<p>My idea of a chance thread is less about my actual chances and more about getting information from students and prospective students who know more about the school in question than I do. I'm adding another school to my list of universities to apply to, and I think Stanford might be the right one. I know everyone (well... everyone on CC, anyway) has a "chance". Even though I'm not sure whether I apply to Stanford, it probably won't be as a result of the "chance" thread but rather as a result of something else entirely, like whether I can afford the application. In my case, there are particular parts of my application that I've deemed weaker than others in my own grand scheme of things. Since I don't know as much about Stanford as you all must, I want you to help me pinpoint what's good in my application and what's not as strong, what can be improved and what is better left alone in order to improve elsewhere. </p>
<p>Let me talk about myself for a moment, since I have a slightly non-traditional story. I'm an African American student from a single-parent, low-income household. I went to a pretty crappy school, but I hated it. I actually love to learn and that school just wasn't doing it for me. Because of that, I transfered to a distance learning high school (Keystone, if you're familiar with distance learning). My mom doesn't have the money to pay for it, so I work about 25 hours a week to pay for my own private schooling and to help support my family. The thing about distance learning is that even though I'm getting a better education, my application is "damaged" by an impersonal counselor recommendation and an impersonal teacher recommendation (especially since Stanford "strongly recommends" recs from 11/12 grade teachers).</p>
<p>Here are the other schools I'm applying to, in order of how likely I believe I am to get into them (from least likely to most likely). Feel free to re-arrange them if you think there is a flaw in my order.</p>
<p>Yale University SCEA
Washington University in St. Louis
Tufts University
Rice University
George Washington University
Boston University
University of Pittsburgh</p>
<p>This list probably seems top heavy, but since Pitt has rolling admissions and I'd be perfectly happy there (and most likely able to afford it), I did not feel the need to add another safety. This is especially because I'm extremely pressed for money and I'd rather put in applications at schools likely to give me a full ride.</p>
<p>About Me:
Name: applicannot
Year: rising senior
Race: African American
Sex: female
Income: >$25,000 (family of 3)
State: Maryland</p>
<p>Stats:
GPA: 3.84UW <-- This is my GPA including my freshman year, in which I had a 4.0 because, well, freshman year is easiest! I will probably have a 4.0 the first half of my senior year (I'll explain), which means my GPA will still be a 3.84UW (school does not weight or rank). My 10/11 GPA is 3.76.
SAT: 2250 (720M, 750CR, 780WR, 10 essay, one sitting of two)
SAT Subject Tests: 670 Lit, 730 US History, 700 Math II <-- I'm thinking of re-taking the subject test for Lit (and maybe Math I, although Math II is really a lost cause). Because I get a fee waiver for the actual test and each test comes with four free score sends, I'll save money in the application process by re-taking the Lit subject test. And I really, really need to save money. Stanford is Subject Test optional - should I send them? My scores aren't bad, but they're not really Stanford material.
AP Exams: Euro 4, US History 5, English Lit 5, EnviSci 4
Rigor: 6 AP courses, 10 honors courses <-- I had planned on taking eight AP courses, but my school changed the policy for this year, so I'll only be able to take two AP courses - not the four I had planned. Because that's I'll have a light schedule compared to what I'm used to (not necessarily less rigorous but playing to my strengths), I should be able to get a 4.0 the first semester of my senior year.</p>
<p>ECs:
1. My primary EC is my work experience. I've worked 25 hours per week for the last year (over a year and a half by the time I submit my application), and 16 hours a week for about a year before that. I work to pay for my own schooling and to help support my family.
2. I am the Junior President (two years) of my community organization. I spend about 10 hours a week volunteering. I manage a budget, recruit and direct the youth members, volunteer around the neighborhood (we do oddjobs, basically), oversee and host community events, etc.
3. I spent two years as a Youth Member of my community organization. Not much different than above, just without the administrative duties. As a side note, I live in a beach-side community that sees mostly rich people who have their second homes there, which is why we have such a nice community organization. We just own a cottage there, so it's our only house and everything.
4. I was Freshman Speaker of the Council (appointed) and Sophomore Executive Board (elected) president. I was in the SGA. These were at my old public school.</p>
<p>Subjective Elements:
Of course I don't know how my essays will be. I do know that my counselor recommendation will be informative but impersonal. It should explain the distance learning system really well. If my teacher recs have to come from 11th or 12th grade, they will be crappy because you don't get to know your teachers very well through distance learning. If I am allowed to get one rec from ninth or tenth grade, it should be good, but I can't judge, having not read it. Is there anything I can do to mitigate these effects? My major is IR and a second major, but I haven't decided what to put yet. I put my occupation down as "social scientist other" and filled in "International Community Organizer/Capacity Builder".</p>
<p>This year I took Honors English 3, AP English Lit (I doubled up so I could take an English class at the college this year, but I can't afford it, so my plans got all screwed up and I have to take an English elective my senior year), Honors Geography, AP US History, AP Environmental Science, Calculus, and Japanese I. Next year I will take AP Statistics, AP Economics (macro and micro), Physics, Creative Writing, Contemporary World Issues (I know it sounds like a blow-off class but it's right up my alley and I know I will enjoy it), and Japanese II. I already have three years of Spanish.</p>
<p>I know this is ridiculously long. I'm so sorry. I appreciate any feedback.</p>