<p>I'm applying to Rice as my top reach school, and its the one I most want.</p>
<p>White, Female from Austin Texas</p>
<p>Stats</p>
<p>SAT
Reading 720
Math 690
Writing 660 ( a bit lower than I expected, hoping to make up for it with good essays)</p>
<p>SAT2
Biology M 780
Lit 770
Math II 710</p>
<p>APs
Government 5
Eng Lang 4
Physics B 4</p>
<p>GPA<a href="weighted/unweighted">/U</a> 4.07/3.81
Class Rank top 3rd --- both bit low but I go to an UBER competitive magnet school. Must have a 4.5 to be top 10%. Small class size (only 150) doesn't help. Anyone at our school would be top 15% at their home schools. </p>
<p>Current AP classes-
Environmental Science, Calculus AB, Eng Lit, Economics</p>
<p>Extracurricular
Varsity Lacrosse
NHS president
Student Council Vice President
Model UN senior delegate (help with rookies/chair simulations etc)
a few others, less important</p>
<p>Also have some killer recs on my side.</p>
<p>MAJOR HOOK, and the tricky part:</p>
<p>My class rank and GPA are low because I missed a whole ton of high school because I'm a 2 time cancer survivor. I missed about every 3rd week the fall of freshman year and the same fall of junior year (I was planning on taking 5 APS but stuck with 3). I don't know if my test scores are high enough (they aren't that high, I only took the SAT once b/c of my parents...) to "prove" that I am actually smart, so I'm worried. </p>
<p>I don't know if anyone knows anything about this, but I'd appreciate any input.</p>
<p>I have 2 major interests: international relations/politics and biological/environmental sciences. They’re about equal in my mind right now but I have to chose a school - with the stated option of later changing- so they can gauge my interest. Anyone know which one “sounds” better for a girl? </p>
<p>What a terrible question, but I have to ask.</p>
<p>*<strong><em>Will chance you back</em></strong>**</p>
<p>I’d say Rice will likely overlook your SATs, since most upper schools look at far more than just test scores.
Did you write your essay about being a cancer survivor? That’s a experience that most teens have not been through and will certainly set you apart from the crowd.
Also, I’d apply for biological/environmental sciences. Women are less represented in the sciences, thus leading to a greater probability of being accepted.
Good luck!</p>
<p>I think the key here isn’t the potential you have to get in, but the way you express yourself as a cancer survivor. I hate to make any generalizations, but I’m sure that was a riveting part of your life.</p>
<p>Be especially careful not to make it sound like you are making excuses for yourself… when you should be saying instead that your GPA is proof of your resilience. That you have thrived even through the hardest challenges a kid could ever experience.</p>
<p>Thanks for the chances! They do help put me at ease. </p>
<p>And it didn’t really come off in my OP, but that’s really what I’m trying to do. My essay’s about joining the lacrosse team despite zero athletic talent and not being able to move my toes. </p>
<p>Anyone out there an actual survivor who could help me out I wonder? It hard because 95% of the teens with cancer I know have lost so much school time that they end up in community colleges for a few years.</p>
<p>Wow, I’m personally really impressed that you managed to maintain those grades after being a 2 time cancer patient, and I’m sure the adcoms will be too if you write a compelling essay (:</p>
<p>I think you have quite a good chance at Rice (:</p>
<p>Your ECs definitely supplement your not so high scores.
Good luck! and chance back?</p>