what are my chances at the ivies?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi,
I'm an Asian sophomore attending a good high school in Utah. I want to apply to Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Johns Hopkins, UPenn, Duke, University of Virginia, Washington U, and Ann Arbor. I'm planning to major either in medicine or business. I know my credentials aren't that good... but please review them and tell me if I have a chance at any of these colleges or if I should be aiming for other ones. Thank you!</p>

<p>GPA: 3.97 on 4.0 scale (much higher weighted with APs)
Rank: 18/510
PSATs: 206 (with a little more study I hope to get around 230 next year)
Haven't taken any SATs (I'm expecting about 2100 on the new SATs)</p>

<p>AP Tests:
Calc AB (5)</p>

<p>Currently I'm taking:
AP Calc BC
Honors English 11th
AP US History
AP Economics
Psychology/Sociology
AP Physics C
Honors Physics
French III
Advance Debate</p>

<p>Next year I plan to take:
AP English
French IV
AP/IB Geography
AP/IB Physics
IB Business
Advance Debate
Medical Anatomy
Yearbook
Honors Humanities/Theory of Knowledge (required for IB diploma)
Calculus III (taking at a university)
Neurobiology (taking at a university)</p>

<p>ECs:
Piano (10 Years)
Varsity Debate Team
Varsity Tennis Team
HOSA (medical club)
- Vice President
DECA
Mock Trials
FBLA
- Treasurer
MUN
Key Club (service club)
Youth Council Member
Peer Court Member
Math and Engineering Team Captain
HOBY School Ambassador</p>

<p>Internships:
Physics Department at the University of Utah
Intermoutain Health Care</p>

<p>Community Service:
Hospital and Library (220 + hours)</p>

<p>Well that's all, I'm open to any kind of input/suggestions. Thanks again!</p>

2

<p>please help!</p>

3

<p>How good are you at tennis, debate, and piano? Try developing those and other interests more (win some awards) in order to have a better chance at your reach schools.</p>

<p>Also, don't say that you want to major in pre-medicine (especially not at Hopkins). Big no-no for asians- at least I think so.</p>

<p>Ann Arbor- match
Washington U- match (iffy)
Duke- match/reach
Harvard/Stanford/UPenn/Yale- reach b/c you haven't really accomplished anything that differentiates you from the pack</p>

4

<p>sorry i didn't say before, but yes i've won numerous awards in tennis/piano/debate, i just didn't want to list them all</p>

5

<p>um... anyone else?</p>

6

<p>Cut out all your "member" status, those are not worth anything.(Unless you hold leadership positions, of course)</p>

<p>Are you joining any of these clubs, like the yearbook just your junior year? Not really a good idea to do that, since you will not have a solid 3-year commitment, and they will think you're trying to "pat" your application. (Always a no-no)</p>

<p>Other then that, you aren't much a stand out, like asterstar said. I know MANY sophomores who are almost identical. Try to achieve something in those clubs etc.</p>

7

<p>You're on track.</p>

8

<p>in my opinion, getting into an ivy is harder than getting simon cowell to say your the next american idol</p>

9

<p>in my opinion, getting into an ivy is harder than getting simon cowell to say your the next american idol</p>

<p>um... WHY??? i guess you guys aren't understanding my situation. I'm taking the most rigorous courseload at my school and my ECs...Tami, i'm not just joining these clubs to pat my application. I've been in these clubs since freshman year, i've been in debate since 8th grade and i'm nationally ranked in LD. So it's not like i'm doing all these activities and getting absolutely nothing out of them. I have won a lot of awards in all of these clubs, i just didn't that it was necessary to post them all. It seems a bit odd that you guys say I'd have a hard time getting into even Washington U when my friend with a 1400 and a 3.8 and no ECs besides MUN got in easily...</p>

10

<p>why did you ask for people's input if you were just going to crap on their opinions? newsflash....it is HARD to get into an ivy, no matter how high your stats are because most people that apply there have COMPETITIVE stats that are as high or higher than yours and many of them also have numerous EC's and awards. no one is trying to say that you are just trying to pad your app or that you're not getting anything out of what you are doing, but the fact of the matter is that when you apply, your application is just another one of the thousands and thousands each of the schools you listed get each year that need to be sifted through from kids with stellar grades, stellar test scores (assuming you get them) and loads of EC's.
from your replies that you posted to people's responses it sounds like you expected everyone to tell you that you are a shoo in at every school you apply to.......if you don't want people's honest opinions, then don't ask for them!!!!!!</p>

11

<p>I'm sorry, but I have to question why you even asked what your chances are? You get so defensive when people say that you can't count on it; it seems like you've already made up your mind. I can't see why you would't have as good a chance as any other super-qualified applicant, but I mean, you're a sophomore. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm picking on you, but it just seems like you want to post stats since you aren't being too receptive to feedback. But your stats are ridiculous, congratulations.</p>

12

<p>Well that's all, I'm open to any kind of input/suggestions. Thanks again!</p>

<p>-That's what you stated before. </p>

<p>It seems a bit odd that you guys say I'd have a hard time getting into even Washington U when my friend with a 1400 and a 3.8 and no ECs besides MUN got in easily...</p>

<p>-That's what you say now.</p>

<p>And I was ASKING you if you were joining them just now, and telling you that IF you did that, it would look like patting your application. I never said "Oh crap, your an application patter!"</p>

<p>Okay, I'll play along. Maybe you are not fully understanding what everyone is saying exactly. Ok, so you're not "patting" over your application. Great. The point here, is that YOU DON'T STAND OUT FROM THE REST. Can't you see thats what were telling you, and ADVISING, since you so HUMBLY asked, that you do something of a recognition that would make you stand out.</p>

<p>Also, stating that your friend got into Washington U, you sound like your a 101% guarantee (or your money back) that you will be accepted. </p>

<p>How ironic, that someone on youth council and teen court takes other people's opinions so defensively. Good luck in college with that attitude.</p>

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<p>Well that's all, I'm open to any kind of input/suggestions. Thanks again!</p>

14

<p>everyone, i'm sorry for my posts earlier, i got defensive because i wasn't having a very good day...:( I'm really sorry that I sounded rude and what not, it's just that I was very surprised at the responses since a lot of people that I know have gotten into good colleges with mediocre stats. Anyway though, I do realize that I don't particularly stand out compared to the thousands of other good applicants... a lot of sophomores that post on this site are tons better. Tami... i'm sorry i got really defensive...i misunderstood your comments. To everyone... thank you for taking your time to read my post... sorry again</p>

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<p>haha don't worry about, I'm sure its really ahrd to take other people's criticism, thats why ive never posted a "what are my chances?" thread. honestly don't worry about it, and i think you will do very well, you have as god a chacne as anyone and it doesnt get much ebtter than that</p>

16

<p>Hi got_rice,</p>

<p>I think you need to think through a few things. 1) Pre-med isnt a major at any of these schools. BUT often the most successful pre-med students major in the social sciences, humanities, and of course sciences like biology. From personal experience I wouldnt go to Hopkins just for its "pre-med", its incredibly cutthroat and med schools care more about GPA/ MCAT than anything else. Also most of these don't have "business" majors, although scores of people major in econ at these schools and are very successful (often the MOST successful) at getting into top MBAs and getting great jobs.</p>

<p>As for your list, my suggestion is for you to take it down a notch. </p>

<p>I think HYPS is going to be a reach unless you can raise the SAT. Apply on a whim if you want, but honestly, forget Stanford, Yale, and Harvard (at the rank of #18 and a 1400 sat you need to be a recruited athlete, music virtuoso, etc). I have seen who gets in on experience and you need more.</p>

<p>I think you are also really reaching for Penn, Brown, Duke, Dartmouth, etc although you might get into one if you are lucky. Maybe apply to a couple of these as reaches. Cornell is a great school that remains way too easy to get into ED for how good it is, seriously consider ED there. </p>

<p>Now add some reaches within your range. WashU, Hopkins, UVA are on target as match/ reaches. JHU might be a reach, but you should get into WUSTL. Also consider Northwestern, Emory, and maybe Vanderbilt in this range.</p>

<p>Ann arbor should be a lock if you apply early enough. </p>

<p>In sum, forget HYPS. </p>

<p>As BIG reaches choose THREE of: Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, Duke, Cornell (the most realistic, a must have).</p>

<p>As MINOR reaches choose THREE-FOUR: UVA, Rice, Northwestern (sort of a big reach), WUSTL, Emory, JHU, Vanderbilt.</p>

<p>As real matches choose THREE: Michigan (early in the cycle), Wake Forest, Vassar, Tufts, Middlebury, etc.</p>

<p>As safeties choose TWO: Whatever you want.</p>

17

<p>Hello!!! this kid is a SOPHMORE!!! He is such a hard worker and deserves a little more respect. Keep on working and schools will recognize that.</p>

18

<p>Whoops!! I thought he was a Junior. Yeah kid, seriously. Work hard, build up the rank to the top 10-12 people and study for the SAT. Keep doing what you are doing and ask your chances next year.</p>

19

<p>lol, i'm a girl by the way... :D. anyhow, thanks for your comments everyone</p>

20

<p>bump......</p>