Stanford SCEA chance...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>Finally thought I would post this after a long time of waiting. Tell me also if I would have a better chance in regular decision of getting in than in EA. I am a rising senior.</p>

<p>(this is all my stats after 1st semester junior year, my class rank has prbly gone up)</p>

<p>I come from a very competitive public school in Coppell, TX (part of DFW). In the class of 2006's top 10 graduates, we sent 2 people to Harvard, 4 to Rice, 2 to UT Austin, 1 to A&M, and 1 to Duke. (yes I realize there's 11 people in the top 10, this was because there was a tie for rank 10) </p>

<p>-Rank: 6/676
-GPA: 4.125
-SAT: 2220 (2240 superscored) (<em>maybe</em> retaking for regular decision schools)
-PSAT: 216 (not sure on National Merit, depends on which way the cutoff goes)
-ACT: 35
-SAT2s: Math IIC - 800, Chem - 740 (retaking in Oct.), USH - 720 (retaking in Oct.)</p>

<p>Sophmore year APs: Calculus BC (5), World History (3 but cancelled the score), Computer Science A (4)</p>

<p>Junior year APs: Statistics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, English Language, Chemistry, United States History</p>

<p>^^ ...expecting at least 4s on all, at least 2-3 5s...hoping for National AP Scholar (8 AP exams w/ 4 or higher on all)</p>

<p>Senior Year schedule (all APs): Physics C, Biology, Government, English Literature, Latin IV, Art History, Multivariable Calculus (not an official AP class)</p>

<p>I have taken one of the toughest schedules available in school. I have not taken every AP class available, my school offer 29 (out of the 39 or so AP subjects offered by CBoard), and by end of senior year, I will have taken 15 total AP classes.</p>

<p>I also think taking Multivariable Calculus will give me somewhat of an edge in the admission process since the highest offered by most schools (even really good private schools in my area) is Calculus BC.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (with grade level in parenthesis):
-Eagle Scout (11) (been in Cub Scouts since 2nd grade, went through Weblos as well)
-Chief Administrator of self-started online computer discussion board (cyberitforums.com) (9-12)
-Owner of self-started business (Forum above has been registered as a business, revenue from ads and other promotions) (registered this summer)
-Coppell Conservatory Piano Lessons (6-11)--- won several medals and ribbons on Sonatina and Fall/Spring festivals
-AMC - 10A School Winner (10)
-AMC - 12B School Winner, AIME qualifer (11)
-Have a lot more math competitions coming up this fall, hoping to do well (ARML, Texas A&M tourney, Rice tourney, etc.) (12)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 8th at Nationals (in NYC), 2nd at state in "Network Design Team" (11)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 6th at state in "Novell Network Administration", National Alternate (11)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 2nd at regionals, 27th at State in "PC Servicing and Troubleshooting (10)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 1st at regionals (9)
-Model UN member (11)
-National Honor Society member (10,11)
-Started building website for company Copy Cat Printing (10,11)</p>

<p>Leadership Positions (with grade level):
-Math Club, Founder, President (11,12)
-Boy Scouts Troop 700 Librarian (9)
-Boy Scouts Troop 700 Patrol Leader (10,11)
-State Officer Voting delegate for Business Professionals of America (9)</p>

<p>Community Service (with grade level):
-Primary Care Clinic of Lewisville (non profit clinic) - over 100 hours (this summer)
-Lewisville Senior Activities Center, part of SeniorNet program, taught senior citizens how to use computer (around 40 hours) (10,11)
-Babysitting 3 year old brother (around 4 hours a week, grades 9-12)
-Environment related activites (trash pickups, etc.) (10-12) (around 20 hours)</p>

<p>Stuff I like to do? (might help in what I will write in essays)
-Reading
-Basketball
-Running
-Lifting weights
-Investing (stocks)
-build, troubleshoot, repair computers</p>

<p>I am also bilingual (speak Malayalam, a language of South India)</p>

<p>On a site note, everything I do is because I genuinely like it. I have rarely done things to just pad my resume. So my quality of things might be a lot less than some of the people on here.</p>

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<p>you will be a competitive applicant (and your scores are good enough)</p>

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<p>Thanks. Anyone else have any opinions? Anyone here that has gotten into Stanford as well, can you comment?</p>

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<p>I'd say you get in. You're a really good candidate. gl =]</p>

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<p>Thanks both of you guys. I just wish more people posted in the Stanford forum.</p>

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<p>don't need to retake sat's at all...35 ACT is like a 2350</p>

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<p>Yep, pdef is right!
Write amazing essays and you have a great chance.</p>

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<p>Thanks guys. I'm still wondering whether or not I should apply to EA or RD. I mean, EA acceptance rate is double that of regular...but thats because the applicant pool is stronger, right? And someone told me that a lot of people who applied EA to Stanford got rejected, that would have otherwise, been admitted if they applied regular.</p>

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<p>You definitely have a good chance; if your passion/focus is business, then make sure to highlight that in your essays, which need to be awesome anyway.</p>

<p>"EA acceptance rate is double that of regular...but thats because the applicant pool is stronger, right?"</p>

<p>Correct.</p>

<p>"And someone told me that a lot of people who applied EA to Stanford got rejected, that would have otherwise, been admitted if they applied regular."</p>

<p>That someone was wrong; if Stanford wanted those people, it would have accepted them.</p>

<p>Apply SCEA if Stanford is your first choice. Simple as that.</p>

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<p>Actually, my passion is math/science + technology. The business is just a side-activity that goes along with the technology aspect. I don't have too many "science" things but I have/will have taken all 3 AP science classes as well as all the math classes at my school. Hopefully that shows my passion for science along with technology, shown by my business professionals of america medals (which are actually tech related, look at the exact event) and the business which happens to deal with the website.</p>

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<p>you can still apply if your 1st choice isn't stanford.
since Harvard and Princeton got rid of their early programs, this one's going to be competative</p>

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<p>Yeah, I realize that. But now I'm having the feeling I'm gonna have a hard time showing that my passion is math/science + tech. I've got the math and tech but not really much with science. Hmmm</p>

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<p>Ok, I got back my AP scores:</p>

<p>English Language - 5
Statistics - 5
USH - 4
Chem - 4
Macro - 4
Micro - 4</p>

<p>I'm hoping that all this shows that I'm pretty well balanced and unique? (how many science/biomed majors do you know that are into english and investing/finance?)</p>

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<p>btw...don't retake the SAT you'd just be wasting your money.</p>

<p>A 35 on the ACT is terrific.</p>

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<p>I don't really think your AP scores intimate quite as much as you think...</p>

<p>EDIT: Oh, I don't think that comment was linked to the listing of your AP scores.
Well, don't worry about displaying a passion in your transcript, do it in your essay.</p>

<p>You have as good a chance at Stanford as anyone else. Unfortunately, VERY few have a GREAT chance there. Don't try to use SCEA as a ploy to up your chances. The admit rates aren't telling enough to say that EA or RD is "easier" to get in. As someone else said, just apply SCEA as Stanford suggests: "for those students who have completed a thorough and thoughtful college search and know without a doubt that Stanford is their first-choice college"</p>

<p>I feel for you though - Stanford is one amazing school. Good luck to you.</p>

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<p>how;d u do on AMC and AIME?</p>

<p>u didn't list the scores</p>

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<p>You sound like a very strong applicant, assuming you have good teacher recs and essays. </p>

<p>I probably wouldn't mention babysitting your brother or the 20 hrs of environmental activities. 20 hrs over three years is just not that impressive-sounding. If you do want to mention babysitting your brother, DONT put it under community service, because it's not really community service (any more than taking out the trash is.) You can put into in the Additional Info box if you feel it's really relevant. You have so many other fabulous ECs, these weaker ones will only be distractions. </p>

<p>Your 35 on the ACT is excellent, and your SAT IIs are good. You have an insane number of APs. Considering how many APs you have though, your GPA seems a little low (although you are ranked sixth, so you might just have a tough-grading school). But I think overall your academic credentials are great for Stanford.</p>

<p>Your ECs are extremely impressive, I think. Just keep in mind how the applicaiton works. There are only about 7 boxes for ECs, with an anemically small space to describe them. There is also a longer box to put your academic awards. And three boxes for employment (where you can put your businesses). So you might want to begin figuring out how are you going to fit that all in. </p>

<p>As for being "well balanced and unique" -- forget it. Everyone who gets to Stanford is "well balanced," in the sense that they score well on AP tests in all subjects. Everyone professes to being interested in a variety of subjects. Stanford doesn't necessarily want balanced, they want lopsided. Explain your excitement in the connections between science/biomed and business, and you'll be golden. </p>

<p>Like everyone said, I would strongly recommend applying early to SCEA if Stanford is your first choice. For strong applicants (which you are) applying early gives you an edge.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I probably wouldn't mention babysitting your brother or the 20 hrs of environmental activities. 20 hrs over three years is just not that impressive-sounding.
[quote]

I thik it's probably 20h/week, and that's a lot, so I'd mention that...</p>

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<p>Yeah babysitting brother is 4/hrs a week for 3 years.</p>

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<p>"I come from a very competitive public school in Coppell, TX (part of DFW). In the class of 2006's top 10 graduates, we sent 2 people to Harvard, 4 to Rice, 2 to UT Austin, 1 to A&M, and 1 to Duke."
That's not as competitive as you think. Out of curiosity, why did you not post the destinations for your school's class of '07?</p>

<p>as for your chances... maybe, but maybe not. Your essays and recs may make a difference.</p>

<p>I would leave off the babysitting, and actually list the AMC and AIME scores. "School winner" doesn't mean much if no one else from your school entered.</p>