What are my chances at Columbia, UChicago, Brown, etc.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello! I am currently a junior in HS, and I am applying to the following universities:
-Columbia (ED, first choice)
-University of Chicago
-Brown University
-University of Pennsylvania
-Duke University
-Princeton University
-Yale University
-New York University
-Harvard University
-Vanderbilt University
-UNC-Chapel Hill (safety)
-New York University</p>

<p>Columbia, UChicago, and Brown are my top three choices, so I am mainly asking about chances in those. However, feel free to chance the other schools if you know much about them.</p>

<p>Freshman classes: English (non-honors), Geometry (honors), Biology (honors), French I, Journalism, History, PE, Theology I</p>

<p>Sophomore classes: AP computer science (5), AP world history (5), Chemistry (honors), English (honors), French II (honors), Algebra II (honors), Theology II</p>

<p>Junior classes: AP language/composition, AP US history, physics (honors), AP chemistry, AP psychology, pre-AP french, pre-calculus (honors), Theology III</p>

<p>Next year I am taking AP biology, AP literature/composition, AP calculus BC, AP french language/culture, AP macroeconomics/AP us government, Theology IV, AP Physics II</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>-Volunteer at city science museum (4 years, 1100 hours so far, three time nominee for best volunteer award, served a term on invitational volunteer committee, platinum volunteer title)
-School Read Council (4 years, no leadership positions offered)
-National Science Honor Society (4 years, secretary junior year and voted president for next year)
-Medical Club (4 years)
-School Ambassadors (president next year)
-National Honor Society
-Mu Alpha Theta (vice president next year, awards at several local, state, and regional math competitions)
-Drill Team (3 years, captain next year)
-Girl Scouts (since 1st grade, bronze/silver/gold award)
-Flute (7 years as of now, member of youth audition-only orchestra, several awards)</p>

<p>Through my clubs, I have conducted and led several service projects that benefited my community.</p>

<p>SUMMER: 9 years at one of the best outdoor leadership camps in the US, National Youth Leadership Conference, Summer Program at Brown University</p>

<p>I recently took the SAT/ACT... Scores:</p>

<p>-SAT: 750 CR, 800 W, 800 M, Total: 2350
-ACT: 36 Composite
SAT II: Math II (780), World History (800), Chemistry (770), US History (800)</p>

<p>I am a National Merit Finalist, if I do well on my AP exams I will be an AP Scholar with Distinction (and if I do well on my AP exams senior year, I will have earned National AP Scholar)</p>

<p>I am Caucasian (not exactly diverse, I know). I am a very strong math/science student, and I want to get a major in biology (not sure what type yet) with a minor in English. Thank you so much for input. I know there is no specific formula to get in, and most schools on my list are simply a crapshoot, but any advice is appreciated. Also, I am not just listing prestigious schools. I have visited each of these schools and looked at their programs very carefully, and I believe they all have something to offer me. </p>

2

<p>If you are OOS for UNC, that is not a safety. It is limited by the state from accepting more than ~18% of their class from OOS. Every one of the schools on your list is a lottery school – no matter what your stats – by virtue of their extremely low acceptance rates. What do you plan to do if you are shut out? Is community college an acceptable alternative?</p>

<p>What is your GPA? Is your family willing/able to spend $60k/year? Have you and your parents openly discussed the reality of finances? What do you plan to do with a bio and English degree? Have you taken the initiative to find some research opportunities in your area? Have you gone outside of your comfort zone? If you want to consider med school, who is paying for that? <em>YOU</em> can’t take out loans above the Stafford limits to pay for UG – are your parents willing to do this? (Is it a good idea for their retirement goals to do so?) Are there other siblings who also plan on college?</p>

<p>NYLC and AP awards are not hooks. Many, many others will have similar accolades in the current competitive environment. Not even Intel STS or Siemens finalists get automatically accepted to your list of schools.</p>

<p>Sorry to be tough, but you need more than a Plan B: you need an overhauled Plan A. Working hard and doing well in HS does not “earn” you the right to admission at a top-tier school. OTOH, there are many, many schools out there that would welcome you with open arms and at some places, with merit $$. Start researching them (and no, Vandy, Tufts, Rice, Emory, et al are not safety schools either.)</p>

3

<p>@CountingDown I’m in-state</p>

4

<p>@CountingDown My GPA is 4.0, 4.5 weighted</p>

<p>I did not say those activities are “hooks.” </p>

5

<p>Good, as long as you realize that those aren’t.</p>

<p>UNC-CH took 50% of in-state applicants in last year’s cycle. If you would be happy going there if all else fails, I concur that it would be a likely for you. OTOH, if you were my rising senior, I’d advise you to find a couple more “likely” admits so that you have choices next spring. You have the stats to be competitive anywhere. How you present yourself and the portrait you paint in the essays can distinguish you from other candidates. At the same time, these are schools that are taking a small fraction of the total applicant pool – and nearly all of them are top achievers who would do well there.</p>

<p>Remember, it’s not just what the school can offer you. It’s what YOU can offer the school (with apologies to JFK). They are not only looking at accepting applicants, they are looking at creating a class. Seriously – both my kids’ convocations on move-in day involved the college president/dean mentioning students who had done things contrary to “type” or who had found a way to accomplish something meaningful in the wake of adversity, etc. </p>

<p>My older S was a math/CS major with numerous major awards, top scores, yada yada yada. We all know “that guy.” He was also on the school newspaper staff and taught computer science. Every interviewer he saw wanted to talk about the journalism and teaching, not his research. A programmer who loves public speaking and writing? Definitely contrary. Had he included his other way-out-there passion (contra and Celtic dance) in his apps, I suspect it would have changed a couple of decisions, but he was accepted at the places he would best thrive at, and he never looked back at the others.</p>

6

<p>Your EC’s are a little weak for Ivy-Leagues.</p>

<p>Columbia: high match to low reach
Chicago:high match to low reach
Brown: high match
UPenn: high match
Duke: match
Princeton: reach
Yale: reach
NYU: low match
Harvard: reach
Vanderbilt: low/mid match
UNC: safety</p>

<p>Chance back
<a href=“Chances for UVA and Vanderbilt. Will chance back. - #34 by nsoods - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>Chances for UVA and Vanderbilt. Will chance back. - #34 by nsoods - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums;

7

<p>Hi, I’m an African American who’s just been accepted to Princeton (my #1) and Duke (my #2), and our qualifications are almost identical. :-)</p>

<p>Here’s my OPINION:</p>

<p>-Columbia R
-University of Chicago medium-R
-Brown University medium-R
-University of Pennsylvania medium-R
-Duke University high-M
-Princeton University R
-Yale University R
-Harvard University R
-Vanderbilt University high-M
-UNC-Chapel Hill S
-New York University high-S
KEY:
S-safety
M-match
R-reach</p>

<p>Don’t be intimidated by these ratings. You’ve applied to amazing schools that would be reaches for ANYONE. I hope this was helpful! :-)</p>

<p>Moreover, I’m not sure what your income level is, but for me, I narrowed my list down to six schools. Three were my safeties (Spelman, Howard, and VSU), one was my match (UVA), and another two were my reaches (Princeton and Duke).</p>

<p>Keep us posted on your journey!</p>

<p>Also, I didn’t include this before, but the number of EC’s is not as important as you think. Just show your passion in your application. I’m sure you’ll do great.</p>