<p>General Things
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: East Indian (international)
Country: India (but living in Singapore for 16 years)
Current Grade: About to start my senior year (in singapore, schools run from Jan-Dec)
Financial Aid: Not applying for any sort of FA</p>
<p>*Grades *
-On a scale of 5
-Please consider this in view of how difficult my school is (very) and my test scores.
-Note the drastic rising trend
Freshman Yr 2.8/5.00
Sophomore Yr 3.4/5.00
Junior Yr (1st Semester) 4.19/5.00
Junior Yr (2nd Semester) 4.36/5.00</p>
<p>SAT Reasoning Test (took once)
SAT Critical Reading - 760
SAT Math - 790
SAT Writing 800 (MC 80 E 11)
SAT Composite (M+CR) 1550
SAT Composite (M+CR+W) 2350</p>
<p>SAT Subject Tests
SAT Math Level 2 - 800
SAT Chemistry 780
SAT Physics not taken yet
SAT Biology M not taken yet</p>
<p>AP Tests
- expecting all fives (entire graduating class above mine from my HS are AP Scholars with Distinction)
AP Calculus AB 5
AP Chemistry 5
AP Physics B not taken yet
AP Biology not taken yet
AP Calculus BC not taken yet
AP Statistics not taken yet</p>
<p>Extracurricular Activities
- Creative Writing for 8 years (very extensive, two international commendatory awards, President of Creative Writing Circle)
- Debate (expecting to be Captain next year)
- Journalism (3 Editor positions)
- Scrabble (several national level awards)
- Model UN
- Interned at renowned biodiversity museum
- Interned at a research facility for water technology research
- Conducting research on catalysts for fuel cells (cutting edge)
- 300+ community service hours
- Tons of other smaller ECs</p>
<p>Colleges
-Chicago and Columbia are my absolute top choices
Columbia ED
Chicago EA
Yale
Brown
Penn
Northwestern
Cornell
Berkeley
NYU Stern
Georgetown
University of Michigan
UCLA</p>
<p>Oh gosh, considering how hard it is for internationals last year, I have to put dampers on your application. I think your standarized test scores are extremely qualified, if not overqualified for some of the colleges on your list. A friend of mine got into UMichigan pretty easily with a 2150 + SAT, Similar AP Classes, and slightly less impressive ECs. He was also an international. However, he had significantly higher GPA than you, but I'm sure your school was extremely competitive (with your SAT and AP scores and only getting ~3.5 average). </p>
<p>So overall, I think many of the colleges on your list are reaches, but reasonable reaches. Yale, Penn, Columbia, Brown, Columbia, and perhaps a few more are reaches for virtually everybody. I think Cornell, Northwestern, Chicago, and Berkeley are low reaches, so you have good chances. The rest are probably high Matches/ Match. Remember I'm placing higher standards on you because you are international, and your GPA might skew my estimates by a bit though.</p>
<p>Overall, Very strong application and I hope you get in!</p>
<p>Yeah you are definitely qualified, your scores are extraordinary unlike mine. But like Sasoo said, internationals need to be overqualified for the college they are applying to. Your scores are amazing, and I assume the schools you apply to will understand the grading system, but most of those schools (particularly the Ivies and those California schools) heavily weight leadership positions. And also, I'm not sure if when you apply to Columbia ED whether you are allowed to apply to another school EA? I know Penn does not allow it, and if you do apply EA to another school, they immediately revoke your app. I think you have a pretty good chance at Chicago, Brown, NW, Cornell, Georgetown, and UMich. Columbia, Yale, Penn, UCLA, and Berkley are probably more of a reach. Although, if you apply to Penn's liberal arts school, you have a better shot "(as opposed to Wharton).</p>
<p>Which school are you in in Singapore, NUSH? If so, I'd say the GPA freshman year might be excusable. Those scores, in the context of the applicant pool from Singapore to some of the schools (Yale, Columbia, etc...), are okay - but they will not make you stand out. Also, did you participate in SSEF with your research?</p>
<p>Chicago EA - High Match
Columbia ED (I assume CC instead of Fu Fdn) - Low Reach coz of ED
Yale - Reach/High Reach
Brown - Low Reach
Penn CAS - High Match/Low Reach
Northwestern - Match/High Match
Cornell (I assume CAS) - Low Reach
Berkeley - Low Reach
NYU Stern - High Match
Georgetown - Low Match
University of Michigan - High-ish Safety/Low Match
UCLA - High-ish Safety / Low Match</p>
<p>Looks good to me. One thing - you're applying to Penn A&S, but NYU Stern - any reason? I reckon you'd be in at NYU CAS, Stern is tougher to call.</p>
<p>That aside... I think everything else has been said. Good luck!</p>
<p>yes, NUS high. well, frankchn, i really hope the freshman and soph GPAs are considered in light of my later improvement.</p>
<p>Penn CAS and Stern because i'm looking to major in economics and being realistic, i don't think i stand a shot at Wharton. i'd rather go the CAS route and transfer into Wharton if the chance comes along. </p>
<p>it's encouraging to hear that some of the ivies/chicago/NW are high match/low reach for me; it gives me hope that i'll get into at least one of them. </p>
<p>if it helps, for the uniqueness department, i guess i'm different in that my primary interest is creative writing (despite being from NUSHMS). my essays will be about this 'mismatch'.</p>
<p>These schools get lots and lots of applicants from your school, Singapore and lots of Indian candidates, so it will depend on how you stack up against the competition. There are only a few that will be taken at each from Singapore and you probably know several of those applying to all of these schools. </p>
<p>At the schools not need blind to internationals you have an advantage, but then again Singapore sends plenty of full pay applicants. You have the best window on the competition right where you are.</p>
<p>Please enlighten us as to how a school-goer can have an editorial level position as a professional journalist. Which magazine/newspaper was this?</p>
<p>I think it is highly improbable, as I work with the press myself, and I think the colleges will need proof of that.</p>
<p>^ the OP probably meant his school journal or something.
anyway i think columbia ED will be a low reach for you if your essays are really outstanding (i have a not-super-outstanding friend who got in columbia ED, probably due to her essays)... and if you aren't applying for finaid, Penn, Cornell and Chicago should be within your reaches too.</p>
<p>It's hard to believe Mac won't take you and probably Haverford. Again, it all comes down to the competition from Singapore. If half of your school and Raffles applies to Williams next year and they're willing to take 3 from Singapore, you'll need to stand out in that context. You've got the stats for consideration anywhere but it's all about the direct competition.</p>
<p>half my school won't apply to williams. at most maybe half a dozen kids will. not too sure about raffles but coming from a HS of math&science, most people don't really have interest in going to places like williams.</p>