Penn+Brown+Yale+Columbia: Chance me & chance back!!!

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hey guys, I was wondering if you could chance me for Penn, Brown, Columbia, and Yale! I know, they're all pretty much reaches, but I'd just like to know where I stand. Thanks!</p>

<p>Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
School Type: Highly competitive public school in a suburb of NYC, sends plenty of kids to Ivies each year, ~280 students in my class.
***Hook: Penn legacy (dad and grandfather). Also, my grandpa went to Columbia Law School if that helps?</p>

<p>GPA: Unweighted is 95 point something; Weighted is 101 point something (number grades)
- all grades are in the 90s except three difficult research classes in the high 80s (I tried doing behavioral research, ended up not being my thing) and an 89 in Precal Research Honors.
--- *I think my GPA is a bit inflated by classes like gym and chorus, etc., so my unweighted from just academic classes would be around a 93.5. Would this hurt my chances?
- all honors/AP
- so far, 5's on Euro, APUSH, Bio, and BC Calc</p>

<p>Senior Course Load: AP Lit, AP Spanish, AP Macro, AP Gov, AP Physics B, Multivariable Calculus/Differential Equations, Chorus</p>

<p>Scores:
- SAT I: 760 CR, 720 M, 800 W (12 essay) first time; 800 CR, 750 M, 800 W (9 essay) second time. So basically my superscore is 2350. You're welcome, I did the math for you!
- SAT II: Bio E - 770, Math II - 800, U.S. History - 800</p>

<p>Awards (mostly minor stuff): Honorable Mention at a regional research competition, silver medal at a local math fair, All County Chorus since elementary school (hopefully All State this year), local Heroes of Autism award, chosen as one of 2 students to represent my school in a national essay competition (didn't win haha), National Merit Commended.</p>

<p>EC's:
- Drama Club for four years (Membership Coordinator)
- Lacrosse for four years (varsity for two years)
- Athletes Helping Athletes (athlete leadership club - "don't drink! respect each other!" etc)
- Student council rep for two years, Jr. Prom Committee
- School's special chorus for four years
- NHS (treasurer), FLHS (secretary), Tri-M
- Speech and Forensics for two years, qualified for States soph year
- Columnist for the school newspaper
- Singing lessons for like 10 years</p>

<p>Volunteering: I think I'll have over 200 hours by the time I graduate. Mostly autism related things.
- On the board of a charity that organizes an annual basketball tournament for kids to benefit autism.
- Involved with groups that help autistic children in the area learn to play baseball and basketball. I'll be the student head volunteer of the baseball league this year.</p>

<p>Work Experience: Working this summer at day camp for two months - I'm a "shadow" for an autistic child (basically a one-on-one counselor).</p>

<p>I think my essay will be very interesting and unexpectedly intellectual compared to my extracurriculars.</p>

<p>I'd probably major in either Communications (most practical), Creative Writing, or History (least practical). I've always been passionate about culture and history, and I love the art of storytelling, so I'm kinda split between them.</p>

<p>Let me know what you guys think! Also, any school-specific tips on like how to frame my app and passions? I know it seems like I just have a long list of activities but I like keeping busy and trying different things so I hope it doesn't work against me haha
Thanks in advance (I'll try to chance back)</p>

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<p>Your scores look great and you have great EC’s as well. I have no doubt you would be able to give a great essay based on your writing scores.
As you know, Columbia, Penn, Brown, and Yale are competitive schools, I think you have a pretty good shot. Just make sure you show demonstrated interest in those schools and you highlight what is unique about you, possibly like your passion for basketball.</p>

<p>But I’m really interested…you are taking Multivariable Calculus and Diff. Eqn senior year? That’s really impressive. I finished all the math at my school sophomore year and they made me retake AB Cal junior year cause I had nothing better to do. Did you take an online course or does your high school offer it? </p>

<p>Good luck! I know you can do it!</p>

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<p>Your Penn legacy won’t help at all unless you apply Early decision.</p>

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<p>Knightrider: I’ve been in an accelerated math program in my school district since middle school. They offer Multivariable/Differential Equations for me and the few other kids in it for senior year. Lucky me :)</p>

<p>Cortana: I know that haha</p>

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<p>toomuchsoul: Nice. A few years ago they offered Multivariable Calc in my school, but since like 4 kids were in it, it became a joke</p>

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<p>Haha, we only have like 9 kids in the class</p>

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<p>I am taking it next year at my school are there are two classes of 25ish kids so about 50 kids in it.</p>

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<p>i would apply early to penn to guarentee admission. your stats and ecs are really great though. i dont think you will have any problems getting in to all the schools you apply to</p>

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<p>Thank you so much! I’m just not sure that Penn is the right place for me at this point :/</p>

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<p>Right, disregarding the fact those schools accept less than 10% of all applicants and reject plenty of valedictorians, salutatorians, and other kids with better stats and ECs, tookmuchsoul should have NO trouble getting into Penn, Brown, Columbia, and Yale.</p>

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<p>Oh damn, cortana with some 'tude. Of course I know they’re reaches; I clearly stated that in my original post. No need to get harsh on someone who gave me some feedback.</p>

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<p>^cortana is a known ■■■■■… Ignore her! She bashes every single applicant that is anything short of a perfect applicant. But she has a point. Your chances at Penn Brown Yale and Columbia are just okay. Which means u could get rejected from all of them or u can get accepted into all of them :). You’re a well rounded student, but nothing particularly stands out about you form the rest of the crowd to really ensure you’ll get into one of these colleges. To play it well ur going have to do ED (not necessarily U penn) but not EA. However, remember that the most random students who have terrible scores and barely any extracurriculars randomly get accepted into Yale while a stellar applicant can be rejected. Essentially, admissions at these top institutions are crapshoot. But good luck with whatever u choose to do!</p>

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<p>@moonstaff, thank you for your honesty! That’s why essays are so important!</p>

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<p>Lol, first of all I’m a boy (I played halo before and like the name Cortana) and no, I don’t “bash” applicants I tell them their realistic chances. For some who have a lot of misconceptions about college admissions at top schools, they take it as an insult. And a known ■■■■■? lol.</p>

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<p>I’m not harsh, I’m being blunt about admissions to top schools. That IS how it is. Sorry, I try not to let others go around giving false advice and I try to correct it.</p>

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<p>shameless bump</p>

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<p>shameless bump part 2</p>

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<p>Bump bump bump</p>

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<p>I don’t know if there’s anything that makes you really stand out :\ your ECs seem to be all over the place, too.</p>

<p>that being said, you look very well-rounded and certainly have a shot at all the schools on your list! Your quantitative data looks quite solid and puts you within the range of those schools, and your ECs aren’t lacking. I think if I were you, I would apply to UPenn ED. Legacies play such a big role there (or so I’ve heard).</p>

<p>what don’t you like about penn? and what would you major in?</p>

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<p>Well drama club is a HUGE time commitment, and I have other things to show my passion for music/acting. Also lacrosse and my sports leadership club connect well to my autism volunteering. But yeah, I agree that I don’t have anything insanely impressive on my app in the EC department. Thank you for your honesty, though!</p>

<p>If I went to Penn, I’d probably major in Communications (though the program there is a bit more politically focused than I would want). To me, from what I’ve read here and heard from people who go to Penn, the school seems a bit high school-ish. So many people from the tri-state area attend and it seems that the social life can get cliquey. Frankly, it’s a little too JAPpy (look that up if you’re not familiar with the acronym), which is what high school is like for me, so I’d want to branch out socially. Also, because of that mentality, I feel like I might need a place that’s more intellectual. But hey, maybe I’m being nitpicky hahaha :/</p>

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<p>new day, new bump!</p>