Hi there, I’m a rising senior looking to see what my chances are like for my list.
Demographics:
Asian Indian male, California, competitive public school, high income
Major - chemical engineering
Scores:
GPA - 4.00 UW, 4.49 W
SAT - 1560 (790M, 770R)
SAT II - MATH 2 (800), Chem (800), Spanish (760)
PSAT - 1500 (hopefully national merit semifinalist)
Class rank: school doesn’t rank
Transcript:
Freshman year no APS (not allowed)
sophomore year: AP Spanish language (4) (Only 2 AP’s are available to sophomores)
junior year: APUSH, AP Chem, AP Stats (all scores pending)
senior year: AP English language, AP physics C, AP macro, AP biology, AP Calc BC
EC’S and awards:
piano for over 10 years, finished certificate of merit test level 10 (highest level, passed with honors)
tennis grades 6-10, 2 years on school junior varsity team
FRC robotics all 4 years of high school ( build captain grades 11-12)
internship at a local peptide synthesis company during summer after 10th grade
internship at a biochemistry research startup firm during summer after 11th grade
several school clubs
departmental awards in science classes
mentored a middle school robotics team for one year
over 125 volunteer hours at local science camps
self studying a lot of higher-level chemistry through my dad’s old textbooks and MIT Opencourseware
Your academics are great, but I would have liked to see more AP’s because you mentioned that your school only allowed 2 your sophomore year (you took 1). That doesn’t look great because it shows that you might not be challenging yourself enough. Although, your junior grades are what really matter. You took 3 AP’s which is good, but not great. I would have liked to see you take 5 or so. Although, you maintained all A’s throughout your high school career which looks good. I don’t like it when people don’t give a percentage on the chance for the colleges so here we go. All of your safeties (99%), matches (75%), reaches (hard to give a percentage but I’d say 30% for each).
@IvyDreams13 Thanks for the feedback and the percentages!
I just wanted to give you an insight into the AP situation at my school. There are 20 AP courses offered, including five language courses. For sophomores, AP Computer Science is offered, or AP (foreign) Language (if you are a native speaker or skip a year, which is what I did). I am not interested in CS, so I didn’t bother to take the course.
Additionally, nobody at my school (to my knowledge) took more than 3 AP courses at my school.
You are a competitive applicant. Your stats and ECs are great. Consider sending in a piano supplement if you choose music to be a major part of your application. Write good essays and you could get accepted to any of these schools
rstorm, I don’t think that you should be worried about it then because colleges will look into the rigor of your school and to see if you challenged yourself. Which you did. Overall, it really comes down to that essay. Make it good (:
Usually in CA public schools the typical highest track kid’s take AP English Lang in 11th and perhaps AP English Lit in 12th. Did you go off the track somehow? Also in 12th the track is usually AP US Govt for half year and then some sort of Econ class. Just an observation, no big deal. Your college list and categorization is very accurate and it will come down to essays and where you want to ED to. Those are the 2 biggest factors IMO.
@IvyDreams13 Thanks for the encouragement! I’ll definitely make it good
@ProfessorPlum168 Thanks for your feedback! My school does not offer AP US Govt. and only offered AP English Lit until this coming year (they are going to start offering AP English Lang this year). At our school, there is a mandatory government course that is taken during second semester sophomore year.
I forgot to mention one of my EC’s: I also have a patent application in the works and am looking for a licensing deal regarding this patent with a larger company.
Additionally, regarding UPenn specifically, what are my chances for SEAS and the M&T program? I know the M&T is extremely competitive and that I’ll probably be rejected (looking at the student profiles on the M&T website), but is there a chance at all?
I would add a true safety to your list. None of your safeties have above a 50% acceptance rate for engineering. I’ve seen strange things happen this cycle so I’d add a school you’d be happy with that is an auto admit.
UMich is definitely NOT a match school, especially if you’re doing engineering and OOS. UMich engineering is a reach for all OOS applicants. Your list is ok, just make sure you have at least one safety that you’d be ok with going to, because if you get extremely unlucky, you may be stuck with it. But I believe you’re a competitive applicant for all of these, even Penn M&T. GL!
I agree with SomeKid123 that the University of Michigan is a reach school for most applicants. Although, I think you will get into the University of Michigan.
I don’t think WPI is a safety for you. Your grades are very strong and SAT’s are excellent. But WPI kids tend to have better experiences related to their majors. The robotic is so-so ( no awards) likewise the other ECs. You need some awards to stand out in any of these applicant pools. Can you enter a piano competition? Or science fair?
@momofsenior1@SomeKid123@IvyDreams13 Thank you all for your feedback. I’ve adjusted my list accordingly. In terms of a “true” safety, I’m looking at the University of Delaware right now. Thoughts?
@Happytimes2001 I am worried about my extracurriculars. There’s not too much I can do between now and my application submission. I’m definitely not ready for any piano competitions coming up and I don’t have a specific project I’m working on that I can enter into a science fair - the work I’m doing at my internship is confidential.
Out of state acceptance rate to Delaware is 42%. Again, not a safety but a strong match. Look for schools that admit 75% of their applicants, preferably in rolling admission so you have an offer in hand early, where you can easily afford to attend.
@rstorm Can you do something like organize a blood drive? Really anything to show that you are involved in your community. Shouldn’t take hours and hours. Help others in any way.
@rstorm Patent pending is worth something, provisional (as in you filled out the application and have no approval-not so much) Also it takes a long time to get a patent or trademark. You might be done with college apps by the time you get pending notification. But if you held a patent pending thats definitely worth something esp if you can tie it to your intended studies.
I’m an international Asian student who got into an ivy. Your scores/grades look solid, and one piece of advice would be to continue finding opportunities to further exemplify your interest and skill in the realm of chem engineering. Tbh, imo piano and sports don’t add much weight unless you are some world class musician/athlete.
