My kid is a candidate master and I don’t feel it helped him get in anywhere, though it probably didn’t hurt for Berkeley. One of his friends from the same city had similar grades, test scores and similar rating and didn’t get into a Berkeley. But as it turns out, outstanding chess players tend to be good students and quite a few of my kid’s peers who are now FMs and NMs also did get into and are now attending Berkeley.
^^^. I think it helps define who the person is. Everyone on my son’s chess team is going to a top college in their field. 2 kids are at MIT, others at Stanford, Michigan etc. Reaching a certain level I think shows commitment, drive, and a different way of thinking. It seems most of these kids end up in Stem programs,in my experience. Most are advance math kids etc. So I don’t think it hurts. BTW one kid at MIT wrote her essay all on how chess affects her life. It was brilliant and a move by move essay. Very clever.
@Knowsstuff my essay was focused on teaching chess at a retirement home
What is your chess rating? If it is 2300+ or so, it should be a big hook.
You should get into a good school, but it doesn’t look like enough for Asian at a top Ivy.
@sattut around 2000 but I have placed in a national tournament, did not include my rating only my accomplishments. What would I need to be competitive for a top ivy?
For a top Ivy, you probably would need better SAT IIs and ECs, but you can apply and see what happens.
Mention the chess as an activity and how it affects you. Many kids place in National tourneys.
Those national tournaments have prizes by rating sections. I would list the 2000 rating, as otherwise it might appear worse. I wouldn’t talk about curing cancer either as they will see through that also.
A rating around 2000 is respectable but not noteworthy. A national tournament win would help.
The national tournaments are by rating class. It isn’t really anything, but I guess might impress.
I know all about chess tournaments. I was thinking more of a national scholastic championship win.
Around 2000 gets you nothing, to be perfectly honest. Need to be titled, ie above 2200 to get an NM, or get some FIDE title, before it counts for anything. We have 7 year old kids out here in California and in NY who are over 2000.
The kids who are the superstars already have a title by the time they are in 6th or 7th grade. It is hard these days to advance much once you reach HS - nowadays because almost all highly ranked kids usually go to a ultra-tough HS for studies and it saps up their time completely. I speak from experience with my kid. And he has a national championship to boot and represented the US.
I don’t think that your stats or ECs give you any significant enhancement to your chances at the Ivies. I strongly recommend that in your essays, that you would describe your activities accurately and with modesty. For example, “My research will help improve treatment for 500 000 people worldwide with esophageal cancer.” is an inflated claim; whereas, “I participated in a research project that might improve treatment for esophageal cancer” is more accurate.
IMO the best thing you have written is that you teach chess as a community service activity. The shows you using your skills, your time in a good way. Anyone can win a tournament but you know how to use your skills to give back.
If OP is applying from Canada he will be evaluated by AOs for that region and compared with applicants from the area. Unless he is among the top 40 students (with various spikes) from Canada his chances would not be great with the stats of “SAT: 1530
Subject tests: 720 Bio, 760 math 2”.
Chess doesn’t tip one into a tippy top just for being dedicated to it. (Nor a top ranking.) All the rest needs to be there. Nor does a 17 year old’s claim to have major impact on cancer research.
Weak legacy isn’t pull. Nor making $ in a sideline. Your ECs are not “better than.” It’s not the sort of view that helps you The bio score is lower, for a premed/Ivies. We don’t know your SAT breakout. And have you done actual comm service in the health field? Not just chess with seniors.
If this is for RD, take a quick/deeper look at what the targets look for. (Some of your assumptions are why I asked originally if you had a good idea.) You don’t need 4 LoRs, but would benefit from a stem teacher rec that IS glowing. PI letters dont carry the weight of a teacher rec.
Yeh, blowing up assisting as a student into curing cancer and winning a chess tournament into some big deal are going to hurt you.
It’s a good academic record for some schools, but the exam scores and ECs are weak for the top level.
This may not get you into a top 30 school with quotas. I would just go in Canada or wherever you get in. For premed you are better off going to an easier school as they only weight GPA a little by school.
So for all the chess nuts on here ?, 2000 and above is a great score. It shows dedication and ability. Chess is cliche like debate is. Stereotypical good student usually math heavy with predictive analysis skills. To be good at both takes hours upon hours of work except for those 7 year olds that somehow can beat a grandmaster… Lol…
I am in a chess heavy state and not every high school team has a 2000 but some have 3-4.
Framing it like “my scores puts me in the top 14% for my age group nationally, through hard work and dedication…” (just made up the number BTW) ?.
But in the end its just a nice EC to have. My son also tutored for money a 9 year old for 4 years and taught at a chess camp etc.
But I hope the solving cancer was more tounge in cheek for us at CC. If it was put into an essay seriously then I think that is a problem.
Your math scores and Sat scores DO show your ability and it matches your chess skill. To me that just gives a nice picture of who you are. Plus teaching chess at a senior center is awesome.
On CC everyone kids are national champions?. Don’t let that distract what you have accomplished.
My son placed 21 nationally in a high school chess tourney in San Diego that @ProfessorPlum168 son most likely won (we might of discovered this when we met… Lol). Still doesn’t take away from the fact he came in 21 nationally… Lol… ?.
Sorry, but working with seniors isn’t quite the challenge competitors for a tippy top will have- more directly with those served in health matters than research allows.
It isn’t that chess is cliche. It just doesn’t replace other efforts. Winning something isn’t a tip. If everything else is there, it’s nice.
Never said it was a tip. But I do think it frames who the candidate is. No it’s not getting him into any college let alone the selective ones. I don’t want to dismiss his accomplishments. His scores are good. He should align himself to schools that align with them.