"Top 40" Chances, Ivy ED Chances, + help me find safties!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Because of my severe lack of ECs, I've become relentlessly insecure about my college list ... so please, recommend some good safeties for me! Oh yeah, and please critique my other college choices, too. :) Please tell me if my matches are actually reaches and whether or not I should even bother applying ED to UPenn or just apply ED somewhere else.</p>

<p>Best SAT </p>

<pre><code>2050 (raised 130 pts. from last; retaking in Oct. to try in vain to raise math above 600)
CR: 760
W: 710
M: 580 (I like math a lot, but the feeling just isn't mutual)
</code></pre>

<p>SAT II</p>

<pre><code>Bio E: 650
Math IC: 570
German: 500 (Didn't know from the easy practice test that you actually have to be completely fluent...)
</code></pre>

<p>AP Scores As of Junior Year</p>

<pre><code>US History: 4
US Gov't: 4
English: 4
Biology: 4
</code></pre>

<p>**Classes and Cumulative GPA <a href="School%20does%20not%20weigh">/b</a>: 3.76 </p>

<pre><code>Freshman: Around a 3.6
</code></pre>

<p>Didn't know about the whole college thing back then. ;-)</p>

<pre><code>Soph: Around a 3.7
AP USH - A
Honors German - A
Japanese - A
Honors Chemistry - A
Marketing - A/B (!)
Algebra-2 - B/C (!!)
PE 2 - A (who cares?)

Junior: 4.0 (4.4 if weighed)
AP Eng
AP Bio
AP Gov't
German 3 (Honors)
Japanese 2
Adv. Computer Apps
Digital Photography

Assumed Senior Schedule:
AP Calc
AP Chem
AP Eng 2
AP Comp Sci
AP Comparitive Gov't (Independent Study)
AP Macro/Micro Econ (Independent Study)
German 4 (Honors)
Japanese 3 (Honors)
</code></pre>

<p>ECs: Be prepared to be underwhelmed!</p>

<pre><code>(Can't do many ECs b/c mom works 9 to 6, dad works 12-hr grave shift on weird schedule. On top of that, mom didn't think colleges actually cared about ECs and hates me doing anything besides schoolwork, I'm not allowed to use public transportation, and I have no car. Excuses, excuses, I know. Oh, well.)

Judo - 1.5 years (the EC I'm most passionate about, haha)

JV Tennis - 1 year

One of 3 girls in my class of 2007 selected for Oregon Council for the Humanities Summer Honors Symposium

NHS member since sophomore year, like everyone

Not even going to you my mention petty community service hours, job shadows, web sites/art/music/ect created.
</code></pre>

<p>Essays, Recs</p>

<pre><code>Outstanding essays and 3 excellent recs from longtime teachers, I assume.
</code></pre>

<p>Hooks, ect</p>

<pre><code>Well, I guess I'm the only kid in my entire school to take 2 language classes for 3 years (German and Japanese). I love learning languages. Self-studied German since 7th grade, and computer languages like HTML, JavaScript, Java, ect since 5th. So I guess I can tie this stuff and my general international interests to my possible majors in my essays & short answers.
</code></pre>

<p>My School:</p>

<pre><code>It's going to be 4 years old this year; so my class is the first to attend it from 9th-12th.
</code></pre>

<p>Suburban, not at all competitive. Not very high achieving overall. Last year we had only about 5 kids (out of around 250, mind you) get into "Top 40" schools, the best being Carnegie and UPenn. The previous year (first graduating class), nobody got into a Top 40.</p>

<pre><code>Our school is also part of the OSSI (Oregon Small School Initiative) and has an "academy system" that consists of 4 academies (Art, Health and Human Services, Media and Business, and Engineering and Tech). I'm in the ET academy ... not that that actually means anything anyway.
</code></pre>

<p>Personal:</p>

<pre><code>Half Fillipino, half caucasian (in other words, I'm White).
Oregon resident and US Citizen.

Combined income of (divorced) parents is just over $50,000.

Mother attended the University of Manila (Philipines).
Father did not graduate from HS, but earned his GED about 3 years ago.
</code></pre>

<p>Intended Majors:</p>

<pre><code>International Relations, Linguistics, or Computer Science (Ha)
</code></pre>

<p>*Current safeties: *</p>

<pre><code>University of Washington
University of Oregon
</code></pre>

<p>*Possible Matches and/or Reaches: *</p>

<pre><code>Carnegie Mellon
USC
Boston College
Tufts
University of Notre Dame
Amherst
Case Western Reserve
UC Berkley

UC San Diego
(and no, I won't apply to all of these)
</code></pre>

<p>Hail Mary: </p>

<pre><code>UPenn (Early Decision) or Cornell ED

    **Thanks for any input!** :)

</code></pre>

2

<p>I think you'll get into your safeties. :) You'll also be admitted to Case, it could potentially be considered a safety for you. </p>

<p>Then you've got your MATCH/REACH schools. The cluster including UCSD, Tufts, USC, CMU, BC, ND. It could go anyway with those privates, as they aren't numbers based. Your ECs look terrible though, although you have plausible excuses for them, colleges will likely not care. They aren't going to admit someone who they view as someone who isn't going to get involved with their social environment and contribute to the school. Not saying you are this kind of person, but that's how colleges will see it. And that's what makes me think these are reaches for you.</p>

<p>It will be near impossible to get into Amherst, Berkeley, and either of your hail mary schools. Berkeley OOS I would say is as tough as Ivy League and could be just as much as a "Hail Mary" as Cornell.</p>

<p>Don't know if I would call some of those schools "Top 40" considering their low peer assessment scores though (talking about BC, Tufts, and Case). But you should be in at UWash which I view as a "Top 40" so your dream of a top 40 shouldn't be shot down.</p>

3

<p>haha there you go again A2Wolves, tufts not a top 40 school right</p>

4

<p>No, on many lists it isn't. The only reason it is considered top 40 on some lists is because of factors that have nothing to do with the quality of academics and teaching.</p>

5

<p>put em up.. put em up !!! you got amazin extracurriculars giiiirl =]</p>

6

<p>and schools like UWash are in the top 40 because they have good graduate programs, which also have nothing to do with undergrad education. this is going back to the other thread though</p>

7

<p>Yes, keep making incorrect assumptions like that. Peer evaluators aren't stupid. There is a reason Tufts has a 3.5. LAC's have higher ratings than that, and don't try telling me that they get it because of their grad programs. They aren't top 40, deal with it.</p>

8

<p>PEER assessment ratings. LACs are asked to only evaluate LACs, as nationals are asked to only evaluate nationals. So according to your logic, Villanova (4.2) is better than WUSTL (4.1), all those publics, and the privates mentioned (ND, BC, Tufts...) do you think this?</p>

9

<p>Thanks a bunch for your input, A2Wolves. :) And very funny, Mr. permutations ;) ...</p>

<p>Can anyone recommend some match schools for me?</p>

10

<p>I don't think this, the peers do. They are more educated than me in colleges and where their strengths are.</p>

<p>How about you try contributing to this thread, or would you rather troll me? I mean, you PM me asking for the rankings, I give you them, you notice that your school is low, you then create a thread looking for some sort of justification, get it from Sternman who's reasoning is poor and incorrect, then make false claims yourself trying to figure it out. Just accept it. They know more than you or I. They have been through college, and their job (what they get paid for) depends on their knowledge of other schools and their departments. When they make rankings, they ususally know what they are talking about.</p>

11

<p>UW is a safe match, not a safety. You are out of state and your SAT/GPA isn't amazing. UW honors is a reach. A friend of mine from OR got into Cornell but not UW Honors with a 3.9 and better SAT's/EC's than you...</p>

12

<p>Cool, thanks for your input, I'll keep that in mind.</p>

<p>But does anyone have any recommendations for matches and safties?</p>

13

<p>Not trolling you, just making a valid point. i would prefer if you didnt bash my school on someone elses chances thread.</p>

14

<p>Find one place on this thread where I said Boston College was a bad school, or even remotely insulted it.</p>

15

<p>actually, please do mention the community service and created art stuff, it sounds like it could be pretty interesting. and btw, IR is a hard major. taking the extra language classes will definately look good to a college with what you are intending to major in.</p>

<p>also, sort of concerning what a2wolves said, about the "colleges will likely not care" about your EC's, thats not really true. Agreed it will show whether you want to participate in activities and such in college in an interview, in essays, etc. However, in your case the EC's depend on context. If you haven't really gotten involved in clubs related to language, or stuff like Model UN (if your school has one of course) it might not look so great, sort of like you are uninvolved. Of course I don't know what is available at your school, so if let's say Model UN doesn't exist at your school, why not found one, it looks great, and is fun, and if it does exist, join and do something productive, it seems like you are interested in that field...</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

<p>and with the peer assessment stuff, its also based on context. Tufts is put in the category of National Universities, it has harder competition. A school like Villanova is put against other Masters Universities, that has a big effect on what its rating will be. Sort of like how the Mets are the best team in the NL this year. You can't directly compare them to the AL or make predictions on what their record would be (as you guys are debating). Its the same with LAC's vs National Universities. You can't make direct comparisons, it makes no sense, and public vs private is also just as hard to compare. So guys, why bother arguing the endless argument, you wont accomplish more than wanting to gouge each others' eyes out...</p>

16

<p>jukujuku:</p>

<p>UCB: Reach (out of state)
UCSD: Slight Reach (out of state)</p>

17

<p>Thanks for your input, courtjestr and flopsy! :)</p>

<p>flopsy: Yeah, not sure if I will even bother with Berk, and I'm trying to avoid applying to public schools in other states anyway (so expensive!). ;)</p>

<p>courtjestr19: My comm service is basically just stuff to keep me in NHS ... the required 20 hours per year that I convinced my mom was "for school". Some stuff I'm surprised even counted, like when I was a cashier at a snack bar when my school hosted a national basket ball tourny. That kinda stuff sounds to pathetic to put on my app.</p>

<p>As for created stuff, will colleges really care very much about the specifics of my art or music if I'm going for a major in a completely unrelated field? And do you mean that IR is a hard major to take or to be accepted with (assuming the college puts any stock in intended majors)?</p>

<p>PS: Anybody know if Syracuse and Boston U might be slightly closer matches to me?</p>

18

<p>youre probably in at BU</p>

19

<p>Both are matches for you, actually more MATCH/SAFETY type schools.</p>

20

<p>
[quote]
The only reason it is considered top 40 on some lists is because of factors that have nothing to do with the quality of academics and teaching.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>A2Wolves, do you honestly think that Tufts isn't a top school because of poor academics? Would those factors be that we're very rich? We're quite poor with our endowment just reaching the 1 billion mark after going bankrupt a few decades back. We don't produce as much research as other universities, making our image in the academic community <em>lower</em> on the national rankings. Tufts focuses greatly on an undergraduate education. Please don't start spouting out garbage, considering that you know little about the institution. Also, if your "analysis" was so correct, have you considered the fact that the faculty:student ratio IS very low? Various other sources corroborate my assertions that the education one receives at Tufts is of elite caliber (Fiske's guide, Princeton Review). If you can't trust those anecdotal sources, what can you trust? Oh right. The peer assessment rating!</p>