Reverse Chance Me

College Search & Selection
1

What would be some good safety and match/target schools for me? I am looking for middle/large size research universities. I will most likely major in biology on a pre-med track. location does not matter much. I would not need any financial aid.

I would like to know recommendations based off my whole profile including my ECs as I feel like just looking at mid 50% stats of colleges does not really tell me much.

Basic info:
asian male, california, both parents went to college, pretty high income, private jesuit school

Academics:
competitive high school with 400 ish students (does not rank but at least top 10%)
3.86 UW, 4.32W, UC GPA = 4.4 (for reference for UC schools)
taken max AP/honors every year but school limits pretty heavily (2 freshman, 3 sophomore, 4 junior)
Honors/AP: freshman - alg2,english, sophomore - precalc,english, chem (self-studied for ap test - 4), junior - englishlitAP, bioAP, calcbcAP,spanish 3H
SAT: 1550 superscore (750 EBRW, 800 Math), highest test = 1540
SATIIs: Math 2 (800), Chem (780)

EC’s:

  • VEX Robotics (9-12)
    win various local and state tournaments and awards
    attend CA state championships every year
    (hoping to make it to worlds this year - would this look good or is it too common?)
  • 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo, working towards my (4th) master degree (since i was 6 y.o. - 12th grade)
    assistant instructor - lead classes individually including color belt classes and black belt classes closer to my own level
  • School “Shadow guide” (11-12)
    act as guide to prospective freshman (basically just take them along with me during school day)
  • Teacher assistant for Spanish (11)
    mainly grading assignments and papers for teacher and occasionally helping out students
  • Volunteer at local hospital (11-12)
    will have ~150 hours by senior year
    just simple work around hospital as well as interaction with patients
  • Volunteer at soccer camp for kids with autism (10)
    pretty self-explanatory
  • work at seasonal hot chocolate shop (9)
    simple tasks like being a cashier, making drinks, and administrative work
  • immersion trip to Mexico City (11)
    helped at local school for abandoned children
  • tutoring club at school (11-12)
    tutor in math, science, english, and spanish
  • teacher assistant for catholic high school entrance exam, called HSPT if you’re familiar (11-12)
2

URochester, Case Western, BC, Pitt

3

Santa Clara University

4

Don’t write any essays about the immersion trip and don’t write all of them about VEX. Worlds always looks good.
I know your writing (hi!) and I want to caution you to write them well in advance and get plenty of advice from other people so that they flow.
I suggest UCSB, NYU, UVA, and UNC.

5

Thank you @taverngirl @thumper1 and @daunt18 . Can you all clarify whether the colleges you recommended would be considered my safety or match? Sorry that I was not clear in my original post.

6

I’m not an adcom. Your stats seem solid for Santa Clara.

Also, you say you need no financial aid at all…but some of the schools listed are in excess of $70,000 a year. Are you sure your family can pay those costs without taking any loans?

7

Best guess on my reccs - matches.

8

Mine were all matches for you. ASU or UArizona can be safeties.