So this guy walks into a CC forum and says, "What are my chances..."

Applying to College
1

Yo. Chances at Stanford, Yale, Cornell, Northwestern. They’re my top four, so I’m curious.

White Male, from Wyoming.
Rank: 1/330
GPA: UW:3.95, W:4.23
SAT 1: 2220 (750 V, 740 M, 730 W)
SAT IIs: October. Will take US Hist, Math IIC, and prob’ly an english one. Expecting 750+.
PSAT: 227, so I think that gets me some National Merit thing, I don’t know which one.
APs: Chem 3, UShist 5, Eurohist 5, Geo 5, Calc AB 5
Next year: AP US Gov, AP Physics, AP English, AP Macro, AP Micro
Other Honors/Advanced:
Calc II, Calc III, Differential Equations, and Stats all at local college because I finished the math track at my school, getting A’s in all of them.

Oh, the AP US, the AP Geo were both independent study, as will be the Macro/Micro next year.

I don’t know if this matters but I basically tested out of freshman year.

Awards/ECs:
Debate:
As Frosh: Won outstanding Novice.
As Soph, 1st Alt. to NFL Nats in Foreign Extemp
As Junior, 3rd place state Foreign Extemp, along w/Placing in top 60 at Nats in FX.
Also kicked butt in LD at several tournaments in-state, but nothing too eye-catching in WY.
Was also VP of Debate team, and won the Outstanding Contribution to Forensics award, which is kinda like MVP.
Senior YR: Prez debate team, and our season starts too late for it to impact Apps, but will be starting a program to recruit and train middleschoolers in debate.

Spanish Club (9-12) prob’ly secretary or VP next year, but it’s not a big deal really.

Ultimate Frisbee Club (11-12): Founder and VP Junior Year, Prez Senior Year, helped set up a tourney which attracted 30+ kids for Disc Golf.

Choir (9th, 12th): Didn’t do it the whole way through b/c of scheduling.

Other Music: Guitar (6-12) and Uke (10-12) Considering sending in a tape of Uke playing.

NHS (11-12): Prez, 12th, will be doing a ton of stuff, community service related, like tutoring elementary school kids, helping freshman adjust to high school, setting up college fairs, raising money for local charities. Expecting around 100+ hrs from it this yr, which will bring total Comm. Service up to around 200+.

Youth Court (11-12): Defense attorney.

Young Dems (9-12): Not much really for the club, but in 9th grade volunteered for Senate Campaign, as well as Junior YR.

Environment Club (11-12): Co-Founder and Secretary, involved in cleanups around town, and also in a program which we used to get recycling bins placed around the school (there weren’t any before.)

Drama (9-12): Participated in basically every play the school’s done, big role in my life, tons of hours during show times, possible essay source.

Sports:
JV Tennis (9-12), 11th grade won JV Sportsmanship award.

Summers:
For past four years, attended Northwestern U’s Summer CTD program. Last year, attended debate camp as well. This year, am spending 8 weeks Spanish Immersion in Spain.

Jobs: Not much, but summer/occasional/part time on a ranch that I love and will most likely be writing essays about.

Recs: Expecting 1 Really Good from my English teacher/NHS advisor, 1 Good from my AP Phys, and I’m not sure on the Counselor, cuz we’re getting a new one in the fall, which I’m not a fan of, but w/e, I’ll prob’ly get a decent rec at the very least.

Essays: Here’s where I think I can shine. Dad’s a writer, and I’m going to be putting full force into my essays basically the moment I get the Apps. I have a couple unique things, like my ranch work that I could mention, but like I said, expecting really good essays.

Legacy: Aunt and Uncle both attended Stanford, brother currently at Yale.

Chances?

2

<p>youre a match at northwestern, cornell, and stanford, but yale will be tough, as it will be for everyone.</p>

3

<p>I'm going to say chances are better than most at Yale and Stanford ... that Wyoming thing. Are you sure you're not also 1/16 Native American? Cause that would be really good =p</p>

4

<p>Match at Stanford? I was thinking SCEA there, but why do you say match at Stanford?</p>

5

<p>If the advice, like the above, makes no sense, ignore it! Stanford is every bit as much of a reach as Yale. Give the shots though, Wyoming will help!</p>

6

<p>Is anyone else sick of these freaking people who are first in their class and have excellent stats in every other aspect of the application asking for their chances? How would any of lowly students who are not first in their class know anyway?</p>

7

<p>didn't mean to offend, staygold, I'm just a nervous rising senior like all the rest of the people posting.</p>

8

<p>what do you want to major in?</p>

9

<p>microbio, bioscience, biology, something along those lines. maybe w/an emphasis on epidemiology. I know, it's not exactly a unique major.</p>

10

<p>Northwestern, I'd say you're in.
Cornell is also a good match.</p>

<p>Stanford and Yale would be difficult but the application is strong, just play up your involvement and be direct.</p>

11

<p>Is Stanford SCEA a good idea?</p>

12

<p>If you're looking for a remote legacy boost, the only way to snag it is SCEA.</p>

13

<p>Coming from Wyoming with that profile, you should be a match/slight reach for all those schools. I wouldn't be surprised if you got into them all.</p>

14

<p>I think this thread is about gone, so any last comments before it begins the endless slide into the abyss of old CC threads?</p>

15

<p>Sorry to bump this, but I just had a random thought that led to a stat. If you estimate (and this is a high estimate) that a state like WY or SD or what-have-you sends in 25 apps annually to a school like HYPMS etc., that receives around 20,000 apps annually, the percentage comes out to this. In an average year, 00.125% of the applications to a top-tier school come from your average underrepresented state.</p>

16

<p>I wouldn't send in a music tape unless you plan majoring in that department. Also, I've read that it's wise to only send a tape in if you're like a really astounding musician. Otherwise, you're just wasting proffesors' valuable time. If you are both of the afformentioned criteria, a tape is like icing on the cake I would assume.</p>

17

<p>Yeah I read that too after I posted, so probably won't send one in.</p>

<p>Isn't the stat frightening though? 00.125. That means that an adcom will read basically 800 apps before seeing one from a truly underrepresented state.</p>

18

<p>Well, you absolutely destroy the kids at our school who get in, but then again, Stanford loves Gunn for some reason. I think you have a great shot, you have unique EC"s that stand out, great rank (KEEP THAT RANK), and if you get close to 800, or even better - 800, on your SATII's, I'd say you have a great shot. Wyoming is also underrepresented I bet, so I guess they'll like that. I wouldn't worry if I were you, really, you are one of the better applicants I've seen, and the ranch essay seems promising, especially since I doubt many kids (if any) will have one. Good luck, I recommend you apply SCEA</p>

19

<p>Is you for real??? I think Harvard might be looking for a new president....why don't yu apply?</p>

20

<p>Um...yeah. I'm for real.</p>