p>

<p>Freshman year: Honors Math, Curic I World History, French, English, Engineering Tech, Intro Physics. A-/B+ for my courses</p>

<p>Sophomore year: Honors Math, World History, Chemistry, English, Curic I French and Robotics. Peer tutor. B+/B average for my courses</p>

<p>Junior Year: Honors Math, Honors English, AP Bio, AP Chem, Curic I USH, French, and Engineering. Bish average....</p>

<p>Senior year: AP English, AP AB Calc, AP Psych. Honors Engineering, Honors Physics, and Curic I drafting. Planning on TAing for my Honors Chemistry teacher, maybe even getting a rec from her....</p>

<p>My 99 problems (aka my GPA) really stem from three courses that I really flopped at (and didn't learn my lesson from). Sophomore Honors Math I got a B- in, ignore the warning signals and got a C in Honors the next year, as well as got a C+ in AP Chemistry because of one failed term.</p>

<p>That same Chemistry teacher still maintains a respect for me, as Chemistry is my most favorite subject (want to be a pharmacist in the future) and he was one of the best teachers I had, so he is writing my rec. It will be decent, but not a ringer of any sort.</p>

<p>My Honors English teacher will write a slightly better one, as its a class where I truely opened up to and did decently in. I really liked that class and put through my efforts in speaking often, to which he respects and remembers....</p>

<p>And as I said, the teacher I had soph year for Honors CHem, who I may TA for can write a glowing third rec JIC.</p>

<p>Onto my ECs:</p>

<p>Sports:
-Varsity in XC and Track
-Varsity XC skiier, and captain
-Made the Mass State team three years in a row
-Skiied in a well-known club team, in ski circles, for two years.
-Top 10 at Mass States---not going to say which place for identity's sake, but I surprised myself :)
-Featured in the newspaper seasonal section three years in a row for seasonal athletic achievements.</p>

<p>Work:
-Worked at a Sharma shop for 2 months at minimal pay Sophmore year, before the mangement changed.
-Worked as a Babysitter Freshman summer
-Worked at my local Ski track, teaching young children how to ski this winter.</p>

<p>Volunteer work:
-Taught iPad lessons at the Senior Center, basing lessons around my tutees and their needs
-Researched at Dana Farber Cancer Institute last summer, participating in bench work.
-Worked as a Peer Tutor in high school sophmore year, teaching physics and math to those that needed it.
-Going to TA for my Chemistry teacher, as stated above...</p>

<p>Academic/School awards:
-AP Scholar with Honors award
-Recommended to be school peer mediator (by counselor)
-Recommended to Diversity in a diverse society class (by principal)
-Recommended for Keys to Success award (I have no idea who was behind this)</p>

<p>Other stuff:
-Speak three languages at home, learning two others (French and Arabic) in school
-Taught myself automobile mechanics via experience and forum lurking/posting
-featured in the newspaper for some little good deed I did some while back. While I won't post it here for security's sake, and because I think its no big deal personally, I suppose colleges might like to hear of such an event :)</p>

<p>Now y'all have the 411 on my life, thoughts? Thanks again!</p>

<p>Tl;DR--Asian mix with interesting background, decent (but not great) scores and grades, and somewhat interesting ECs and whatnot. Applying to some decent to high end schools, and want some honest opinions and feedback.</p>

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<p>Not sure of bump rules bump ;)</p>

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<p>The only weak part of your application is your GPA. I know that UVa values GPA, and since 97 or so percent of their admitted undergraduates are in the top 10% of their high school class, I’m going to put UVa as a reach. Northwestern and JHU would also be reaches. I don’t know much about any of the other schools you listed, so I cannot help you there.</p>

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<p>The only problem on your entire transcript is the GPA, which unfortunately could be the reason you don’t get accepted to some of these schools. However, the SAT scores are very good (and balanced) and the subject tests are solid. I would say northeastern and umass are low matches, possibly safeties, but UVA is a low reach. BU and NYU are matches I think. As for ED, I would recommend applying to JHU ED. From my experience, it is easier acceptance than northwestern.</p>

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<p>ugh, the GPA issue…yep, I felt that would be my downfall. Thanks for your help!</p>

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<p>Also, calling mods: Can someone change the thread title to “Here’s my numbers, so chance me maybe?” :D</p>

<p>thanks!</p>

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<p>Even with a GPA such as yours, you definitely have a great shot at getting into Northeastern. Your scores are great and your ECs are also outstanding. I would list Northwestern, UVA, and JHU as reaches but you still have a shot :slight_smile:
Good luck!</p>

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<p>Colby: high reach
Brandeis: mid reach
Northeastern EA: low reach
BU: low reach
UMass Amherst EA: high match </p>

<p>The rest, I’m sad to say, are probably out of reach for you due to your GPA. However, those schools I listed above are all great colleges, so it’s not that bad :)</p>

<p>Have you thought about Emerson? In the heart of Boston, amazing programs, strong career placement…</p>

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<p>thebeatlestoday, i have seen a lot of your posts on people’s forums and i think you are way too hard on people. Not trying to start anything, but a person with a 2110 and 3.2 uw 4.2 w gpa is obviously in at umass amherst. that is not a high match. Not to mention the rigor of this persons course load and the very goods ec’s. </p>

<p>my chance
Colby: match
Brandeis: high match
Northeastern:match
Umass:safety
BU:low match
NYU:high match
Carnegie Mellon: reach
UVA: low reach
JHU: reach
Northwestern: reach</p>

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<p>ED JHU or ED Northwestern: High match(ed means a lot a northwestern but i think jhu is easier to get into, not sure though)</p>

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<p>Thank you everyone for your input, harsh or otherwise! jisaacs2215 is the closest to what I have in mind in terms of where I think I’ll get in and how hard it is. I wanted input from others to remind me if I was being to optimistic or otherwise. I’m thinking of gunning for ED JHU, although I highly doubt I’m a match at all, high or otherwise…I will shoot for the stars though, why not.</p>

<p>A polite bump for a few more opinions and input!</p>

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<p>bump for moar responses!</p>

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<p>bump! Will chance back as well as I can!</p>

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<p>1 % chance at all universities</p>

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<p>I think you have a really good chance at BU but Carnegie Mellon will be a slight reach because of your GPA. Those are the only schools I’ve really looked into so i couldn’t give any other answers.</p>

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<p>yep, still looking for more responses…</p>

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<p>Not sure what your intended major is, but I think if you can convey your passion about whatever your passion may be, then that really is a bump in admissions. </p>

<p>UVA might be difficult because you aren’t a resident. I don’t know a whole lot about NW, other than it’s a fantastic school. You may have an advantage because you’re not from the Midwest, but I could be wrong. But I do know that everyone and their brother applies to JHU for a Biology related major, so if you apply to a non bio major and apply ED I’d say you have a good shot (relatively speaking).</p>

<p>I think you should be ok for the other schools on your list. The only real reach is Bowdoin, only because it’s just such a competitive school. Make sure you write stellar essays for the liberal arts schools on your list as they place heavy emphasis on essays.</p>

<p>Also, just my two cents about NYU: You’ve probably heard about their horrible financial aid, but I’ll say it again. The financial aid is terrible, and in my opinion, not worth it for the school. The school barely has a campus, and if you decide to live off campus, good luck finding anything reasonably priced. That’s just my opinion, though.</p>

<p>Thanks for chancing me by the way!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the chance! I’m thinking about starting off in pharmacology/pharm studies; problem is, not all schools have that as a major…I’d do health sciences in that case, making me 99 percent of JHUs ED field :P</p>

<p>NYU, yep, financial aid is a joke there. I’ll apply for the sake of application, and if I really feel the need I can hopefully “bargain” with the school if higher offers come in. But for now, I’ll honestly reconsider it.</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

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<p>early morn bump!</p>

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<p>UVA, Bowdoin, Carnegie Mellon, JHU and Northwestern are probably reaches but not out of the realm of possibility
I’d say you have a good shot at BU and and NYU, and I don’t know about the rest.
I hope you end up somewhere fantastic.</p>

<p>PS There’s still time to get your essay up to a 10/10 and improve your recs!</p>