Please chance me for Barnard, Columbia, NYU, UCLA, Harvard, Yeshiva U and Penn!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi! I am a junior, and would love to be chanced for Barnard, Columbia, NYU, UCLA, Harvard, Yeshiva U (Stern) and Penn! Thank you and I will chance back!!!</p>

<p>School Type: Private Jewish
Location: California
Race/Gender: Caucasian (Jewish)
Unweighted GPA: 3.79
Weighted GPA: (estimated) 4.1
Class rank: School doesn't rank, although most likely in the top 5-6 in a pretty competitive class of 30 (many have incredibly superb GPA's)</p>

<p>I do not plan on applying for financial aid (does this matter?). </p>

<p>SAT:</p>

<p>I have not officially taken the SAT yet, but the last practice test I took was a 1950. This was with very little review and studying, but I have been working extremely hard since then, and can probably now raise my score up to at least a 2100 (hopefully!)</p>

<p>AP's and Honors: Mostly honors classes in freshman and sophomore years, 2 AP's this year (APUSH and AP Lang.) and 4 next year (AP Calc, AP Bio, AP Art and AP Lit).</p>

<p>Other: Nearly fluent in Hebrew, proficient in Spanish (took both throughout middle and high school); Will defer my acceptance and attend a seminary (school devoted solely to Jewish studies) in Israel for one year where I will earn up to 36 credits; My school has a dual-curriculum for Jewish Studies</p>

<p>I am fascinated by genetics and hope to get a master's in genetic counseling! I have been strongly moved and affected by children I have worked with with genetic diseases, and this has inspired my interest in this particular career. This is probably what I will write my essays about as well. </p>

<p>EC's:</p>

<p>-Played (and still play) viola for over 11 years: played in several orchestras, currently in a very well respected youth orchestra in CA, founded school chamber ensemble, attended many viola seminars and workshops, will be going on tour this summer. </p>

<p>-Very heavily involved with a non-profit that provides support and help for critically ill children (amazing organization, Chai Lifeline), including volunteering many times yearly at their events, working at their two-week long summer camp for critically ill and cancer children, visiting hospital patients, housing patients traveling for medical care, etc.</p>

<p>-Vice-president of my school's Israel Action Committee: will be president next year, organized drives, protests, activism, helped envision and create my school's Israel education program</p>

<p>-Summer internship intended for college students at the Zionist Organization of America in New York: created Israel Advocacy Program for high schools all over the US, designed fliers and pamphlets, planned, organized and ran a memorial for the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers in for 100 attendees in NYC </p>

<p>-Ran community wide fundraiser and raised $7,000 in total for two Jewish organizations</p>

<p>-Ran and organized many book, toy, school supply, gift, clothing drives, including yearly Purim (a Jewish holiday where fun food packages are given) deliveries to Jewish seniors at local senior homes, Christmas and Chanukah drives, led (and still lead) monthly sandwich and bagged lunch making for local homeless shelters</p>

<p>-Student advisor to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces</p>

<p>-Volunteer with Friendship Circle (another amazing org.), where I play once or twice a week with a Downs Syndrome little girl. </p>

<p>-Although I am not completely sure what I am doing this summer, it is between an internship in Jerusalem, Israel with a large media organization and think tank OR interning with a geneticist/genetics counselor at Stanford Hospital and volunteering in Rec. Therapy (still deciding!)</p>

<p>I am currently in the process of starting a non-profit organization to help students help the homeless in my city. </p>

<p>Awards: This is where I feel I've fallen short. I did not apply for any scholarship awards throughout high school at all, and won only one award. (Will this harm me a lot?)</p>

<p>-Weitzmann Institute of Science Award for a project on Epinephrine and Anaphylaxis (I don't remember the exact title). </p>

<p>THANK YOU!!!! I WILL CHANCE BACK!!!!</p>

2

<p>Your application looks good. You demonstrate a real passion for helping people. Don’t worry too much about the lack of awards.</p>

<p>In terms of chances for the most selective colleges, I think your UW GPA will hurt you. Your rank is low percentage-wise, but this isn’t a reliable figure when there are only 30 people in your class!</p>

<p>Your volunteer-related ECs look strong, but you only have one leadership role from what I saw. Maybe I missed something.</p>

<p>If you can get your GPA up a bit (I know it’s hard with only Senior year left) and score highly on SAT I and SAT II, you can make Columbia and Harvard realistic reaches. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

3

<p>You’re ECs look good to me. Definitely heavily focused on Judaism/Israel. While these are good, your GPA and SAT scores will significantly hurt you. If you score a 2100, you have a good shot at UCLA and NYU. However, I think you will have little to no chance at Harvard and Columbia and Penn. Perhaps if you get at least a 2200, you can increase your chances. I would heavily study for the SAT and do the absolute best you can on Subject tests as well. Best of luck!</p>

4

<p>Such excellent advice, thank you! </p>

<p>I have never worked as hard in my life (in school at least), and am getting my second semester junior grades all up to A’s (last sem. I had an A-, a B and a B+). This should substantially improve my UW GPA (and slightly my W GPA) and will hopefully help me! :)</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

5

<p>Can I redeem my chance-back now? It would be appreciated.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/697463-interested-seeing-ways-improve-my-application.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/697463-interested-seeing-ways-improve-my-application.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>Like others have already said - your GPA hurts you. And really, I can’t see not being #1 in a 30 person class NOT hurt you. There are extremely low chances for someone to be smarter than you ;).</p>

<p>What your GPA lacks I think your ECs make up for… in a way. Good ECs, but Im afraid there are other kids with the whole package applying for Harvard as well!!!</p>

<p>I mean, as amazing as it seems, people are able to do everything you do in your ECs, and keep a 4.0 UW GPA with hardest classes… GL!</p>

7

<p>Thanks so much for the advice. This is really opening up my eyes to how ridiculously competitive these schools all are! If my grades don’t change in the next month, my GPA this semester will be a 4 UW and a 4.28/4.3 W. Hopefully this upward trend will be helpful. </p>

<p>I’d love to hear more! Thanks!</p>

8

<p>I’d love to hear more advice!! Thank you!!</p>

9

<p>In all honesty, you have too many reaches. Assuming a 2100, Harvard and Columbia are out of reach. They would probably be with a 2300 too. Penn is also a major reach with a 2100.</p>

<p>Your reaches should be more in line with NYU. If you like women’s school you could add Wellesley as a reach and consider Smith and Bryn Mawr as matches.</p>