what are my chances - mediocre applicant

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Private High School - Bay Area, CA</p>

<p>SAT1 - 2110
SAT2 - Math2 750, Bio 780, Chem 770
APs - CalcAB and BC 5, Chem 5, Bio 5, Eng 5, APUSH 5</p>

<p>3.99 GPA UW - Taken the most rigorous courses (11 APs)</p>

<p>Varsity Tennis 4 yrs and Captain (11, 12)
Lead Pianist for a Non-profit band
President of various clubs
Editor newspaper</p>

<p>Hospital Volunteer ER 4 yrs, and Board Member</p>

<p>Numerous academic awards in school all 4 yrs</p>

<p>Stanford CCIS Program Summer Intern
Applicant to Intel STS and Siemens Westinghouse this year</p>

<p>Stanford lab made me Co-author of a poster to be presented at the 14th International Symposium on Viruses at Glasgow, Scotland. <-- very prestigious apparently</p>

<p>Internships in companies during past two summers (this year was at Stanford)</p>

<p>Expecting awesome recs, will be fantastic for sure</p>

<p>WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF GETTING INTO STANFORD, HARVARD, BERKELEY?</p>

2

<p>make your essays good and increase your SAT score to at least a 2200 and i'd say you have a fair shot. your ECs will hurt you, however.</p>

3

<p>"your ECs will hurt you" .... what does that mean?</p>

4

<p>3.99 UW GPA isn't mediocre...</p>

5

<p>well, you don't really have a "hook." i guess it's not aggressively negative, but it isn't positive either.</p>

6

<p>well doesnt that co-authorship hold any meaning? i mean...i think the Intel and Seimens competitions, as well as this co-authorship sets me apart right? so what percent am i a match for Stanford?</p>

7

<p>So, you don't REALLY think you're mediocre, do you?</p>

8

<p>SOMEONE was fishing for compliments ;)</p>

9

<p>The Intel and Siemens competitions will set you apart if you win yes, but it seems like as if you only applied, which I don't think will really help much since technically, anyone can apply. I don't know about the co-authorship thing though it sounds very nice. All you need is a better SAT I score. Your other ecs are normal (but better than mine :) )</p>

10

<p>What is "mediocre" about your stats?</p>

11

<p>okay...i wasnt fishing for compliments...the intel and westinghouse competitions i have just applied to right now...so i will find out later...
and yes, this co-authorship thing is pretty cool, but lets say i cant really improve any stats of mine...what percentage do you think i am a match for stanford, harvard, berkeley</p>

12

<p>berkeley your prob pretty good, being instate, (average?) test scores, awesome gpa. stanford and harvard are reaches no matter what.</p>

13

<p>crap...anybody else got any opinion?</p>

14

<p>Stanford and Harvard are reaches for EVERYONE.</p>

15

<p>The co-author thing is only going to be important if you did stuff for it. Did you do any research related to the topic of the poster or were you just "there" as a lab intern when they made the discovery? Harvard and Stanford are going to ask you about what happened in the interview, and if you can't make a compelling answer for them, then that EC is not going to hold much. I agree with daphnetaggert in that both Stanford and Harvard should not be considered safe for anybody. However, if you can present your case well in the interview and personal statement, I think numbers-wise you could be competitive. Also, 2110 is a bit low unless you're an URM/low income/have a major sad story. You might want to bring that up a bit too.</p>

16

<p>no i wasnt just a potato intern...i actually assisted, how the hell else did i become a co-author? i have no inside contact in stanford, and my parents are in a totally different industry! so i guess theres no real advise available on this site</p>

17

<p>um, i think you have a really good shot as anyone does at stanford. i mean i dont think anyone cant quantify what percentage of a chance you have, but you clearly worked your ass off for the last 3 years, and as long as your application portrays that to the adcoms your in a good position. your def nott a mediocre applicant btw. so perfect those essays and use those connections you made during the summer to your advantage!</p>

18

<p>Stanford and Harvard are reaches.</p>

<p>however, Berkeley you have a fair shot.</p>

<p>and i agree, your ECS arent the most oustanding, but raise your SAT score and continue working hard. also, kill them with your essay ;)</p>

19

<p>Clearly, you don't want advice, because you wanted us to assume you can't improve your stats. You listed yourself as a mediocre applicant--which you aren't--and then shot down every single negative comment people gave you. If that's not fishing for compliments what is?</p>

<p>"You're 100% in at Harvard and Stanford. You're not mediocre, you goofball, you're outstanding!"</p>

<p>There, is that what you wanted us to say? It's not true, but maybe it'll get you to go away.</p>