<p>IB student, Swiss citizen, permanent U.S. resident...Low income (~35K), first generation.
Can get good recommendations, should have a good essay.</p>
<p>Academics
[ul]
[<em>]IB Student (Most rigorous course load all four years of HS)
[</em>]4.8 W GPA (3.7 UW) (92/100)
[<em>]2140 SAT (680 CR, 700 M, 760 W)
[</em>]Taking SAT IIs in November (Math II + Bio/Chem/Physics)
[<em>]IBs - Math Studies 6, Environment 5 (4 more this year)
[</em>]APs - US History 4, English Lang 4
[<em>]98th Percentile (School does not do class ranks)
[/ul] ECs
[ul]
[li]12 yrs Travel/competitive soccer (Captain)[/li][</em>]3 yrs School soccer (1 yr JV Captain)
[<em>]2 yrs NHS
[</em>]2 yrs Political Science Club
[<em>]2 yrs Recycling Club
[</em>]2 yrs Chess Club
[<em>]175 hrs IB CAS hours community service hours
[</em>]30 NHS community service hours
[<em>]Cashier/Busboy at gourmet food store (9, 10, 11) - About 8 hours a week, sporadic days/hours.
[</em>]Babysitting (9, 10) - Usually once a month.
[/ul] Honors
[ul]
[<em>]4.0+ GPA Honor Roll (9, 10, 11, 12)
[</em>]Young Playwrights Festival Recognition (9)
[<em>]Florida Studio Playwrighting Award Honorable Mention (9)
[</em>]Artwork displayed in local gallery's "Art in our Schools" show (10)
[<em>]Magna Cum Laude
[</em>]NHS Induction
[li]Various sporting awards/trophies for soccer and golf (9, 10, 11)[/li][/ul]</p>
<p>Well, your GPA is fine. SATs are a tad low for UCB, and definitely low for Standford and MIT. Another downer are your ECs, kind of looks suspicious that you joined most of your clubs for only 2 years, instead of a full 4 year commitment. That, and a little more leadership for Stanford/MIT/UCB should’ve been in place.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This would mean top 2% (better than 98% of your class).</p>
<p>MIT- Mid-High reach- class rank/GPA doesn’t totally put you out, but SATs and weaker ECs does
Stanford-Same as MIT
Cornell- This is the best school that you have great chances for. I’d HIGHLY suggest ED for you. SATs are in line, and ECs are decentish. Reach.
UCB- Same as Stanford/MIT
GT- Georgetown? If so, same as Cornell. Just, better chances.
UMich- At Ann Arbor? Same as Georgetown, just better again.
Purdue- Lower-Mid Reach
UF- Safety, with scholarship looking at your income.</p>
<p>I’d also suggest NYU, Washing Univ. at St. Louis, and perhaps Vanderbilt (reach for all 3).</p>
<p>Awesome. By GT I actually meant Georgia Tech, I should have been more specific. UF is my safe in state school, I also had to apply to USF.</p>
<p>I was actually looking at Vanderbilt and also a little bit of NYU. My major is pretty undecided as of right now, but I have been leaning towards mechanical engineering, which makes Cornell even more attractive. I don’t think I have too good a chance of getting into MIT/Stanford, but I know they are good engineering schools, so I added them. </p>
<p>Oh, and the EC thing is because I had a baby brother was born 8th-9th grade summer and I had to stay at home a lot and babysit him while my parents were working, then I had a job and soccer. I started joining clubs 10th grade, when I could drive and my other brother could occasionally babysit.</p>
<p>Berkeley’s very low admit rate for international students has ended up just last year when the university decided to increase the number of OOS and International Student admits. Your SATs for Berkeley is slightly low especially that you’re applying to the college of engineering which is a very tough college to get into, but I think you do have a chance if you’ll be applying this year. Good luck!</p>
<p>really thats the hardest courseload? IB Maths studies and you want to go into engineering? Theres IB Maths Standard then IB HL Maths which is probably what most aspiring engineers should be doing anyways if they take IB maths</p>
<p>If u can improve ur SAT I score by a bit ur chances will improve a lot because the rest of ur app is rather good as in the family income, ECs, and work experience.</p>
<p>i think you can do Cal Berkeley, but I would actually recommend Michigan because I visited and it is awesome, and they have a fantastic engineering department (7 in nation). Maybe look at Illinois Urbana, they have a good engineering program too. Stanford, Cornell, and MIT are going to be reaches, but as someone said earlier, if you apply ED to Cornell, you’re in.</p>
<p>I definitely don’t see Cornell ED as “in”, but your chances would be pretty good. The SAT drags you down, as Honorslions mentioned, for MIT and Stanford above all, Georgetown as well. I think Purdue might be a high match for you; their 25%/75% is pretty in line with your SAT score.</p>
<p>@RML : Thanks, I am considering taking the SAT I again, the problem is that I also have to take SAT IIs. I have not signed up for Oct SATs, so I only have Nov/Dec to work with, which would make that kind of tough.</p>
<p>@Kazakia : Unfortunately, we were forced to make our IB subject decisions halfway through soph. year, when I had no idea what I wanted to major in or anything like that. If it helps, I’m taking the Math II SAT and will probably do pretty good on it. My senior course load is also not easy by any means.
(IB HL English, IB HL Photo, IB HL Information Technology, IB SL Spanish, IB Theory of Knowledge, Honors Calculus, Weightlifting, and Team Sports)</p>
<p>@Anonymous Student : Thanks, I chanced you back btw, GL. I am definitely considering UMich, however, one I have even before that is Ga. Tech.</p>
<p>@JustAnotherTry : Thanks, unless I get accepted to some school through the Questbridge program, that is my top school. Purdue is definitely also another school I’m considering.</p>
<hr>
<p>So basically, I have to get my SAT score up a bit. The thing is, I have not signed up for Oct, and I also still have to take SAT IIs…Nov 6 and Dec 4 are the two dates. What do I do, isn’t December way to late for anything?</p>
<p>Interesting, I was unaware of that. I probably won’t be applying there then, I need really good financial aid. That’s also why Cornell is an attractive school.
Now I’m a bit worried about my SAT…Should I retake it? I still have to do SAT IIs…</p>
<p>^ forget Cal then as it does not offer FA to OOS and International Students. If I have your stats and I’m looking for a good school that would offer me FA, then I’d look at the 2nd tier schools such as USC, U of Miami, Santa Clara U or U of Rochester.</p>
<p>GPA is really good. Standardized test scores aren’t bad. As other people have stated, ECs seem a bit on the weak side for you… but as long as you make up with your essays and teacher recs… you shuold be fine! Stanford/MIT are mid-high reaches. Cornell is mid reach. Other schools are either matches or high matches. Best of luck and chance me back!</p>
<p>I am from Florida, that’s why I have UF as a safety school, and USF as an even safer school. Thanks then, the FA is important so I will not apply to UCB. Just saved me some good money.</p>
<p>I agree that my ECs may be a bit weak, and I posted my explanation for that above. How can I fit this reason into my apps? I am writing my main essay on captaining my school soccer team and building a great relation/team spirit with a deaf, Hispanic student.</p>
<p>“2nd tier schools such as USC, U of Miami, Santa Clara U or U of Rochester.”</p>
<p>OP, with your stats you’re a slam dunk at U of Miami, Santa Clara U or U of Rochester. I think you have a chance at UCS, but USC is not 2nd tier, only people from northern California think that. USC students now have higher SAT’s than Cal or UCLA students, it’s a top rank 1st tier university</p>
<p>somebody said Stanford is a mid/high reach. correction Stanford is a very high reach, for anyone.</p>
<p>My main pick is Cornell, as they are very prestigious and have a great engineering program. Can someone confirm that since my parents make under 60K a year, if I am accepted there, it would be free? </p>