Please Chance - Harvard, Columbia, USC (etc.)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello there! I'm a rising senior, applying to Northwestern, USC, BU, and NYU as a viola major, and Harvard and Columbia through their double-degree/exchange programs.</p>

<p>I'm a male Filipino from New York, but I'm on a scholarship to an arts boarding school in Michigan that I began attending this year (my junior year). My first high school was a rather poor-performing school.</p>

<p>SAT I: 2130 (770 CR, 640 Math, 720 Writing)
Unweighted GPA: 3.9 at my old school, 8/548. 3.6 here - no rank given by school.
SAT IIs: 800 Bio E, 740 in Lit (10th grade).
APs: Music Theory - 5, Bio - 4, Lit - ?? (likely 5), Lang - ?? (likely 5), Stats - ?? (likely 5), Chem - ?? (likely 4). Self-studied all but Music Theory and Stats.</p>

<p>Senior courseload: Perhaps a little bit on the "easy" side academically. Very arts-focused.</p>

<p>ECs:
Orchestra (obviously), 9th-10th grade
GSA treasurer, 9th-10th grade
Violin/viola tutor, 9th-10th grade
Youth orchestra and chorus, 10th grade
Mannes Prep, 10th grade - Every Saturday, I went into the city and basically went through a conservatory curriculum - a private lesson on viola, ear-training, music theory, chamber music, etc. </p>

<p>Orchestra, 11th grade
Chamber music, 11th grade
Acapella group, 11th grade
Student newspaper, 11th grade
Hall assistant, 11th grade
"Call Center", 11th grade - I called former donors on my high school's behalf and requested them to donate to the school's scholarship fund.
Online lessons, 11th grade - I gave/currently give lessons to other low-income students via Skype.</p>

<p>In 12th grade, I'm likely keeping my student newspaper, acapella, and lesson gigs, and I'll also be tutoring kids in music theory. And of course, I'll be in orchestra and chamber music.</p>

<p>Honors:
National Merit Commended, maybe Semifinalist.
Anthony Quinn Scholarship winner (National scholarship that provides up to 3k to a summer arts program that I specify, although I received a 2k scholarship that I ended up declining.)
QuestBridge College Prep scholar, invited to Northwestern, possibly a Match Finalist next year
Probably AP Scholar with Distinction
Fellowships to the National Symphony Orchestra's summer institute and the National Music Festival. I'm the youngest one ever admitted thus far to NMF.
Silver Key and Honorable Mention from National Art and Writing Awards in poetry.
Maybe (??) having poetry published in PolyphonyHS.</p>

<p>In 12th grade I'm going the competition route - a couple competitions like Stulberg and Fischoff, YoungArts, NAWA again, etc. I started playing viola in 10th grade, and began writing poetry only this year, so I'm still looking for my style.</p>

<p>I'm a low-income, first-gen college student. I've got a single mother and a brother who's about to start going to an arts college as well. I speak English and I'm learning how to speak Tagalog fluently - ideally I'll be able to converse well by the end of the summer. I'm also a younger student - was skipped a grade - will they look at my achievements in light of that?</p>

2

<p>Bump. Second time lucky?</p>

3

<p>Your GPA and score are fine. But for music performance major, the determining factor may be in the audition and awards. It would be hard to chance you. You may need to submit a CD as supplement for application.</p>

4

<p>@billscho: Yeah, I understand that. For Northwestern (out of my single-degrees) especially, though, admissions to the university itself is solely based on my academics and ECs. And for my double-degree/exchange programs, I’d have to get accepted to both places in order to get in (the academic school, as well.)</p>

5

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1420290-chance-threads-please-read-before-posting-one.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1420290-chance-threads-please-read-before-posting-one.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You seem specialized and passionate, which is certainly good. At this point, all you can do is write genuine essays that showcase your passion and your own unique experiences with music. Unfortunately, I don’t think having skipped a grade will help you that much.</p>

6

<p>@legooo: Cool. How would you know that I wasn’t one, based on what I wrote? Do you think it’s necessary that I be a prodigy to get in academically where I’m applying?</p>

7

<p>Or we can delete. Thanks for the feedback anyway!</p>

8

<p>First, I suggest posting this in the Music Forum; there are a lot of very helpful, knowledgable posters over there.</p>

<p>Second, while it’s true that you are admitted on your academics, it’s not unusual to hear about applicants with much lower than average stats being accepted to highly competitive schools. Being ‘in the neighborhood’ statistically speaking with a strong endorsement by the School of Music certainly helps your chances (think recruited football players).</p>

<p>So:</p>

<p>~3.8 UWGPA
2130 SAT
Music Performance Major</p>

<p>Statistically you’re SAT is around the 25th%-tile for Harvard and Columbia. You are essentially ‘average’ at Northwestern, USC and NYU. For BU you’re in the top quartile. GPA-wise likely considered average. I think you’re in at Northwestern, USC, NYU and BU. Harvard and Columbia seem unlikely but the Questbridge designation may help there.</p>

<p>All this assumes they love your auditions.</p>

9

<p>@vinceh: Thank you! Yes, I’m very familiar with the Music Major forum, but I didn’t want to clutter them so with a simple “chance me!” thread, especially when people have much better questions to ask.
I think I’m retaking the SAT for my math, and I’m assuming I can get a 2200, maybe 2250. Will this change do me much good, or should I not bother?
Do my ECs sound focused to you? I’m really trying to sell my whole arts background in general, along with a lot of community outreach!</p>

10

<p>BU forsure. Don’t know much about the correlation between musical majors and acceptance rates for the other schools though.</p>