Please Chance me for these Colleges?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello!
I live in California.
These are the colleges I want to apply to:</p>

<p>Texas A&M
Pennsylvania State University - University Park
University of Wisconsin - Madison
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
University of California - Berkeley
Harvard University
Yale University (Single Choice Early Action)
Princeton University
Dartmouth College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Columbia University</p>

<p>The first six schools I will put my undergraduate major as Nuclear Engineering. The others as Mechanical Engineering.
Well now my stats:
I am Asian.
GPA: Unweighted 3.0 - 3.24
GPA: Weighted 4.0 - 4.14
I take all IB classes.
The reason my grades are so low is because freshmen year I got almost all C's because my dad fell extremely ill, and also my junior year.
I didn't get my SAT scores, but PSAT was 203 (80 Math, 61 Writing, 63 Critical Reading).
I skipped two grades, so will graduate at the age of 15.
I have around 200-300 hours of community service.
I am on the wrestling team (JV, trying to make Varsity).
I'm actually pretty social. If you see me you wouldn't think that I was a nerd... haha.</p>

2

<p>And Georgia Tech for Early Admission (as a junior)</p>

3

<p>Penn State and Texas A&M are safeties. You’ll be fine.</p>

<p>Nuclear/mechanical engineering? Hard stuff, and to be good at it at your age?! Wow… </p>

<p>You must have really come into your own taking all IB classes and having that GPA, even with mostly C’s freshman year. What happened junior year?</p>

<p>University of Illinois is a match. </p>

<p>DON’T APPLY OUT-OF-STATE TO UC SCHOOLS OR MICHIGAN!!! They will charge you an arm and a leg tuition, make it impossible to become a CA resident, and generally make going a hassle if you manage to get in. I know this because it happened to me. The budget slashing hurt Berkeley bad and they’re barely able to take care of Californians now, let alone out-of-staters. Michigan was almost as bad, same problems becoming a resident, same peanuts for financial aid. It’s too bad. You’d have a better shot at Michigan than Berkeley, though. Berkeley=reach, Michigan=lower reach.</p>

<p>HYP and Columbia will be really tough. I don’t think Harvard likes to admit people who are really young. The SATs in CR and writing would need to really jump to put you in range. SCEA may help a bit at Yale, but I’m not sure how much.</p>

<p>MIT and Dartmouth are reaches, but as they are both famous for math/science, you may have a slightly better chance than at other Ivies/similar schools with your sweet math scores.</p>

<p>Talk/write about your dad’s illness if you can. Interview as much as possible to show you’re not some wunderkind who only does math and won’t contribute to campus life. It’s a stereotype for kids who skip grades and excel in math, yeah, but you still need to dispel it. Ivies will really want to know your whole character. Reveal it. Bare your soul about your dad, skipping grades, getting C’s, and clawing your way back to the top with all IBs.</p>

<p>Service is great to have, especially on top of caring for your dad. It proves that you know that helping your fellow man doesn’t stop outside the family. You will really show your sincerity on wanting to do good, which is something that not all people with good service hours have. Once again, explaining in an interview would be the best thing here.</p>

<p>Best of luck. I hope this helps. Could you chance me? The link is below. Thanks. Peace.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/811352-crossing-my-fingers.html?highlight=Crossing+Fingers[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/811352-crossing-my-fingers.html?highlight=Crossing+Fingers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Amazing job. And I agree with the person before me, definitely write about what prevented you from obtaining the best grades. </p>

<p>Texas A&M- match
Pennsylvania State University - University Park- match
University of Wisconsin - Madison- match
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor- very low reach
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign- match
University of California - Berkeley- low reach
Harvard University- reach for anyone, but you have a shot just as much as the next one
Yale University (Single Choice Early Action)- " "
Princeton University- " "
Dartmouth College- not as much of a reach as the others, still a reach
Massachusetts Institute of Technology- same as Harvard
Columbia University- same as Dartmouth</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the feedbacks redsoxfan1291 and infos33k3r! I still want to see more chances coming in… but at least I have a sense of security over a few of those schools. =D</p>

6

<p>Wow you’ve skipped 2 grades? that’s very impressive! You should definitely add something to your application (in additional information?) or talk to your counselor about how to go about that. Furthermore, they also look more intensely on your junior grades anyways so freshman grades are not THAT important imo. As long as your grades are great in junior year, you should be fine! (but still make sure the admissions know about your situation) And, thanks for chancing me! =)
Here’s my opinion:
Texas A&M- match
Pennsylvania State University - University Park- low to mid match
University of Wisconsin - Madison- match
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor- match (I do believe they like IBs :wink: my school’s an IB school and 80-90% of people who apply get in)
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign- match
University of California - Berkeley- low to mid reach
Harvard University- high reach as with anyone
Yale University (Single Choice Early Action)- high reach as with anyone
Princeton University- high reach as with anyone
Dartmouth College- mid reach
Massachusetts Institute of Technology- reach
Columbia University- mid reach</p>

7

<p>I agree with most that the Ivies are very high reaches because of low GPA, and I’m not sure how your age will affect their decision. Try and communicate your situation though and you have a shot. In at Penn and A&M, and probably at Illinois. Berkely and Michigan are reaches</p>

8

<p>I think that you’ve skipped two grades, and your relatively young age for an incoming freshman will have most admissions officers at the selective schools in your list take pause. The one exception are the UCs. Since you’re a California resident chances are better that they’ll process your application based simply on grades and SAT scores.</p>

<p>If you have stellar grades your senior year with lots of 5 on your APs, nearly perfect SATs, a compelling science project, and one or two teachers who would provide great recommendations, you may want to take a gap year and apply next year.</p>

9

<p>your gardes and stats are pretty good but ivy’s are always reach for everyone</p>

10

<p>You’re good to go dude. Like what other people said, the Ivy leagues are a reach but you’ve definitely got some solid essay material (being 15 and the hardships with your father) that could win them over.</p>

<p>However I strongly disagree with what Fogcity suggested. DO NOT take a gap year. From what I’ve experienced, the people that do such a thing generally don’t want to go back the following year or have a difficult time getting back into that school-mode. </p>

<p>With that said though, you are only 15 and I doubt that you’re going to party it up and lose sight of your educational goals in one year, lol.</p>

11

<p>GENERALLY, 15 yr olds do not mesh well with college age students. So the age thing is usually a negative unless you’re truly brilliant ( not like high test grades brilliant, but like 160+ IQ brilliant).</p>

12

<p>definitely have your guidance counselor include your dad’s illness in your rec. it’ll help a lot and seem more legitimate than just an essay topic, although that is also a possibility.</p>

<p>a lot of these schools are toss-ups since i’m not sure how receptive they are of younger kids. but good luck!</p>

<p>chance me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/814456-chances-ill-reciprocate.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/814456-chances-ill-reciprocate.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

13

<p>Thanks! Still need more chances though =D. Well age can be a bad thing sometimes too… but I’m socially mature. A lot of people think I’m 17 already…I still have another year to go… =D. Yeah I definately will not take a gap year thats for sure.
More chances anyone? Ill definately chance back. SmithE10 I’m chancing you in a second.</p>

14

<p>You have an interesting scenario - skipping a few grades. You are on track but I’m not sure we can accurately chance you without SAT1 and 2 scores.</p>