uPenn, uChicago, WashU, Cornell, uMich, Duke, Cornell, CMU, NYU, UIUC, BC, UCB Chance

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi all.</p>

<p>I wanna be straightforward - My GPA is outright bad for the schools that I am applying to, but i'm trying to be the candidate who can compensate with ECs/Testing. What are my chances at getting into:</p>

<p>uPenn CAS ED
uChicago EA
uMichigan LSA (ross pre-admit if possible) EA
UIUC CLAS or Business "priority filing"
WashU CAS or Olin RD
Cornell CAS or CALS (for AEM) RD
Duke CAS RD
CMU MCS and Tepper RD
NYU Stern RD</p>

<p>I'm an Indian (as in the asian variety xD)</p>

<p>GPA: 3.5/4.0 (UW), 4.0/5.0 (W)
SAT (superscore): 2340 (740 CR, 800 M, 800 W)
SAT II: 800 Math IIC (also 800 Math IC but nobody cares xD), 730 Chem (ew), 710 Lit
AP: Comp Sci A - 5, BC Calc - 5, Chem - 4, Physics - 4, US History - 4
Taking Psych, Spanish, and Stats this year predicted all 5's</p>

<p>Current Courseload:
International Relations H
Multivariable Calculus (class which only 6 out of ~500 students in my grade are allowed to take... considered highest math class at our school)
Spanish V H/AP
Psychology H/AP
Madrigal Singers (auditioned group of 24 of the whole school's best singers... out of a student base of 2000... extremely prestigious group)
Statistics H/AP
Science Fiction and Fantasy (unleveled senior elective english class)</p>

<p>Reccomendations:
Math Department Head (BC calc teacher) - has very high opinion of me and should give excellent rec
English III H teacher - likes me as a person .. didn't do to well in her class (got a B year avg). will prlly have a good insight into my personality though.
Counselor rec - idk too much of what the counselor thinks of me.. BUT she's writing her rec based on the recs which i'm getting from outside school which are - 1. TyE Business Competition Mentor and 2. MIT professor who i did an internship with (Both EXTREMELY strong recs)</p>

<p>Extra curriculars... (100 million over here). Listed in order of descending importance:</p>

<p>First High school level Bollywood A Cappella group which I founded in sophomore year (it's been 1.5 years (will be 2.5 when school ends). - Sophomore year thru senior year
TyE Business plan Competition - We spent a whole year formulating a business plan and we got 2nd place in the competition. I was the CFO... - Junior year
MIT RFID Lab internship - I spent the summer working in a lab with PhD students and the RFID dept head helping them formulate thesis. I may be listed as a co-author on these MIT students' theses (there are 2). - Summer before senior year</p>

<p>~Gap here because those 3 up there are the most important of the ECs~</p>

<p>Math Team - Captain Senior year - frosh to Senior year
Madrigal Singers - Senior year
Chess team -Freshman year to senior year - won 2nd place junior year. Senior year yet to be determined (predicted top 3)
Robert Creeley Foundation - Exec. Board member - Poetry foundation honoring deceased poet. We bring in a famous poet each year to our high school to recite for students. We also have an award given to top achieving students in poetry from anywhere in massachusetts area.
Chess Club - Co-founder - Junior to senior year
All Male A Cappella group - frosh to senior year
Science Team - Frosh to junior year</p>

<p>Miscellaneous notes/awards:
Presidents volunteer award (1 bronze, 1 gold)
AIME Qualifier
Massachusetts Math Olympiad Level II Qualifier
I've been singing Hindustani Classical and Bengali Music since I was 5 years old.
I'm also fluent in bengali (spoken, written, listening, and reading)</p>

<p>So... how do i compete?</p>

<p>Thanks all!! and feel free to ask me to chance you as well. I don't know how well i'll be able to do, but i'll give my best effort.</p>

2

<p>Oh yeah Student council member since junior year as well</p>

3

<p>final thoughts… I go to like… what is considered THE or one of the most competitive schools in Massachusetts.</p>

4

<p>I would put a reach out to Yale if I were you, UPenn and UChicago would be happy to have you</p>

5

<p>Woah that sounds kind of… lofty… don’t you think? xD. Anyone else?</p>

6

<p>Bump?
Id really appreciate the chancing all! Thanks :)</p>

<p>Sent from my SPH-D600 using CC</p>

7

<p>So you’re in States or in India? If you’re in the States, yes def reach for Yale, Princeton, MIT (you did a study there). Your GPA isn’t bad at all. Cornell, NYU, UWash, Michigan and Duke are safeties in my opinion…</p>

8

<p>Duke isn’t a safety for anyone. I’d also say Michigan really shouldn’t be a safety because they track interest. Cornell being a safety? I wouldn’t really say that either. It’s still an Ivy and still has a large talented applicant pool, much like the other ivies.</p>

9

<p>Wait I don’t understand xD. Lets put some extra info…
Im a us citizen and live here…
Im in the top 25% of class… But not top 15%… So…
and its a 4.0 out of 5.0… Are you sure I have a chance at all these schools?</p>

<p>Sent from my SPH-D600 using CC</p>

10

<p>While you’re EC’s are certainly great, your GPA is not. Hunbun77 doesn’t know what he/she is talking about. Your GPA is very low for these schools (especially the Ivies, Chicago, Duke, and UCB). I’d wager that anyone that gets into those schools with a 3.5 GPA is either a recruited athlete or someone with a rich father. </p>

<p>All of the Ivies and schools like Chicago, Duke, and UCB will be high reaches. Your transcript is by far the most important part of your application.</p>

11

<p>^ok lol these were more the words I was expecting to hear. Any advice on how to continue from here?</p>

<p>Sent from my SPH-D600 using CC</p>

12

<p>Also… which of those higher level uni’s do i have the best shot at?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

13

<p>This may sound harsh, but it’s true. Your transcript is the single most important thing on your application. The Ivies and schools like that have thousands of kids applying. They need a way to narrow it down. If you’re in the top 25% of your class but not even top 15%…they might not even consider your application. I’ve heard that if you don’t have at least a 2000 on the SAT and have no hooks, they won’t even look at the rest. Valedictorians and salutatorians get rejected left and right. Being in the top 25% isn’t exactly stellar.</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the advice :).
So i’m also applying to non-ivies/super top choices. How will i fare there? Should i not bother sending my apps at those top schools then?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

15

<p>I’m also a AP scholar with distinction and predicted national ap scholar by the end of high school</p>

16

<p>bumpitty bump bump o.0</p>

17

<p>bump
10char</p>

18

<p>any advice would still be appreciated. thanks!</p>

19

<p>"Im in the top 25% of class… But not top 15%… "
Your GPA and rank are your biggest problems.</p>

<p>Penn CAS ED: High Reach
Chicago EA: High Reach
Cornell CAS or CALS (for AEM) RD: Mid to High Reach
Duke CAS RD: High Reach
CMU: Low reach
NYU STern: Low reach</p>

<p>I think you have good chances at UIUC and Michigan.</p>

<p>Also, AP scholar (or National merit scholar) is not a big deal.</p>

20

<p>@20more thanks for the advice. any other low reach colleges taht you would add? ~cmu lvl. Thanks. I’m going to try to work my ass off and maintain a good gpa at CMU (if i go there) to get into the BsCF program.</p>

<p>Thanks!
More advice still appreciated.</p>