Stanford, MIT, Columbia: what do you think?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Currently a high school senior:
Asian, Female
Major: Computer Science / EE
GPA: 4.0 UW
Rank: 5/600
SAT (I got my superscore on my third try): Math:800 CR:800 Writing:670 (cries)
ACT: 35 on everything except for writing 21 (cries again) so 30 english composite
SAT Subject Tests: MathII: 800 Physics:780

AP
Calc bc, environmental sci, comp sci: 5
english 3, apush, whap:4
physics 1, chem: 3

EC:
Robotics (FTC&FRC) two years, currently captain of FRC, went to world’s last year.
Teen Leadership : 4 years, volunteer program at library, 300+ hours
General Drawing: 2 years, co-founder/president, school art club
Jazz band: 2 years, pianist, won some soloist awards at random competitions
UIL Math: 1st at many invitations, 4th at region
Coterie of Alimentary Appreciation: founder/president:“It is a place to bond with fellow classmates through conversation and over food.” is what’s on my commapp. Idk it’s legit a lunch club.
Chinese tutoring: 1 year, piano tutor: 2 years
Waitress for one summer, Hostess/cashier for another summer

honors:
National honor society, mu alpha theta
AP Scholor with distinction
National Merit Semifinalist (hopefully will be finalist but who knows)

Applying to MIT, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, Baylor, UT Austin, Carnegie Mellon, WPI(maybe), Olin, Rice
For Stanford, I sent in a music portfolio (10 +years classical b/c Asian) and an painting/drawing portfolio but i can’t really judge their quality. My piano teacher liked the sound but not the camera angle? Whatever, I was just throwing things at Stanford like “notice me senpai” but then the deadline for a music supplement was dec. 1, so I didn’t include some EC’s in my haste to finish the commonapp ;_; BTW, where do you add total volunteer hours on your common app? I just slid it in to the description part of activities but I didn’t have it for Stanford ~~.

Anyway, for people who have been accepted/are going to the above schools, do you think I have a good chance?

2

Your scores are problematic and ECs are not strong enough for that caliber of schools.

3

Welcome to UT Austin

4

Not sure what the other comment refers to, your test scores are great. ECs seem good enough (although not stellar). If your essays are good, I think you have a decent chance. Being a woman applying for EE definitely helps a little too :slight_smile:

5

Thanks! Stanford, mit, and Columbia are all reach schools, Do you think Carnegie Mellon/Rice would be more doable

6

Haha we are fairy similar but I wish I had your SAT superscore- for the most of the top schools, writing does not matter and they only look at your composite score (CR + Math, for which you have a 1600/1600). Your SAT subjects are great and your ECs are ok- my only concern is that you’re slightly lacking in AP courses taken (typically Asians applying for MIT + Ivies take more; yes I said Asians because they will discriminate). However, you are female applying for Comp Sci/EE so that is a plus. I think you have a solid chance at all those schools.

7

@Insuperable yep just riding on the woman in stem card xD

8

I would say you’re competitive, but this is MIT and Ivy League and there are probably a thousand other students who have the same or similar credentials. I dont think anyone here can chance you, it’s all luck from here on out and how you present yourself. Present yourself as likable as you can. Present YOU.

9

Look at it this way… if you dont get into there, there are PLENTY of other top schools who would admit you. Rice is a match for you I’d say, though not guaranteed admit.

10

@okon2122 Thanks! I was feeling discouraged after reading the thread where the accepted students posted their stats and seeing all these people with better credentials being rejected from Stanford/MIT :confused:

11

Honestly, it all depends on the essays and rec letters. I think your stats are fine, though I agree that you appear to be lacking in APs (but that also totally depends on what courses are provided at your school and whether your school caps the number of APs you can take). For you, since your ECs are unremarkable (sad, but true. It take a lot to stand out these days), your chances are totally riding on those essays. They truly have to be phenomenal.

12

@Elrathia yeah, high schoolers are becoming more and more competetive. You have to find the cure to cancer for Stanford to look at you ;_;

13

I agree with the above. Past grades and scores top colleges look at your ECs, essays and recommendations. this is, to put it crudely, their standards, unless you have an amazing hook. If you were, say, homeless, and you really pumped up the story in an amazing essay they’d probably accept you.

14

Not that it matters, but how did you manage 780 on the Physics subject test and a 1 on the AP?

15

@collegemom3717 oh it’s physics 1: 3. Yeah the physics 1 test was insane this year. I was totally not expecting a 3 but life happens.

16

female comp sci is important, and it’s the lifeline that will give you any chance at a school like MIT or Columbia. It’s clear that you’re trying to sell yourself on the math/comp sci angle, but they may not completely forgive the writing score. I would play up the math accomplishments for sure, not as common for female applicants. A little surprised by your AP Physics performance though, since you’re going for a related field (not that it matters too much for apps).

Also you founded a club ‘Coterie of Alimentary Appreciation’? your description won’t fly - sounds like you founded it just for the sake of saying you founded a club, which is pretty low. it would honestly be better to take this off your app unless you actually did something meaningful with this club.

Not the greatest chances, but I wouldn’t count you out w/ a hook like yours.

17

@dblazer , thanks for the advice, I’ll keep that in mind. Yeah, like i said, riding off the whole women in stem thing.

18

Well you did get a 5 in AP computer science, thats very impressive.

19

@HarvardDream101 thanks, programming for the win

20

So you have a 2270 superscored SAT?

Nothing wrong with that – it’s above average at all three of those schools.

That 4.0 GPA is nice too.

Problem is, those schools let in only about 5-8% of all applicants. This means they’re all reaches for you, just as they are for pretty much everyone else.

And yes, for the other two schools you mentioned (which are on page 1, which I cannot see, lol), your chances will likely be somewhat better.

Don’t forget to add a couple true matches and a safety you could live with and afford!