<p>I am not pessimistic, I am objective. If someone with a 1200/2400 SAT was fixated on applying to Harvard, I would not be optimistic because there is absolutely no point.</p>
<p>If someone has an average chance, I tell them how they can improve. If someone has a very small chance I encourage them to look elsewhere so they don’t end up depressed when they do not get accepted despite CC telling them they would.</p>
<p>@phxfire: Participate in a research internship with a physicist at a local uni during the holidays. This will greatly boost your chances if you’re applying to Caltech/MIT. And write glowing essays! Don’t be too overly concerned with SATs. There are Caltech acceptees who only got 2130 for the SAT. (: One thing good about Caltech is that you don’t have to worry about URMs, first generations, legacy and recruited athletes. They are a slightly different school in a way that they admit people based on merit and their passion in science. The committee wants to see that glowing spark in your essays and activities.</p>
<p>I’m sorry I can’t find any reliable rankings for the best undergraduate physics schools. The Gourman Report is so outdated.</p>
<p>What I can find is the latest 2010 US News Graduate Rankings for the best physics schools.
1 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA Enter your zip 4.9<br>
1 Harvard University Cambridge, MA Enter your zip 4.9<br>
1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Enter your zip 4.9<br>
1 Stanford University Stanford, CA Enter your zip 4.9<br>
5 Princeton University Princeton, NJ Enter your zip 4.8<br>
5 University of California–Berkeley Berkeley, CA Enter your zip 4.8<br>
7 Cornell University Ithaca, NY Enter your zip 4.6<br>
7 University of Chicago Chicago, IL Enter your zip 4.6<br>
9 University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL Enter your zip 4.5<br>
10 University of California–Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Enter your zip 4.4<br>
11 Columbia University New York, NY Enter your zip 4.2<br>
11 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Enter your zip 4.2<br>
11 Yale University New Haven, CT Enter your zip 4.2<br>
14 University of California–San Diego La Jolla, CA Enter your zip 4.1<br>
14 University of Maryland–College Park College Park, MD Enter your zip 4.1<br>
14 University of Texas–Austin Austin, TX Enter your zip 4.1<br>
17 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Enter your zip 4.0<br>
17 University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, WI Enter your zip 4.0<br>
19 Johns Hopkins University (Rowland) Baltimore, MD Enter your zip 3.9<br>
19 University of California–Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Enter your zip 3.9<br>
19 University of Colorado–Boulder Boulder, CO Enter your zip 3.9<br>
19 University of Washington Seattle, WA Enter your zip 3.9<br>
23 Ohio State University Columbus, OH Enter your zip 3.7<br>
23 Pennsylvania State University–University Park University Park, PA Enter your zip 3.7<br>
23 SUNY–Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY</p>
<p>When you see an applicant who wants to major in science at an engineering university, especially MIT and Caltech, you notice that they have SAT I Math scores between 750 and 800. The 50% range you are looking at is generated from people applying to said schools for other majors as Caltech and MIT have English departments as well, for example. In said department, high SAT I Math scores are unnecessary other than to improve the average SAT score of the university in the rankings.</p>
<p>I have never heard people at Caltech majoring in subjects other than science/engineering.</p>
<p>Impressive. Top 5% is good.
Academic decalthon is also good.</p>
<p>Chance back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/954853-hypsm-chances-if-you-also-applying-you-better-chance-me-im-pretty-competitive.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/954853-hypsm-chances-if-you-also-applying-you-better-chance-me-im-pretty-competitive.html</a></p>
<p>Just because you haven’t heard about something does not mean it does not exist.</p>
<p>ECs are excellent. If you can bring your SAT to 2250+, that will also be to your advantage. If I understand correctly, you got Bs junior year, which is your biggest problem. However, if you get good AP scores, colleges will tend to think that your school’s curriculum is difficult. Good luck, you should get into a least one of those schools.</p>
<p>Chance me: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/953055-please-chance.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/953055-please-chance.html</a></p>
<p>I think you should improve your score a little bit and then your chances for MIT, Caltech, and Princeton would improve because everything else is solid. I think you have a very good shot at Rice, UT and Cornell. Good luck!</p>
<p>Could I have a little more advice (Constructive Advice (HKtoUS…))?</p>
<p>Please don’t comment on how I fail at SAT Math anymore, if you read my first post I made stupid mistakes and should have probably only missed 1. I am prepping now for the ACT and I should get at least a projected 34+ with a 36 on math. Also for chancing purposes project my SAT Subject test scores to be between 740-800. </p>
<p>Also to add to my list of ECs</p>
<p>Third in region for Octathlon (pre-ACDEC sophomore year)
Won school build a computer contest (got to build a $1000 computer the school bought of my designs)
Also unlike what HKtoUS said earlier about the CompSci “game club”, I actually volunteered time and prepared team for UIL and taught others more advanced concepts in computer science</p>
<p>Teacher recs should be good (one from ACDEC coach and computer science teacher)
Essays should be very good (basing them off of ACDEC to highlight awards but need to try hard not to describe a whole ephiphany type of moment…any advice on this?)</p>
<p>Also “thinking” about applying ED to either Rice or Cornell, currently researching them more, if I did this how much do you think it would improve my chances?</p>
<p>Thanks for taking your time and chancing me.</p>
<p>^
I was giving a general anecdote… and SAT Subject tests are used to measure grade inflation/deflation and general school education quality in some cases. Thus, I think it is safe to say that they do not hold as much weight as the SAT I does in the eyes of the admissions officer.</p>
<p>If I’m not mistaken, you cannot get a 36 in ACT Math if you make silly mistakes, thus if you are sure you can get 36 in the ACT for the Math section then you should be equally sure of an 800 in SAT I Math.</p>
<p>The SAT Math is trickier and I made stupid mistakes (5th time I’ve stated this “sigh”), that was the first time I’ve taken the SAT and I made stupid mistakes.</p>
<p>Also why do you refer to yourself in the third person? :)</p>
<p>Anyone have some advice?</p>
<p>Yes, I didn’t post that if you’re referring to the post in the first thread.</p>
<p>@phxfire
The SAT Math can be mastered. Do lots of practice tests and take the test again in October or November. If you are applying EA/ED, you can still send November scores so you have ample time to take SAT I and II.</p>
<p>800 CR is great, and it means that you can definitely improve your W score as well if you practice. There are many tricks for the essays and the MC just requires practice. You can definitely get a 2250+ score if you study hard for the Math and Writing over the summer.</p>
<p>Initiative and Passion are the 2 main things adcoms want to see in prospective students. Your JAVA game shall show the initiative you took up. That is very commendable and will HELP you to ‘stand out’</p>
<p>Improve you SAT math score. It is achievable. I was in the same state. MIT and Caltech would want scores above a 770 preferably.</p>
<p>UT Austin would be a low match for you.</p>
<p>Your 1st places in the decathalon might show your passion for Math.</p>
<p>Could you please chance me? </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/960287-chance-international-national.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/960287-chance-international-national.html</a></p>
<p>Thank you! GOod luck!</p>
<p>Your stats are pretty much there(besides the math score), all that’s really left is to fix that and to start on your essays. Everything else is out of your hands, but I’d say you have a solid shot with an improved math score. And congrats on acadeca! I’m also a decathlete, and I know how much time acadeca takes out of your life(almost all of it, actually). I actually think you should write about Acadeca in one of your essays if possible. It’s definitely something you’re passionate about, and the fact that you scored high everywhere shows that your hours are the real deal. Good luck :)</p>
<p>^ Actually I am going to write my essay on ACDEC to show how much time and effort it takes and how I can apply all of that work and time to physics. </p>
<p>Thanks for all the help so far, anyone else?</p>
<p>I definitely think you have a chance to bring up that SAT score. I had a major problem with simple mistakes and it went away after 2 or 3 practice tests. I went from a 740 math to an 800. And you already got an 800 in the section that is hardest to study for 
. I think you could definitely pull of a 2300+ with focus.</p>
<p>I would advise talking about something other than ACDEC. Schools probably get a lot of essays on that topic. You want to show that you are unique and have a personality that makes you a better person to have on campus than the other people that are applying. Focus on something unique about you.</p>