<p>yeah me too. I can only hope that Stanford can see all of our passion…</p>
<p>Hey, I was accepted to Stanford SCEA, so if any of you have any questions, PM me!</p>
<p>Purmou why’d you choose to apply as a sophomore? It’ll be a huge stretch to get admitted with only half the time as everyone else to take rigorous classes/excel in ECs/get good test scores. But good luck!</p>
<p>I’m also applying, I was on the fence cause the supplement is pretty long and I already got into one of my top choices, but some people have told me that Stanford is the perfect fit for me… Idk</p>
<p>I agree with the “long supplement” statement. Stanford’s is definitely one of the most time consuming applications I’ve done, but it is also a way for the school to weed undriven people out of the application mix.</p>
<p>I’ve been taking high school classes since 7th grade, so I do have 4 years worth of advance courses on my belt. Plus, I’m taking double English, History, and Math this year, all Honors (my school doesn’t have AP).</p>
<p>Mostly, I’m no longer feeling challenged, and my interests are conflicting with those of other students. I want an environment where I will get along with other computer scientists, and where the academics are actually challenging.</p>
<p>But it’s a stretch for everyone, and I know the odds are a bit against me since I’m younger, but I’m proud of my essays and my extracurriculars are very strong (I’ve been comparing to them to some accepted seniors here…they measure up).</p>
<p>Good luck to all of you guys! Hopefully we’ll see each other next Fall. :D</p>
<p>That’s probably what’s making me so nervous: it’s impossible to chance for Stanford.</p>
<p>eeeeugrrhhghgehhhhhhhhhh purmou I looked through your older posts (don’t judge me) and I implore you to PLEASE reconsider your plan of applying only to Harvard, Stanford, and Caltech.</p>
<p>You are a very advanced student. The problem is, the majority of Stanford applicants were just as advanced or more advanced than you are, two years ago. They took their junior and senior years to take more college classes, get better at their ECs, and improve their test scores even more. Unfortunately, you have an inflated view of your own chances. At this point in your high school career you are vastly underqualified to apply to H, S, and Caltech. That’s nothing against you; 99.9999% of high school sophomores are not ready to do that. But if those schools are your dream schools, you’re shooting yourself in the foot by applying now. It is impossible to get in as a transfer, and SIGNIFICANTLY more difficult to get in as a reapplicant. No applicants to HYPS felt challenged initially in high school. You need to make your own challenges. Dual-enroll at a nearby university since your school doesn’t have APs. But at this point, you don’t have the experience or maturity to “do the work” at any top school and thus won’t be seriously considered for admission.</p>
<p>Please don’t take this the wrong way. As I said before you’re a talented student, and could be a competitive applicant in a couple years. You would be much better off maturing for another two years and then applying. But this “plan” is just setting yourself up for rejection at your three dream schools. What will you do next year if you don’t get into one of them?</p>
<p>I agree with unicameral, however if you truly believe that you have a shot at Stanford than go for it. But it is important to note that, because you’re a sophomore, you need to be even more qualified than seniors to get accepted. Stanford will only take a chance on younger applicants if they really show maturity. </p>
<p>I hope that helps your decision :)</p>
<p>Yeah, go for it if you want, but what is the backup plan if things don’t work out? Will you stay in high school or are you graduating early?</p>
<p>If you looked through my older posts, then surely you have seen my plans…</p>
<p>Either I will stay in High School and reapply next year, or go to my community college and transfer, which I know is much harder, but it is worth the shot.</p>
<p>I know it is a long shot. But I’ve compared my stats with some of the seniors here, and they match up.</p>
<p>I’m not going to be devastated or discouraged if I am rejected. But personally, I think things look good.</p>
<p>And I don’t see issue in applying. I have nothing to lose but a few bucks. And if I get in, fantastic! If not, I will decide on a course of action in April.</p>
<p>I appreciate the concern, I really do, but I am confident and completely sure in going through with this.</p>
<p>The only weak part of my application are my two subject test scores. I think my ECs are just as good as any senior’s…I have leadership positions, good service activities, and in more tan one subject/category.</p>
<p>But again, we’ll see. I’m confident, but I’m also not going to be damaged by rejection. :)</p>
<p>Ugh. I won’t comment again unless you indicate you want my advice, but this plan is destined to fail.</p>
<ul>
<li>Your course rigor/transcript, indisputably the most important part of college admissions, is terribly, terribly, irreparably weak. You have half of the classes of everyone else, and 0, ZERO, AP classes or rigorous classes of any kind.</li>
<li>You have 500s on two subject tests. That is automatic-reject level, not “weak” and certainly not “the only weak part of your app.”</li>
</ul>
<p>Those are the factors that will get you rejected without a second look at your application. Your 32 ACT is passable, low, but passable, if not for the glaring issues with your other scores and transcripts. Your ECs are competitive, but won’t even get looked at because of, again, the problems with your scores and transcripts.</p>
<p>Now, I’m sure this comes off as very insulting. You need to understand that the admissions officers aren’t going to be fawning over you because you’re only a sophomore. They will evaluate your application critically, as I have just done, compared to students with LITERALLY twice the qualifications that you have. For a sophomore you’re doing great. Outstanding, even. But you’re competing against other kids who were just as great as you when they were also sophomores. But they’ve been slaving away for an additional two years. You have a very limited and immature perspective of the world that may come across in your essays. I was the same two years ago. Two years is a long time. The difference is, everyone else waited, gained maturity, gained accolades, gained perspective, and then AND ONLY THEN applied. Please do not screw yourself over before you have the chance to be successful.</p>
<p>Now lets look at the back up plan.
a) going to community college and transferring
You won’t be able to transfer into the types of prestigious schools that you’d like from a community college. Best case you’ll get into a mid range UC or UCB if you are incredibly lucky.
Most competitive applicants to HYPS have effectively taken two years of normal college coursework (read: community college level) before graduating high school. This works out because they can apply as freshman, not transfers. I would be a junior at the University of Alabama next year. You have taken 0 AP classes, and are utterly unprepared for HYPS level work. To reiterate: most HYPS applicants will have finished their high school work, just like you, AND THEN TAKE 2 MORE YEARS OF COLLEGE CLASSES BEFORE APPLYING.</p>
<p>b) go to another year of high school
This is what you’ll end up doing. You’ll be enrolled in high school, but doing college level work, just like all the other applicants. Except for one key difference. You will have 0% chance of getting into H, S, or Caltech because colleges HATE reapplicants. It’s not clear why but it is a well known fact that after you apply and have been rejected, you stand little to no chance of getting in the next year. That’s why colleges ask if you’ve applied before on their supplements.</p>
<p>You have nothing to gain by going through with this plan. Please reconsider. At a minimum, post a “Chances” thread somewhere with your stats in it and give other people the chance to talk you out of this. Talk to a guidance counselor, or some sort of professional college counselor before you shoot yourself in the foot. I’m begging you.</p>
<p>My school doesn’t offer APs, so I’ve taken the most rigorous coursework available to me. I thought colleges like that?</p>
<p>And um…where is the list of all my classes that I’ve posted?</p>
<p>Stanford’s ACT 25th/7th Percentiles are 30/34. I’m right in the middle. That is just fine.</p>
<p>I have spoken to a professional counselor, Stanford alumni with a Ph.D in child psychology.</p>
<p>My GPA is 3.96 UW. My essays have been looked at by the same counselor, who approved of them without hesitation.</p>
<p>Caltech professes on its site that they will look for other evidence of academic proficiency if they are presented with bad test scores.</p>
<p>People with weaker stats than myself get in here. The only difference is that I am younger.</p>
<p>Oh, and I have a very close family friend who went to the community college her and transferred to Caltech. I’d rather believe the guy that actually did it than the guy who’s applying himself and is trying to convince me otherwise.</p>
<p>I still haven’t submitted my app 
Would anyone be willing to read my “What matters” essay? I don’t think it’s very strong and I’d just like some criticism, please.</p>
<p>@unicameral2013
While I agree with you for the most of your opinions and suggestions, I don’t think it’s worth it since none of them seems to be accepted by him. Going for his dream and getting crushed by the wall of reality may be the motivating factor for him.
As a third person, I strongly think getting 500s in SAT subject tests would almost definitely let him down. With 500s in subject tests, it’s clear one cannot be successful in H,S, Caltech’s rigorous curriculums. And really, 2 years is a long time. I gained not only academic knowledge but also so many thoughts and experience that are well-reflected in many of my application essays.
purmou is definitely bright and diligent, but applying to H,S and C is not wise nor mature. There are lot of kids who are full of themselves and believe they have a solid chance just because they are the smartest students in their high schools(I was one of them like 2~3 years ago). He is generalizing, perhaps very few cases, to his possibilities which are quite unlikely to be applied same for him. Applying to Ivy+ universities at such age is always against the applicant. Unless one proved oneself highly qualified for certain talent or have accomplishment that shows genius, it’s very unlikely to be accepted. Being young is not a privilege, but a setback. I’m not sure about how disadvantageous re-applying is, and if it’s so, the consequence can be very frustrating for a bright student like him.</p>
<p>Yep, I’m done trying to help. It’s just disappointing. :(</p>
<p>Let’s get back to Stanford RD discussion! I’m having second thoughts about filling out the supplement, idk I am so sick of applications. Ugh.</p>
<p>Just do it unicameral. Might as well.</p>
<p>So… Who’s been staring at their essays for the past couple of days, trying to edit them to perfection? :)</p>
<p>Meh. I sent in a fee waiver request. If they don’t accept it, I won’t apply, lol.</p>
<p>alexissss, have you finished the Stanford supplement?</p>
<p>No. I have one more essay thing. I’m mostly applying because of the financial aid that is offered. <em>^▁^</em></p>