Can you guys please tell me what chances I have at my favorite schools? Thank you!!
Ethnicity: Indian
I’m from NC
ACT = 33 (might retake!)
SAT subject tests taken so far:
Math 1 - 730
Planning on taking Bio
Current weighted GPA: 4.68
Unweighted: 4.0 (might go down… :/)
Rank: 15th out of 460
I take all IB classes
Extra curriculars:
- Science Olympiad
- Photography
Volunteer work: (300 ish hour total!)
- tutoring at elementary school
- volunteering programs over the summer
- volunteering at library
- volunteering at the hospital
I have also done various summer pre college programs at Wellesley college, U of R, and BU.
My essay and teacher recs will prob be good, but not the best.
Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools:
- Duke
- UPenn
- Brown
- JHU
- Swarthmore
You have a very solid chance of getting into Duke University. What aids you the most is the fact that you are a minority (like myself), and these top-notch universities are always on the lookout for individuals like yourself. Your extracurricular activities seem to be sufficient, and you may even have a chance at Brown University with your perfect GPA. I am also from North Carolina; which high school did you attend? I attended an Early College High School. If you can’t get into Brown, try to get into the other safety Ivies such as UPenn and Cornell. Keep your GPA where it’s at, and attend as many university activities at the locations you would like to attend. 
^^Unfortunately, much of the opinions and advice of this poster is inaccurate. I would disregard. There is no such thing as a “safety Ivy” as I’m sure you know and you are an ORM not a URM. Apart from volunteering, your ECs are almost non-existent. Attending a summer program at an elite school does not affect your chances of getting in. You will need to figure out how to stand out from the pack if you apply to top schools. In any event, make sure you have back-ups. Good luck!
A “safety Ivy”! That is a hoot.
Are those your only ECs or just your main ones? Do you have any leadership?
I think you could boost your extracurricular and leadership, as Duke really looks for service and active involvement. There are no “safe Ivy’s,” though. I think you have a good chance for Swarthmore
Chance me back!
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1816402-chance-me-stanford-duke-yale-vandy-etc.html#latest
Those are my only Extra Curriculars… I know it’s not a lot. I am applying to NHS (it’s the only honor society at my school) and I don’t think I’ll get accepted.
I am always busy with just volunteering…
Thanks! I live in charlotte so I go to a CMS public school.
I think you definitely have a chance at those schools. I’m not a great authority to say, but I’m firm believer that if you let your passion and work ethic show good things will happen.
You have a solid chance at these schools, but no safeties. If I were you I’d pick one of these schools and apply ED. You’d have a much better chance of getting in ED.
I think you’ll have a hard time with pretty standard ECs and no leadership. 300 hours of community service is not as much as you seem to be portraying it as and isn’t an excuse for minimal involvement in other activities.
Hi there!
You might want something more for extracurriculars; even just recreational community sports, perhaps? Or also music. I think that may be your weakest point. But I don’t know how far you’ve advanced (in terms of years and record) for your extracurriculars so maybe I’m not giving you enough credit. And as a suggestion, you may want to enter competitions (photography? science? writing?) since many are open.
However taking IB classes, GPA, and subject test scores seem quite solid (yay!!) so if that’s kept up, I think it’s possible to expect, at the least, to be waitlisted.