Updated: Chance me for Ivies and others!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Applying to: Ivies, Northwestern, USC, Duke, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, UMich, Washington University, University of Notre Dame, Uchicago

I know it’s a lot of colleges, but I want to keep my options open. Thanks!

GPA: UW-3.95 W-4.52
Class Rank: Top 6.3% (45/710)
ACT: 31 (Going to retake to get 32+ if necessary)
Ethnicity: Mexican and Pacific Islander

Classes Taken:
Freshman-
-Honors Geometry
-Honors Chem/Phys (My school does 1 semester Chemistry, 1 Sem. Physics)
-Advanced Guitar
-Men’s Chorus
-Freshman English
-Spanish 1-2 (can’t be taken for honors)

Sophomore-
Honors Spanish 3-4
Honors Algebra 3-4
Honors Biology 1-2
Chamber Choir (Zero Hour)
Acapella Choir
Sophomore English
Business Management

Junior-
AP US History
Honors Finite/Brief Calculus
Honors Chemistry
Honors Chamber Choir
Honors Acapella Choir
Honors Spanish 5-6
Honors Junior English

Senior-
AP Statistics
AP Competition Government
AP Biology
AP Spanish Language
Humanities
Honors Chamber Choir
Honors Acapella Choir

EC’s:
-Community Chorus at my school (9,10,11,12)
-Stage Crew for Choir (9)
-All-State Show Choir (10,11,12)(Audition Choir) (3rd Chair) (2nd chair)
-Regional Honor Choir (10,11,12) (Audition Choir) (7th Chair) (1st Chair)
-Chamber Choir (10,11,12) (Meets during Zero Hour) (Performs at places outside of school)
-Music For The Cure Club (10,11,12)
-Choir Council (9,10,11) (Men’s Chorus Treasurer, Chamber Choir Treasurer, Head Treasurer)
-NHS (11,12)
-Voice Lessons
-Piano Lessons
-Be A Leader Foundation (President/Founder) (11,12)
-SPOK Tutoring (11,12)
-Relay For Life (11,12)
-Competition Government (12) (Tried out and made. Spends 3-4 hours a day researching about given topic to prepare for district and state competition)
-Arizona Ivy League Project (11,12)

My choir has performed at:
-Churches in and out of state
-Famous pianist William Joseph’s Concert
-Diamondbacks Games
-Caroling during Christmas
-Annual Jazz and Madrigal festival held at Northern Arizona University
-Middle School Concerts (Opened for them)
-Summer Conference for the American Choral Directors Association

Volunteer Work:
-Aloha Festival (Annual)
-Feed My Starving Children
-Tutor at Elementary Schools (SPOK)
-Tutor Peers
-Relay For Life

Summer Programs:
-ASU’s Barrett Summer Program (9-10)
-NSLC Medical Program at Northwestern (10-11)
-Job (11-12)
-Summer School (11-12)

Hobbies:
-Sing
-Dance
-Piano
-Guitar
-Ukulele

I plan on majoring in biochemistry and minoring in music or Spanish. Hope to go to medical school and become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

2

Try to get your ACT to a 34. Everything else looks good. GL!

3

@ben69420 Alright, thanks!!

4

If you want to bump your ACT score to a 32 then go for it. That’s a sensible threshold for these elite schools. However, I wouldn’t take it more than once more trying to get to some “magical” number. Realize that there are two tests you must pass for admission: Can you do the college work? (Your GPA and ACT score attest to that. Along with course rigor, class rank etc.) And are you a cool person that would thrive and be a lively part of campus life? (That’s where extra-curriculars and ESSAYS come in.) Remember at these top schools, there will be PLENTY of kids with stellar grades, a point or two in an ACT score will not set you apart. Your essays however will do that if you write them well enough.

5

You have a great chance at most of these schools. Your scores are a bit low but if you can move the ACT to 33-36 range, write killer essays etc…you will be a competitive applicant. Being urm helps too.