<p>I am interested in my chances for some select schools. Not to brag, but I have to say that I have some very strong EC's that are very focused and have depth. However, my weakest part are the notorious SAT's. (I have yet to try the ACT and unsure how I will do on that, but would you recommend it based on my stats?)</p>
<p>Academics: 3.89 UW (4.14ish W)
SAT II: 710 Math (will probably re-take) I will also take Chem and aim for > 700.
SAT I (Based on practice test scores): 650 CR, 720 M, 670 W (2040)
Rank: Don't know, but defiantly top 20%, if I were to be a little liberal, then maybe 15%. There were easy and hard teachers for APUSH/APEng so some people easily got 4.0's. </p>
<p>EC's:
- Android App Developer (created 6 apps), basically have my own software company
- Started a computer club at my school.
- Participate in a lot of business GATE activities. REALLY LIKE BUSINESS!
- I tutor a kid in Computer Science.
- Sports: Fencer, rated as a fencer too. "D". Basically that means I'm pretty good, but not as a good an olympic-bound fencer. Getting a D took effort and a lot of time.
- I help out the little kid fencers 2 times a week for my community service.
- What I gave was mostly just the summarized version of my EC's. I could go into more specifics for each one, but I don't want to bore you. :)</p>
<p>Please let me know what you think my chances are ( use reach/match please) these schools. Thanks!</p>
<p>*In order from what I think are my highest to lowest reaches.
Penn (Wharton)
Stanford
Cornell
Columbia
Dartmouth
Duke
UChicago
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
Tufts
U-Michigan</p>
<p>I am assuming you are not a senior. At most a junior. I’d strongly advise you to raise your SAT II Tests to be >750. Especially math, where that is usually more of a trend. I’d also advise you to reach a 2250 to have a solid chance. I ask you this since I too see that focus in your EC’s, which could potentially make a great enough application essay that expresses your desire in your extracurricular (you don’t see fencing often as EC lol).</p>
<p>Therefore I can’t really chance you as far as it goes. I can’t necessarily do so considering what you have put on here, plus I feel it would be helpful considering how tentative your high school progress is. But hopefully you can take this advice and try the best you can considering whatever situation you might have and use it to your advantage. </p>
<p>Thank you for the response. I am actually a Junior right now and agree with you on the sat ii math. Probably take it in June. Any other recommendations?</p>
<p>What’s your intended major?
I think that if you could write some killer essays, you would be a match for all the schools you listed, though stanford and Penn are probably reaches (as you are already aware of).
Your ECs are focused and do have depth, especially if your intending to pursue computer science/software engineering etc.etc. as a major. </p>
<p>As for recommendations, as someone said, getting your SAT up couldn’t hurt. Other than that I can’t really think of anything. </p>
<p>Fyodor, I really like business/economics, and not far below that is math. I know it might not reflect it in my SAT scores, but I really like math and tend to do really well in the subject. Which schools would be best for an ED/EA target?</p>
<p>Many of your schools are simply unrealistic. It’s not just your scores, it’s your rank. Penn, much less Wharton, takes only a couple of percent who were not in the top 10% of their class.</p>
<p>You have nice ECs, but unfortunately nothing that’s going to get you into an ivy or peer without the stats. </p>
<p>Your ECs are solid but don’t stand out too much, and your scores are on the low side. Your GPA isn’t bad, but considering your rank, it’s not high enough for the very elite schools. However, there are many fantastic schools you should look into; since you like computer science, what about Carnegie Mellon? If I’m not mistaken, they were ranked #1 for computer science (tied with MIT), and you would have very good chances there.</p>
<p>You also need more safety schools on your list.</p>
<p>Thank you for your honest responses. I do have a list of safeties that my counselor game me, but I was more concerned with my chances for these following schools.</p>
<p>I also forgot to include the fact that I’m 25% Puerto Rican, 25% Spanish, and a combination of eastern european to make the other 50%. So essentially, I’m 50% hispanic and will probably put down Puerto Rican on my app. However, I do go to a well-supported high-school in my area, but that doesn’t mean my family is making a large amount of money either.</p>
<p>How would that help? Or would it not?</p>
<p>And overall, would you say that I should really aim for a 2200+?</p>
<p>I have to agree with Waverly. With class rank solidly in the second decile and SAT < 2100, every university you’ve named is a real reach. (You don’t happen to be a Michigan resident, do you?)</p>
<p>If you can score SAT > 2200, or its ACT equivalent…actually, as I look at your list again, they’ll still be reaches.</p>
<p>You have stats to get you into a lot of good, well respected institutions. Even more so if you can get your SAT over 2100. But not these institutions. </p>
<p>And it’s not because there’s something wrong with you. It’s just that all those universities are going to fill their freshman class before they start admitting students with your grades, rank and test scores.</p>
<p>Getting into those really famous colleges and universities is just insanely competitive.</p>
<p>Hispanic can help, but there are so many highly qualified Hispanic candidates now that the boost, especially at elite colleges, mostly goes to low income/inner city school/rural farm worker family Hispanics.</p>
<p>Sikorsky. Thank you for the response. I will try and strive for a 2100+ with lots of practice. </p>
<p>Could you give me a list of schools that you think could be matches or low reaches? Much appreciated. Btw, what about NYU Stern, that’s what I forgot on my list.
Thanks</p>
<p>Alright, so I feel like everyone whose chanced you has either said you have a good shot with higher stats, or said that you have no chance no matter what…</p>
<p>Well; here’s my opinion… Your SAT’s are too low; raise them up. Your gpa: good, except your rank is really low, so then your gpa pretty much means nothing.</p>
<p>And I don’t really think your EC’s are as good as you think or some of the people on here think… Dont get me wrong, they’re decent, but not nearly as amazing as people are making them out to be.</p>
<p>I would if I could, Ninja, but since you’re interested in business, about which I know almost nothing, I’d really be just kind of making things up.</p>
<p>And enough people on CC are doing that already!</p>
<p>lesly. what do you think are ecs that are truly amazing? its just that I feel that my ecs are more unique and focused than most other people’s 300 hours of community service, 12 clubs and 1-2 school sports. but what does everyone else think? am I overrating my ecs? please let me know. thanks.</p>
<p>Csninja, your ECs are pretty good but there are tons and tons of people on CC and applicants to Ivy League schools with more than just sports and school clubs and community service. I recommend looking through the decision threads on this forum for colleges you’re interested in to see what sort of ECs accepted people had.</p>
I should have studied. But that’s in the past, and I just strive to do better for the future.</p>