MIT/Caltech/Stanford/etc. Chances for CompSci?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Background Info:
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian American
Grade: Sophomore
Financial Aid: Don't Know Yet
College Major: Probably Computer Science
Class Rank: Top 5% (that's all my school reports)</p>

<p>Academics</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
Marching Band
Concert Band
Honors Earth Science
Honors German II
Microsoft Office Applications (forced by school)
PE/Health
Honors World Studies I
Honors Literature I
Honors Algebra II
(PSAT: 180 or something, did not study)</p>

<p>Summer: Independently Studied Honors Biology, tested out to take more AP Science</p>

<p>Sophmore Year (Now)
Marching Band
Honors Math Analysis (Pre-Calc)
Honors World Studies II
AP Comparative Government and Politics (Independent Study, probably 4/5)
Honors World Literature
Honors Chemistry
AP Biology
PE/Health
Honors German III
(PSAT: 200, did not study)</p>

<p>Junior Year Plans:
Marching Band
Concert Band
AP Chemistry
AP US History
AP Computer Science
AP Calc BC
Honors American Literature
PE
Honors German IV
Considering Self Study of AP Environmental</p>

<p>Senior Year Plans:
Marching Band
Concert Band
AP Lit
AP Physics
AP Stat
AP US Gov/Politics
AP German
PE</p>

<p>Current GPA: roughly 3.9/4 unweighted, 4.6 weighted</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>German Club (Secretary)
FBLA (I do computer related competitions)
Varsity Boys Tennis
Marching Band (clarinet)
Concert Band (clarinet)</p>

<p>Community Service
100+ Hours doing Web-design for nonprofits</p>

<p>Awards:
2x AATG Award
FBLA won regional (couldn't go to states 'cause of schedule probs.)
Multiple Awards for JHU CTY
Multiple Awards for C-Mites
Attended JrNYLC</p>

<p>Future:
Would things like A+ Certification help?
Might possibly do MIT MITES
SAT II Tests: Bio, Math I and II, Chem, Physics
APs</p>

<p>Interested Colleges:</p>

<p>MIT
Caltech
Stanford
UC Berkeley
Carnegie Mellon</p>

<p>What are my chances? </p>

<p>thanks in advance...</p>

2

<p>You are mostly on the right track, assuming you get the SAT up higher than your PSAT was. Like 2000+. But it’s too early to officially "chance’’ you.</p>

3

<p>yeah i didn’t really try on the PSAT since it doesn’t count for us anyway (as sophomores) :P</p>

4

<p>You have a good shot if you keep up at it. Its harder to get into the CS program at some of those schools. Your SAT score is going to have a big influence. You should check out my profile: [■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - cnaut](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/profile.php?user=21]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/profile.php?user=21) and the profile of those schools:
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - Massachusetts Institute of Technology](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=11]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=11)
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - California Institute of Technology](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=10]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=10)
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - Stanford University](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=6]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=6)
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - University of California: Berkeley](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=25]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=25)
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■</a> - Carnegie Mellon University](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=26]■■■■■■■■■■■■■”>http://■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/college.php?college=26)</p>

5

<p>Update:</p>

<p>Background Info:
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian American
Grade: Junior
Financial Aid: Don’t Know Yet
College Major: Probably Computer Science
Class Rank: Top 5% (that’s all my school reports)</p>

<p>Academics</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
Marching Band
Concert Band
Honors Earth Science
Honors German II
Microsoft Office Applications (forced by school)
PE/Health
Honors World Studies I
Honors Literature I
Honors Algebra II
(PSAT: 180 or something, did not study)</p>

<p>Summer: Independently Studied Honors Biology, tested out to take more AP Science</p>

<p>Sophmore Year
Marching Band
Honors Math Analysis (Pre-Calc)
Honors World Studies II
AP Comparative Government and Politics (Received a 5)
Honors World Literature
Honors Chemistry
AP Biology (Received a 5)
PE/Health
Honors German III
(PSAT: 200, did not study)</p>

<p>SATII Biology M: 790
1st SAT Practice Test: 2200</p>

<p>Junior Year (Now)
Marching Band
Concert Band
AP Chemistry
AP US History
AP Physics C: M
AP Calc BC
Honors American Literature
PE
Honors German IV</p>

<p>Senior Year Plans:
Marching Band
Concert Band
AP Lit
AP Physics
AP Stat
AP US Gov/Politics
AP German
PE</p>

<p>Current GPA: roughly 3.9/4 unweighted, 4.6 weighted</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>German Club (Secretary)
FBLA (I do computer related competitions)
Varsity Boys Tennis
Marching Band (clarinet)
Concert Band (clarinet)</p>

<p>Community Service
150+ Hours doing Web-design for nonprofits</p>

<p>Awards:
2x AATG Award
FBLA won regional (couldn’t go to states 'cause of schedule probs.)
Multiple Awards for JHU CTY
Multiple Awards for C-Mites
Attended JrNYLC
Other “Good Citizen” awards
Distinguished Honor Roll every marking period</p>

<p>Future:
Would things like A+ Certification help?
Might possibly do MIT MITES
SAT II Tests: Bio M (790), Math I and II, Chem, Physics
APs</p>

<p>Interested Colleges:</p>

<p>MIT
Caltech
Stanford
UC Berkeley
Carnegie Mellon</p>

<p>Could you guys rechance me?

  • I added some scores (5s for both APs, 790 on SATII Bio) and edited some other stuff (awards and ECs)</p>

<p>I was also wondering if it is necessary to take both the Math I and Math II SATII…</p>

<p>thanks
-th3dude</p>

6

<p>I also forgot to add that i’ve been in the academically talented program since 4th grade</p>

7

<p>Scratch off JrNYLC, it’s a paid program that colleges don’t care about.
Also scratch off Honor Roll.</p>

<p>No, you don’t need to take BOTH Math I and Math II. Take whatever is most reflective of the math level you are on.</p>

<p>Build on your extracurriculars if you want a decent shot at Stanford. It’s already difficult enough to get in as an Asian male. You should probably also include the state you’re from as it can have a pretty large impact on some privates.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for the reply.
I guess ill take math II then :D</p>

<p>OH yeah and I’m from Pennsylvania</p>

9

<p>First, no one cares about an “academically talented program”, applying to MIT/Etc. basically implies that you are “academically talented”, also don’t mention things like “didn’t study”, no one cares, and if you put that on your APP, the adcoms will lol.</p>

<p>You are a pretty average asian applicant, you could even say you’re below average.</p>

<p>MIT - Super Reach
Caltech - Super Reach
Stanford - Super Reach
UC Berkeley - ORM Super Reach
Carnegie Mellon - Reach</p>

10

<p>i just remembered this thread and i have some new info:</p>

<p>229 on the PSAT junior year, probable 2250-2350 SAT (March 13 :o ) (from pract. tests)</p>

<p>Also, I have an internship lined up for this summer in IT and maybe a job at bestbuy (idk if this helps?)</p>

<p>In addition to the above, what are my chances at cornell or Upenn?</p>

11

<p>You look like a match for Cornell.</p>

<p>Which school in Upenn?</p>

12

<p>Your list mindboggles me. How do you have so much time to do all that? I think you’re in or have a superior shot at all the schools, with the exception of MIT, because you really have to excel in the sciences or math to even be considered for a WAITLIST from them!</p>

13

<p>yeah lol im kinda disappointed in my school - we have pretty much 0 science clubs, but i did accelerate myself 1 year ahead of the rest of the school by doing honors bio over the summer after freshman year- does this help/look good?</p>

<p>I’m also gonna self study physics C: EM next year because my school doesn’t offer it and maybe do more math through JHU/ some local college</p>

14

<p>@RAlec114 Penn engineering (thats main campus/not wharton i guess?)</p>

15

<p>New Update
Background Info:
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian American
Grade: Junior
Financial Aid: Don’t Know Yet
College Major: Probably Computer Science
Class Rank: Top 5% (that’s all my school reports)</p>

<p>Academics</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
Marching Band
Concert Band
Honors Earth Science
Honors German II
Microsoft Office Applications (forced by school)
PE/Health
Honors World Studies I
Honors Literature I
Honors Algebra II</p>

<p>Summer: Independently Studied Honors Biology, tested out to take more AP Science</p>

<p>Sophmore Year
Marching Band
Honors Math Analysis (Pre-Calc)
Honors World Studies II
AP Comparative Government and Politics (Received a 5)
Honors World Literature
Honors Chemistry
AP Biology (Received a 5)
PE/Health
Honors German III</p>

<p>SATII Biology M: 790
1st SAT Practice Test: 2200</p>

<p>Junior Year (Now)
Marching Band
Concert Band
AP Chemistry
AP US History
AP Physics C: M
AP Calc BC
Honors American Literature
PE
Honors German IV
Self-Studying AP English Language and Composition</p>

<p>Senior Year Plans:
Marching Band
Concert Band
AP English Lit
AP Physics C: EM (Self-Study)
AP Computer Science
Honors Econ (Maybe Self Study for AP)
AP Stat
AP US Gov/Politics
AP German
PE
Multivariable Calc with Johns Hopkins Online or local college
Junior Year PSAT: 229 (Probably NM Finalist)</p>

<p>Current GPA: roughly 3.95/4 unweighted, 4.8 weighted</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>German Club (Secretary)
FBLA (I do computer related competitions)
Varsity Boys Tennis
Marching Band (clarinet)
Concert Band (clarinet)
Astronomy Club
National Honor Society</p>

<p>Community Service
150+ Hours doing Web-design for nonprofits</p>

<p>Awards:
2x AATG Award
FBLA won regional (2x, going to states)
Multiple Awards for JHU CTY
Multiple Awards for C-Mites
Distinguished Honor Roll
Rensselaer Medal (60,000 scholarship at RPI)</p>

<p>Internship this Summer in IT at a small US Defense contractor</p>

<p>Tests:
SAT II: Bio M 790
APs: Bio 5, Comp Gov/Poli 5
PSAT (Junior Year): 229</p>

<p>Future:
SAT II Tests: Math II, Chem, US History
More APs (lol im gonna be a mess starting approximately on the 1st of April :P)
SAT scores April 1 :?</p>

<p>Interested Colleges:</p>

<p>MIT
Caltech
Stanford
Cornell
UC Berkeley
Carnegie Mellon
Princeton
Johns Hopkins
Brown
UPenn</p>

<p>Could you guys rerechance me? :D</p>

<p>thanks
-th3dude</p>

16

<p>Please? :D</p>

17

<p>Penn- High Reach
CMU- Reach
Stanford- Highest Reach Possible, not worth applying
MIT- Dream Reach
Caltech- Not worth applying</p>

<p>The resume just seems like the typical asian profile and you would be on the lower end of that average stereotype. You do not have any serious scientific research or any awards like Intel so that does not separate you. The laundry list of EC’s does not show dedication nor excellence. Stanford is looking for very well rounded students that excel at a broader range of things than you currently have, and their scores are higher than yours too. Try shooting for schools like RPI and CMU, especially since you got the scholarship to RPI. Good luck!</p>

18

<p>Penn- High Reach
CMU- Reach
Stanford- Reach
MIT- Dream Reach
Caltech- See MIT</p>

<p>I actually recommend other programs, such as the UCs or something like virginia tech.</p>

19

<p>ok guys just got SAT score and its not looking too good: 2200 > 730CR, 740M, 730W
looks like a definite retake in october</p>

<p>Do I still have a chance at places like:
Cornell
Princeton
RPI
Carnegie Mellon</p>

<p>What do you guys suggest otherwise?</p>

20

<p>Dude, I think your profile makes you competitive for Cornell, RPI and CMU but none are a lock. CS at CMU is their best program and very competive to get into. The mean SAT at RPI is about 2000 but in recent years they have been rejecting/waitlisting some students with 2300+. The number of applications has risen from about 5500 in 2004 to 13000+ in 2010. They can afford to admit the guy or girl who scores 2300+ with strong ECs who really wants to go to RPI and reject those who simply want to use it as and MIT or Stanford backup. </p>

<p>My overall though is that the Medal will get you into RPI. I think Princeton will be a stretch.</p>