Rice University, possibly JHU

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So basically, I hate starting this thread because I can never help any of you who need help and yet I'm sitting here asking for help. <em>sigh</em> But here it goes.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9000 (Yes, THAT exact)
No additional credit for AP or Honors classes.
Class Rank: somewhere in the top 8-10%</p>

<p>SAT, the first time:
M: 770
CR: 640
W: 700
Total: 2100</p>

<p>SAT, the second time:
M: 750
CR: 610
W: 750
Total: 2100
***I am retaking it again. And studying my butt off. I know the CR score needs to go WAY up. I'm hoping for at least a 700.</p>

<p>PSAT: 205, semifinalist for National Merit</p>

<p>SAT II Bio: 760
In October, I'm taking Math IIC and Chemistry. Projected scores are 740+.</p>

<p>AP Bio: 5
AP Chem: waiting scores, probably 4
AP Calc AB: waiting scores, probably 5</p>

<p>By the time I graduate, I will have taken every AP class and test my school has to offer (which, sadly, is only 6), as well as complete 4 college courses that my school is paying for. (2 math classes, 1 biology class, 1 chemistry class.)</p>

<p>My extra-curriculars are my weakest points.</p>

<p>Freshman year: volleyball
Sophomore year: Harmony (this equity thing), Speech, Drama
Junior Year: Harmony, Speech, Drama, Junior Leadership (for which I did crap for)
Senior Year: Harmony, Speech, Drama, maybe Model UN</p>

<p>I start volunteering next week at a local hospital for 3 hours per week. That will be the only volunteering time I have.</p>

<p>I would like to get into Rice University with the Baylor medical program. HUGE reach, IMO, is John Hopkins University. I'd like to know from an unbiased point of view what my chances are at either schools, and if there are anything I can do at this stage of the game to improve those chances.</p>

<p>Thanks very much for any input available.</p>

2

<p>Rice/Baylor is decided after you are admitted to Rice. Only about 4 kids a year get it. Are you from Texas? If not, where?</p>

3

<p>I'm from Iowa. And I think it's 15 incoming freshmen per year. I have lived in Houston for 4 years (TX for 5) and went to their summer program for a year before I moved.</p>

4

<p>It's 15. I don't want to sound negative, but I think Rice/Baylor is looking pretty hard for you. I'd say Rice itself is a reach, but it is for most people.</p>

5

<p>So you are an Iowa resident for application purposes. That should help you a little. Rice/Baylor is extremely tough, and they don't always fill the class. They only take the ones they want. You still get to take the same courses however and the overall med school acceptance rate is excellent.</p>

6

<p>Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?</p>

<p>I've always thought it'd be somewhat of a reach, but given that I'm taking the most rigorous curriculum I possibly can, I would have a chance.</p>

7

<p>You certainly have a chance, and I don't want to dissuade you, but know that Rice is a definite reach. I'm not as experienced with Johns Hopkins, but I'd assume it would be similar.</p>

8

<p>I think both of those schools are reaches, but you should still definitely apply to both. You'd probably have a better chance if you could do better on the SATs and maybe spice up your extracurricular list.</p>

<p>By the way, how did you get 205 on the PSAT and still be semifinalist?</p>

9

<p>"By the way, how did you get 205 on the PSAT and still be semifinalist?"</p>

<p>He's from Iowa. National Merit is stratified by state.</p>

10

<p><em>She's</em> from Iowa.
I made National meric semifinalist by like 3 points. And Dorian_Mode is right, the cut off is different depending on the state. (For example, in Texas, it's 217, I believe.)</p>

<p>Thanks for the input. =)</p>

11

<p>Haha..wow. 205 cutoff is crazy </p>

<p>In like NJ it's going to be like 223 or something</p>

12

<p>Sorry about that.</p>

<p>Yeah, Texas was 217 last year. I think it has the second- or third-highest cut-off.</p>

13

<p>"Yeah, Texas was 217 last year. I think it has the second- or third-highest cut-off."</p>

<p>So much for the crappy Texas educational system, huh? ;) I was pushed there more than I ever was in Iowa.</p>

<p>Will you be attending Rice, btw?</p>

14

<p>Yes. I was accepted off of the waitlist, so if you had asked me two weeks ago, I would have said Notre Dame.</p>

15

<p>If you don't mind me asking, can I see your stats? If you don't want to show, just ignore this post.</p>