Reach, Match, Safety--Chance Me?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, I will be a senior at Lake Park High School this fall. I am an Asian female. </p>

<p>~Academics~
Weighted GPA 5.7143
Rank 6/663
Senior Course Load--AP Calc BC, AP Lit, AP Spanish Lang, AP Psych, AP Bio, Ceramics I (UC fine arts credit)
AP Scores: AP Human Geo--5, AP World History--4, AP Environmental (self-study)--4, AP US History--?, AP Chemistry--?, AP Lang and Comp--?
ACT: Composite 35, English 36, Math 34, Reading 34, Science 36 (one-sitting)
SAT: 2180 supersized Reading 710, Math 770, English 700
SAT II: Biology E--680, Chemistry--710 (retake score?), Math II 680 (retake score?), Biology M--?</p>

<p>~Extracurriculars~
2004-2013 Piano
2009-2011 Library Volunteer
2010-2013 Badminton--Varsity 2012-2013, 2013-2014 (hopefully)
2011-2013 Student Council--Secretary 2011-2012, 2012-2013
2012-2013 Northeast District of Student Councils--Convention Chairperson
2011-2013 Homecoming Committee
2013-2013 NHS--President
2013-2014 Thespian
2011-2013 Hospital Volunteer
2011-2013 Elementary School Tutor
2012-2013 Psych Club
2012-2013 Yearbook Photographer
2012-2013 Future Medical Professionals Club
2013-2014 Key Club--local chapter founder</p>

<p>~Awards~
2012 Rotary Youth Leadership Award
2012 Illinois Music Association Piano 1st Place
2012 Board of Education Achievement Award
2012 Discus Award
2012, 2013 Athlete of the Week Award
2013 AP Scholar with Distinction (expecting)
2013 PSAT National Merit Scholar</p>

<p>~Other~
2011 ISU Research Camp
2012 Northwestern Camp Cardiac
2012 Millikin Student Council Camp
2012 Rotary Youth Leadership Camp
2013 LEAD Camp
2013 Northwestern Medical Internship</p>

<p>~~INTERESTED SCHOOLS~~
Northwestern
Wash U
Ivy's
UC Schools
Johns Hopkins
NYU
U of Michigan
BS/MD Programs--Northwestern, Wash U, Brown, UIC, Rice, UC San Diego, George Washington</p>

<p>THANK YOU!</p>

2

<p>NWU: Reach (HPME and regular)
WUSTL: Reach (BSc/MD and regular)
Brown: Reach (PLME and regular)
JHU: Reach
NYU: Match
UMI: Match
Rice: Reach (BSc/MD and regular)
GWU: Reach (BSc/MD)/Match (regular)
UCSD: Reach (BSc/MD)/Low match (regular; can you pay full-freight?)
UIC: Reach (GPPA)/Safety (regular)</p>

3

<p>Use your ACT score for application. You do qualify to apply to all these schools with above average chance. UMich should be a match to low match for you.</p>

4

<p>Thank you guys! I appreciate your feedback :)</p>

5

<p>JHU: High match</p>

6

<p>Can I get anyone else’s opinion??</p>

7

<p>You’re a pretty solid applicant, so I think people are being a bit too harsh in this thread</p>

<p>BS/MD: Always a reach, for all schools, especially since you don’t seem to have any huge background in the subject.</p>

<p>Safeties: All UC’s besides UCLA, Berkeley. UMich, NYU
Low Matches: UCLA, UCB
Matches: GWU, JHU
High Matches/Low Reaches: Cornell, Brown, Upenn.
Reaches: Rest of the Ivy’s</p>

8

<p>If you have time, retake the subject test and try to get 750+ in each. Although you may use ACT score for school applications, some school still want to see subject test scores. Having SAT2 below 750 is not good for top schools.</p>

9

<p>Thanks everyone. Billcsho I just retook the SAT II so hopefully those will be better. I also am retaking the SAT in the fall to try to increase my score.</p>

10

<p>Frankly, around a 700 is pretty average - in no way will a 710 hold you back. Perhaps the 680s (a 690 is really no different from a 700, but the subjective look of a 700 does have an influence.)</p>

11

<p>You really don’t need to waste your time to retake SAT1 with an ACT of 35. Did you take the ACT with writing? If not, it is not as useful and you may want to retake ACT instead.</p>

12

<p>Note that SAT2 average is around 610-660. So you can tell how (not) impressive an 680 could me.</p>

13

<p>My ACT writing was not what I wanted so I will be retaking the SAT in the fall and hope to do particularly well on that writing. What activities do you suggest I do this summer/early fall? I just started my internship that will go 6 weeks.</p>

14

<p>The one BSc/MD program where Asians actually have an advantage is Villanova…</p>

15

<p>@billcsho: She’s frankly higher than 50th percentile for every single one of those tests, and these are self-selecting tests, too. Wasting time and money studying for a slew of tests where she’s already got marks in the ballpark won’t be as effective as doing enriching activities or making great essays. If she doesn’t have a voice in her essay that speaks to the schools, then it doesn’t matter if she gets 800s on seven SAT IIs.</p>

<p>@legooo: A 36 will not differentiate her from a 35 any more than getting a weighted GPA of a 5.8 instead of her 5.7. Additionally, her activities are actually quite spread; not necessarily a good or a bad thing. Her ECs are compelling and strong, and she’s done something every summer.
How would she even distinguish herself from other Asian applicants? Should she bleach her hair blonde and get colored contacts? Oh wait…</p>

<p>I’m gonna weigh in too. Assuming that you’re of an “average” family from your school (pretty comfortably middle-class):</p>

<p>Northwestern: Middle-high match (Do you feel confident in your piano playing enough to send in an arts supplement? Would you be able to audition into a place like Oberlin or UCinn as a music major? That could boost you, especially at the non-Ivies.)
Wash U: Low match
Ivy’s: Reach for anybody, but I think you’ll probably get into your fair share with strong essays.
UC Schools: Definitely all safeties except UCLA and UCB. UCLA a low match, maybe a mid-match for UCB.
Johns Hopkins: High match.
NYU: Safety.
U of Michigan: Low match (maybe safety?)</p>

16

<p>^ For top schools that require SAT2, having SAT2 scores below 75% (~700) would really hurt your chance. For Ivies, you need to aim at 90% or above which is 750 or higher depending on subject. Do you think Ivies would be interested in someone just above average? Here I am talking about those require SAT2 not the optional ones.</p>

17

<p>Having an ACT of 35 without writing is really a waste.</p>

18

<p>@averageviolist thanks! I wouldn’t mind submitting it however I am not quite interested in majoring in music. </p>

<p>Thanks to everyone! Also, would anyone recommend any resources to write a strong admissions essay? Such as a counselor, course, or even just a book I can buy?</p>