Now that everything is done..

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>What are my chances with the following stats:</p>

<p>1990 SAT: 700M, 660CR, 630W. I'm retaking June 4th and will most likely increase my score by 100, probably from math.
SAT II 790IIc, 690 Physics, 660 USH (are these competitive scores?)
GPA: 4.26W, 3.99UW (I have received one B in one semester of one class each year in high school)
Rank: currently 4/108 (I don't know if it matters to colleges, but the class of 06 at my school is the strongest class academically EVER, with record numbers of NMQ, Honor Roll, etc.)</p>

<p>My GC will check hardest courseload at a private Christian "Academy" in Cincinnati, OH:</p>

<p>Freshman: AP Statistics, Western Civ, Biology, OT/NT Covenants, Spanish II, English Honors. My B was 1st semester AP Stats. (I don't know if it matters to colleges, but I was the first student in my school's history to take an AP as a freshman)</p>

<p>Sophomore: AP Microeconomics, Precalculus Honors, English Honors, Physics, Spanish III, History of Christianity, Graphic Design. My B was 2nd semester in English Honors.</p>

<p>Junior: AP Calculus BC, AP Physics B, AP Art Studio, Heritage Studies (combined History/English honors class), Christian Thought and Spirituality. My B will be in AP Physics 2nd semester. (I don't know if it matters to colleges, but I was the 1st student in the history of the school to take AP Calc as a junior, same story for AP Physics)</p>

<p>Senior (projected): AP Chemistry, AP English 12, AP Government, Computer Programming, possibly AP Biology, and Ethics. </p>

<p>Also by the end of my senior year I will have 3 classes completed at the University of Cincinnati (projected): Calculus III, Calc-based Physics, and perhaps Calculus IV or a lab-based Physics class. (Once again, I don't know if this matters to colleges, but I am the first student in my school to do Post-secondary work)</p>

<p>ECs:
-Soccer (Captain of JV as sophomore, State finalists on varsity as junior)
-Mu Alpha Theta (math honors society): first ever 4-year member, president as a senior.
-National Honors Society: 2 years
Spanish Club: 2 years
-I founded our schools first political organization, and if the budget allows I will form from this a debate team.
-Student Council: Vice President as a senior
-~120 Community service hours, nothing special
-Over winter term (a 2-week special term at our school in between semesters) I am scheduling an internship in the ME department at UC
-I'm starting work at a local food chain this month, will hopefully continue job through my time here in Cincinnati.
-I spend much of my summer hiking, climbing, and mountain biking in Colorado, and would guess that this is the one thing that makes me 'unique' in the applicant pool for some of the schools on my list.</p>

<p>I will have awesome recommendations from both the GC and teachers, and I am spending my summer writing essays so they better be good :)</p>

<p>Major: Mechanical Engineering</p>

<p>Schools:
-Rice University ED
-Caltech, MIT, Rose-Hulman, Berkeley, Stanford, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Colorado-Boulder, Colorado School of the Mines, Purdue, and U Cincinnati, all RD</p>

<p>So how would you rate these schools for safety-match-reach quality? Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>Forgot another EC: designed (and currently am the administrator of) the discussion forum for my church's website, and am one of the founding members of the youth group.</p>

3

<p>Oh, and do you guys think my location will help any for applying to Rice and West coast schools?</p>

4

<p>Caltech, MIT would be pretty hard with a 700 math and a 690 physics. Stanford's a reach as well. The other school are probably matches. ...except maybe rice</p>

5

<p>Even Rice ED would still be a reach? Ahh I'm going to be so tense this fall...</p>

6

<p>yes, rice is a reach. mainly b/c the SAT scores will sting badly.</p>

<p>The ranges @ Rice are:
Math: 670-780
Verbal: 660-760</p>

<p>You are near the bottom of these ranges. With only 22% admitted, you would need to be at the top of this range (780M/760V) for Rice to be considered a match.</p>

<p>You def. have a chance...with your solid rank & EC's, 100 points on the SAT would improve your chances dramatically.</p>

7

<p>improve your stnadardized test scores.</p>

<p>don't worry about anything except that right now. your math IIC is good, so i KNOW you can get 800 on that math on the SAT I, dude. you also need to make your physics score at least a 760. if you want a chance to even touch caltech or MIT. you took ap physics dude, you should be able to do it.</p>

<p>100 poits here and there on any of your categories of SAT's and SAT II's will help a lot.</p>

<p>btw, tell me what school you go to. if you go to a pretty good private college, it will help.</p>

8

<p>Yeah math was a fluke, I got a 76M on PSAT and expected nothing less with the SAT, but somehow I missed 5, that will change next saturday.</p>

<p>I posted a bunch about being the first student to do a bunch of stuff at my school. While this is a big deal here, will I even be able to convey this to colleges? Could it be somewhat of a hook?</p>

<p>Thanks guys for the reassuring words, I have something to focus on now and will hopefully be aiming in the right direction come this fall.</p>

9

<p>guidance counselor & teacher recs...that's where it should be mentioned. don't be afraid to ask them to mention those things if you feel they are important.</p>

10

<p>Caltech-- great school! My brother went there and absolutely loved it</p>

<p>He said that people in his class had terrible GPA's...in the 2.0's and low 3.0's, but had ridiculously high SAT scores. Caltech looks more at potential for improvement because obviously these kids are smart but just didn't apply themselves in their high school classes. Work on getting the SAT score up, and your stats and extracurrics look great!</p>

<p>My cousin goes to Rice-- if you want I can get some info and get back to you</p>

11

<p>


</p>

<p>Wow, the bit about the GPAs at Caltech is hard to believe, I got the impression that Caltech was basically a school for perfect people. Didn't think I would get in, but it has always been a dream..</p>

<p>And it would be awesome if you could get me some more info about Rice, every little bit helps :) thanks</p>

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<p>Caltech? naah. Not nearly as competitive as MIT but it's definitely moving forward.</p>

13

<p>Thank you for the advice guys, it is very reassuring that my ECs are seen as 'strong,' that was actually something that I was worried about. It often looks like a hodge-podge of different stuff just to be able to put it on the app, but those were never my intentions for doing what I have done.</p>

<p>I forgot to mention that I am applying to USAFA with paternal legacy. Do I have a shot?</p>

<p>I am having trouble finding other schools that I might want to apply to that are similar to Rice, in its academic excellence and close-knit college system. Our dean of students recommended Dartmouth to me, is that a similar option?</p>

14

<p>actually Rice's acceptance rate is less than 10 percent for Fall 04. I live in texas so i kno, and Rice is a big deal here and my state is growing really fast.</p>