What are my chances for these competitive schools?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Side Note: I know these chance threads can be annoying to look at, I would just like some genuine advice on how to improve my application as I am just now ending my junior year. Thanks!

Current Junior
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Upper Middle Class
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
SAT: 1550 (with superscoring)

  • Reading/Writing: 760
  • Math: 790
  • Essay: 8/8/8 (I feel confident that I can write good college app essays)
    Planning to take SAT Subject Tests in August (Chemistry and Math II)

AP classes:
Freshman Year:
Spanish Language and Culture (5 - self-studied in a native speakers class)
Sophomore Year:
Psychology (5)
Macroeconomics (5)
Junior Year:
Chemistry (predicted 5)
US History (predicted 4-5)
Computer Science Principles (predicted 5)
Music Theory (predicted 5)
English Language and Composition (predicted 4-5)
Statistics (predicted 5)
Senior Year:
Calculus BC
Physics 1
Biology
English Literature and Composition

Other notable coursework:
4 years of Jazz Ensemble
3 years of Wind Ensemble (top band)
All other core classes were honors level

Foreign Language:
Spanish for Native Speakers II
French 1

EC’s/outside interests:
-Huge passion for jazz and music (plan to capitalize on this), I play saxophone and piano
-Varsity tennis for 2 years
-Marching Band 4 years (our band won numerous first place awards at Chicagoland festivals)
-WYSE member 2 years (worldwide youth in science and engineering is a competitive academic team; it is very selective and only the top 14 students from my school nominated by AP teachers make the team)
-Debate Team 4 years (congressional debate winning many awards in Illinois debate league tournaments)
-Tri-M Music Honors Society (like NHS but for music)
-National Honors Society
-Math Team 2 years
-Part of school musical cast 3 years
-Many volunteer hours at various locations (can’t say off the top of my head by definitely in the hundreds)

Achievements/Awards/Leadership Positions:
-2nd Place in the chemistry category at a WYSE regional tournament
-3rd Place in the chemistry category at a WYSE state tournament. This was a huge accomplishment for me as it was my first year on the WYSE team and encouraged me to pursue chemistry as a major.
-Won Gold ranking at State Science Fair Freshman Year (kind of old but still a good accomplishment)
-Tenor 1 in IMEC All-State Honors Jazz Band my Junior year. This was another important accomplishment as I was essentially the #1 jazz tenor saxophonists in the state of Illinois
-Tenor 1 in ILMEA District 9 Jazz Band 2 Sophomore year, Tenor 1 in ILMEA District 9 Jazz Band 1 Junior Year
-Congressional Debate Finalist at IHSA State Tournament. (I was ranked in the top 15 congressional debaters in Illinois)
-Numerous 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Speaking, Best Presiding Officer, and Best Legislation Awards for Congressional Debate
-Legislative Captain of Debate my Sophomore Year and Captain of the team my Junior and Senior year
-I started the first ever Debate Camp at Jacobs High School, a weeklong skill-building camp to bring our school to the forefront of the competitive league
-Almost certain I’ll receive National Merit Finalist Ranking (1510 PSAT)
-National Hispanic Recognition Program (for being in top 2.5% of Hispanic PSAT test takers)
-Vice President of the Tri-M Music Honors Society

SCHOOLS (will apply for chemistry):
Princeton, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Northwestern, Hopkins, U of I Urbana-Champaign, Purdue, possibly another safety/target

2

Hi!

Have you considered some small LACs? You may want to consider Pomona & other Claremont schools, Amherst, Haverford or Swarthmore – as all of these schools are part of consortia. The consortia allow you to take classes at several other campuses flexibly. This can give you a taste of different school cultures, clubs, etc. while having a smaller school to call your home.

3

MODERATOR’S NOTE:
I deleted the name of the high school.

4

Write compelling essays and reach out to people who can write strong recommendations. The rest of your application looks great!

What state are you from? I would add one more safety.

5

Your resume looks fantastic. I assume you are in state for UIUC… do they admit by major? I’m sure you know that Princeton, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford are not a sure thing even for a top-notch candidate. Are finances an issue at all? Do you want to think about throwing an application somewhere like Alabama where you’d be sure to get in and get money?

6

@yikesyikesyikes Thank you for the feedback! I am in Illinois, and agree I should have another safety or safer target. Could you recommend any that has a good focus on chemistry or biochemistry?

7

@washugrad Thank you very much! I am indeed in state for UIUC, and I believe they admit by major with a first and second choice system. I did think about University of Oklahoma, which gives many, many, boatloads of money to national merit finalists, but I don’t think it would be the greatest for my major.

8

@TritoneSubNico

Almost any state flagship will be okay for chemistry undergrad.

Look into University of Oklahoma and University of Alabama as safeties w/ great merit for NMFs.

9

You have a good chance at every school you have listed. Visit if you can - if you fall in love with one, apply early. For HYPSM schools, they give amazing FA no matter what.

10

You are a competitive applicant. Your stats and ECs are great. Write good essays and you could get accepted to any of these schools

11

Your scores are high enough. College admissions are a crap shoot but you are as prepared as any application can be. At this point, it’s all up to the opinions of admissions.

12

your sat and gpa is high enough so you have a pretty good chance at all of the schools u listed! good luck! (:

13

I’m not going to lie, you are definetly getting in to these schools. U are hispanic and have great stats, extracurriculars. Almost a gurantee that you will get into at least one of those schools.

14

I would apply to Case Western Reserve as well. Great STEM reputation and such great opportunities for music lovers right next door! You’d probably get fantastic merit as well!