<p>I took a train to the Claremont colleges for Harvey Mudd but ended up loving Pomona. Pomona is currently my first choice but with a few reservations(e.g. in the case I am accepted to Caltech or MIT). However, I feel as though my application is borderline and may be rejected from the other two colleges anyway. Here are my current stats:</p>
<p>Stats
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender:Male
Region: Southern California
Unweighted GPA: 3.99
Weighted: 4.13
SAT Score: 2100(760 Math 720 CR 600 WR) Retake in Dec
AMC Score: Eighty-something
School: Non-competitive Magnet</p>
<p>Awards/ Extracurriculars</p>
<p>Semi-Finalist in Chemistry Olympiad (Honors)
Semi-Finalist in Biology Olympiad
4th on the Hands on at Science Bowl
8th in Regional Science Bowl
6th place team at Math day at the Beach
Track/Field 2 years
Science Bowl 3 years (15 hrs/week)
Research at Lab 1 year (20+ hrs/ week)</p>
<p>Overall, you seem to be a good candidate for Pomona. Your WR score is on the low side, so focus on that during the Dec. retake. I would encourage you to continue your involvement in track/field and/or Science Bowl and work in a leadership capacity, if possible.</p>
<p>Both your weighted GPA and your SAT scores seem low. With an unweighted 3.99, your weighted should be at about a 4.5, if you took a rigorous course load. If you didn’t, then I think that you need to consider some other possible choices. ECs are not overwhelming. Make sure that your essays are well-written.</p>
<p>I’m guessing that you are a very high reach for MIT, and a high reach for both Pomona and Mudd, unless there are factors you did not include here. Nonetheless, only apply ED where you really want to go. Good luck!</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Pomona is one of the toughest schools to get into ED, with less than a 20% combined ED rate. For an Asian, and especially one from Southern California, you are a pretty typical, even below average, applicant. I don’t think ED will significantly help mitigate your flaws (low SAT, average ECs). I second Little Mother’s advice to retake the SAT to improve your writing scores. Don’t expect any miracles though.</p>
<p>Essays and passion is important. I would recommend doing a science supplement.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this helps but let me elaborate on academic profile and add somethings I left out:</p>
<p>The reason my weighted GPA is low is because my school requires Honors before AP. I have taken every science course offered at my school except two(CS and Environmental Science) by taking my other requirements at a community college. Listed below are the things I left out:
Rank: 8
School is ranked 160ish in nation by US. News if that means anything
AP Chem;AP English Language; AP Biology; AP Calculus AB:5,5,5,5
SAT Math 2, SAT Physics, SAT Chemistry: 800,800, 800
Finalist in National Chemistry Olympiad (Top 100/12000)
Semi-Finalist in National Biology Olympiad (Top 300/16000)
Two hundred hours volunteering(includes constructing houses, building gardens, tutoring)</p>
<p>Current schedule:
AP Physics C
AP Calc BC
AP Gov
AP Lit
I only have four periods. I go to lab for the last two periods and after school.</p>
<p>I only participate in extracurricular activities but devote all my time to them. I was in Science Bowl for three years and this year I am captain. For Science Bowl and the competitions I earlier mentioned, I self-studied 6 subjects(Molecular Biology, Geology, Cosmology, Plant Biology, and Astronomy, and Computer Science).</p>
<p>Lab currently takes up 4-6 hours of my day each day in performing experiments and at lab meetings/presentations. It also demands an extra two hours at home for reading papers related to my projects</p>
<p>The problem, sadly, is that you are an Asian male Californian. The competition in that subgroup is very high, but I think that if you position yourself well with your essays, you have a decent shot.</p>
<p>Based on your SAT 2 scores, you should be able to increase your scores at least slightly with a re-take.</p>
<p>No one is guaranteed to get into Pomona. You have a decent chance - slightly easier for guys overall than women - but no guarantees because it’s just that competitive.</p>
<p>Seems like you have a pretty decent chance, though it is a crapshoot overall. I do think the essays are very important in the process, and make sure to write the optional essay and to make it good and is a good expression of who you are. For the stat about males vs females… last year 4400+ females applied with 520 getting in (11.7%) compared to around 2800 males of which 491 got in (17.5%). If you’re 110% positive about Pomona, then I’d say apply EDII. It’s pretty much the same as Regular, except you find out in February, though you must go to Pomona if accepted. But if you’re 110% sure about Pomona anyway, you might as well find out earlier.</p>
<p>You sound like a great applicant, and if you are heart set on Pomona like me, applying ED can only help you! That’s what I did and I find out this week!!</p>