Updated: Chances for HYPSM/Ivies/Some others

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So, I posted on this forum a little while ago, but since then I have improved upon a few things (namely my scores).</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Asian/White (Indian/Caucasian)
Gender: Male
Location: Northern Virginia
Income Bracket: > 250k
Academic Interest: Mathematics, physics, engineering, statistics
Prospective Major: Undecided. Either a discipline of engineering (probably electrical), physics, applied physics, or applied mathematics.</p>

<p>School Type: Public school in the suburbs. Not highly competitive. High percentage of minorities and students of low socioeconomic status.
Class Rank: N/A (top 5%)
Class Size: ~350</p>

<p>Official GPA:
Weighted: 4.40
Unweighted: 3.89
My official GPA takes into account pre-freshman year (middle school) classes that I took for high school credit which my school averages in. This brings down my cumulative GPA a little bit.</p>

<p>Excluding Middle School GPA:
Weighted: 4.52
Unweighted: 3.97</p>

<p>Sophomore + Junior Year GPA:
Weighted: 4.64
Unweighted: 3.96</p>

<p>SAT Scores (taken twice):
Superscore: 2310 (710 CR, 800 M, 800 W)
March 2012 Score: 2090 (710 CR, 730 M, 650 W, 8 essay)
May 2012 Score: 2300 (700 CR, 800 M, 800 W, 10 essay) --> highest single sitting</p>

<p>SAT Subject Tests:
Biology (M): TBD
Math IIC: TBD</p>

<p>AP Exams:
AP US Government: 4</p>

<p>IB Exams:
IB Math SL II: TBD, but almost definitely a 6 or a 7, will take HL exam senior year.
IB Chemistry SL II: TBD, but its probably not good, will not send. </p>

<p>Academic Rigor: Most Demanding (Full IB Diploma Candidate)
Classes taken:
Grade 7:
A - Algebra 1 Hn
Grade 8: (awful year, over 2 weeks absent)
B - Geometry Hn
B - Spanish 1
Grade 9:
A - Algebra 2 Hn
A - English 9 Hn
A - Biology Hn
A - World History/Geography 2 Hn
A - Spanish 2
A - Computer Graphics
A - Health/P.E.
Grade 10:
A - IB Math HL I
A - English Hn
A - Chemistry Hn
A - AP Government
A- - Spanish 3
A - Business Law/Mgmt
A - Health/P.E.
Grade 11 (Current):
A - IB Math HL II
A- - IB English HL I
A - IB Biology HL I
A - IB Chemistry SL II
A - Physics Hn
A - IB History HL I
A - IB Spanish SL I
Grade 12 (Prospective):
? - Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra
? - AP Statistics
? - IB English HL II
? - IB Biology HL II
? - IB Physics SL II
? - IB Theory of Knowledge
? - IB History HL II
? - IB Spanish SL II</p>

<p>Honors:
- AMC10 School Winner - 9
- Full IB Diploma Candidate - 11, 12
- National Honor Society Member - 11, 12
- National Merit Scholars Commendation (probable, score of 214) - 12
- States Medalist Science Olympiad - 11
- SEAP Program Certificate of Recognition - 10 </p>

<p>Extracurricular activities:
- Science Olympiad - 10, 11, 12
- Science National Honor Society - 12
- Math Honor Society - 10, 11, 12
- Math Team - 10, 11
- FBLA - 10, 11
- Class of 2013 Treasurer - 10</p>

<p>Work Experience:
- NRL SEAP Internship - 10 - Paid internship, 40 hours/week for eight weeks in the summer. Work relevant to the synthesis of certain liquid crystal material. Gave a talk on it to other SEAP students and several NRL faculty.
- This summer I will be working at another laboratory, but for only several weeks. </p>

<p>I may apply to any of:
HYPSM/Ivies
CalTech
UVA
WM
VTech
UIUC
JHU
Northwestern
Berkeley
UCLA
UCSD
UChicago
Duke
CMU</p>

<p>Particularly interested in MIT, Cornell, Brown, Berkeley, UVA, and VTech.</p>

<p>Chances/advice to improve my application?</p>

<p>Do I have a good chance at some of those higher tier schools?</p>

2

<p>I am assuming that you will NOT check the Asian Box.</p>

<p>HYPSM and Caltech:High High Reach
Duke, Chicago, Penn, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth: High Reach
Cornell, Northwestern, JHU: Reach
CUM,UVA,UCB,UCLA: Decent Chances</p>

<p>You have good chances at other colleges on your list.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Does not checking the Asian box make a significant difference?</p>

<p>I have kind of tan skin, but I could perhaps pass as white. I don’t speak Hindi or really embrace much of my Indian culture, but I don’t necessarily reject it from my identity. I would check only white if it had a huge impact on admissions though.</p>

4

<p>To the above question, yes it does, especially if you check an URM box.</p>

5

<p>^^^
^
Thank you. </p>

<p>Bump.</p>

6

<p>If your name has no trace of Indian heritage, check white, otherwise check mixed; either would be better than plain Asian Indian. </p>

<p>Chances, agree with 20more for now. Aim for a few more leadership positions to solidify your app.</p>

7

<p>Do you guys think that I’m at a disadvantage for some of the top universities? I’m wondering if I am at least relatively competitive in admissions for them. I know that they’re usually crapshoots though.</p>

8

<p>Buuuummmmp</p>

9

<p>Buuuummmmp</p>

10

<p>That internship and lab work are very beneficial. It’s a meaningful item on your resume that the vast majority of top candidates do NOT have. Good shot at top schools.</p>

11

<p>^ Thank you. So I guess I should really emphasize the internship in applications.</p>

<p>Bump.</p>

12

<p>Buuuummmmp</p>

13

<p>Buuuummmmp</p>