<p>Fred, but would I be taking too much of a risk by not applying to anywhere easier than UCSB and UCSD?</p>
<p>I really don't think so. I think you are taking a very very small risk. It's your choice though, you could add just one more school if you feel it is necessary.</p>
<p>I probably should do that... but the list is getting pretty darn long! That would make it thirteen. And I was considering throwing Cornell on there, too.</p>
<p>"Kyle, that person was OOS (she said she lived in the West not in California-I think she would have pointed that out)."</p>
<p>She never said whether she lived in California or not. And there are plenty of people I could point you to who had the same stats (if not better) than the OP. Or you could do the suggested search.</p>
<p>"lso, when you state all the percent that gets rejected, ask yourself, how many of the people had all those stats and were instate and then got rejected?"</p>
<p>True, but I don't think the categories are mutually exclusive, not to the extent that 50-60% would be rejected. It's obviously very essay- and EC-dependent; you can see this not only in their common data sets, but also in 'actual results.' I suggest looking at the stats profiles and the 'actual results' thread, and also the threads at Berkeley's forum (UCLA too). You'll see examples that support my argument.</p>
<p>"I'm not saying that essays aren't important, but with the OP's level of accomplishment I would be highly surprised if she could not churn out an essay comprable to the average UCB/UCLA admit."</p>
<p>I wasn't saying that. I'm saying, I think she'll get into Berkeley/UCLA. But they aren't safeties.</p>
<p>"Look, she is highly involved in sports, a rare combination with high grades and test scores."</p>
<p>She is indeed involved in sports. But where are the academic-related ECs (i.e. non-sport or community service)? Other than French?</p>
<p>"She got 4th place in the nation, I think that distinguishes herself substantially."</p>
<p>That's one award, in an area that isn't her focus and probably isn't her passion.</p>
<p>"Frankly, she is going to be one of their top applicants stats wise"</p>
<p>If by "stats," you mean strictly GPA and SAT, then yes. Otherwise, far from.</p>
<p>"colleges of the top calibre look for intelligence first (GPA+SAT), EC's second."</p>
<p>You'll find that a high GPA/SAT will get you "to the door"; excellent, distinguished ECs and great essays get you "in the door."</p>
<p>"You are right, there is a reasonable chance (20%..I'm throwing a number out there) she'll be denied from some of those schools, yes."</p>
<p>So you're saying that she has an 80% (I'm just throwing a number out there) of getting in? That'd qualify Brown, Dartmouth, etc. as being safeties.</p>
<p>"I think you can only say HYPS is not a match for anyone (save someone who donates millions)"</p>
<p>Here at CC, you can't say that about any other school. The context here would be tons of extremely intelligent students. But really, in the real world, it's very difficult to call any top 20 school a 'match,' because a match by definition is one that you're a lock for, but it isn't an "utterly definite" thing, as would be the case with safeties. Berkeley is one of those that have become a non-safety.</p>
<p>"I am impressed because of her high grades (she's a val), her high test scores 2370 SAT and 2400 SAT II's, AND that she still has time do some ECs."</p>
<p>The students that get into HYPS+ are those who have comparable scores and grades and who STILL have amazing ECs. Even the OP admits they aren't what they could be ("Stats are amazing; ECs, less so").</p>
<p>To the OP: despite my being critical of you, I do think that you have a good shot at the top schools, and I do think that you'll get into Berkeley/UCLA. The other UCs are probably safeties. I'd recommend shortening your list, though -- are you really very attached to 13 schools? College searching should about finding the right schools, ones you would love to attend, and you find this attachment to a school through lots of researching about the school.</p>
<p>you're safe at the uc's.</p>
<p>the people that kyledavid is talking about are exceptions.</p>
<p>if you've got good sat's and a good gpa, you're in at the uc's.</p>
<p>from my class of 500, about 85 got into cal and ucla, and 96 got into just ucla. aside from the ppl attending ivies and top 20 privates, they mostly had w/e ec's and essays with good-high sat's and good-high gpa's. so don't worry.</p>
<p>floppy:</p>
<p>"the people that kyledavid is talking about are exceptions."</p>
<p>Given the stats I posted, how can they be exceptions?</p>
<p>People here seem to be impressed most by the SAT; the rest really isn't that impressive. Applicants like chillaxin are more impressive yet were rejected at Stanford.</p>
<p>kyledavid, no hard feelings. I'm trying to not delude myself (in spite of my mom's urgings to "Apply to Harvard and Princeton! You can get in anywhere!"-- so I appreciate an honest appraisal).</p>
<p>As far as the 13 schools... it's simply because of how facetious the admissions process is. My "reach" type schools are ones I have a chance at getting into, so applying to about four does increase my chances. Same with the "match" type schools... I'm pretty sure I can get into them, but I'm applying to several that I think I'd definitely want to go to, in case I don't get in them all.</p>
<p>Applying to more doesn't increase your chances, because admissions aren't random. If anything, I think that if you apply to too many, you can't put a whole lot of effort into some of them and it'll show in March when you get the results.</p>
<p>And I really do think you'll get into Berkeley/UCLA, but I don't want you to go on thinking that it's a safety; this last admissions cycle left many people devastated (April was hell here on CC, going through the tons of threads about results), and the top UCs are now very, very difficult to get into.</p>
<p>with her stats, i think berkeley IS a safety. one, she lives in cali. two, berkeley will accept the majority of cali residents with above 4.3 GPA and great SATs. a lot of my friends with not so good SATs but top 10 of class got into berkeley.</p>
<p>meanwhile, for ivy leagues, you could be looked on as another typical high grade/SAT applicant. try to find something that will make you stand out. you mentioned you played piano for more than 10 years, but what awards/competitions have you gotten out of it? if you just play for fun, then i wouldn't mention it unless there's something unique about it.
it's not a matter of how many ecs you have, but what extroardinary achievements you make out of them.<br>
i think the national french contest will help though. also, show what things you did in your clubs.</p>