What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I'm in the first year of IB in Norway and I've come to the conclusion that studying abroad for me is very important, and after finishing the IB here I want to get out to the UK/US as soon as possible. US is sort of on top of the list at the moment and that's my reason for posting here.</p>

<p>Norway's not really good on universities abroad and doing the IB is really the only chance to get into the better universities. Another problem I am going to face is getting letters of recommendations, as it's not a normal procedure here at all. Surely, I can get something, but is it important that it is from a very 'special' person and does it have to be really good? Would a normal teacher do?</p>

<p>Basically, I'm into computer programming, so I would apply for computer science (or something alike) and I'm wondering about my chances at some of the top universities, in particular:
Stanford
MIT
Ivy-Leagues
And in general, are Ivy League universities a lot harder?</p>

<p>As for my grades, from what I've understood, IB grades don't count for much as long as they are good and SAT's will count for most of it. What SAT's will I most likely have to take for computer science in one of the top uni's?
As I'm in the first year, there's still room for improvement and I haven't gotten predictions yet, but here is roughly where I'm at:
History HL 7
Physics HL 6
English HL 6
Math HL 5-6 (Math SL 7)</p>

<p>Economics SL 6 (a 7 shouldn't be hard here)
Norwegian SL 6</p>

<p>Another thing I'm wondering about is whether Math HL is very important, and what would look the best, a 7 in Math SL or 5-6 in Math HL? The thing is that my school actually doesn't offer Math HL, so I'm doing it through an Online course, which if I go through with, should count as some kind of bonus or look good, as I'm seeking the harder challenge academically?</p>

<p>Then onto my EC's. I think they're quite good as they're also closely related to what I want to study. But do you think they're good and how important are EC's? Can they assure me a spot, for instance, if my grades are not top notch?</p>

<p>Will have an approved CAS diary</p>

<p>Programming Course in Stanford Uni in 2010 got me interested into programming and in 2011 I started freelancing in web development. I have built a wide portfolio and I am now establishing my own website (sort of company) that does web consulting, guides and features a blog about my challenges as a programmer. I have used web development for creating free websites for people as service and I am still doing so.
I have also started some bigger projects on the side in Python and I hope to have some good applications ready by the summer (for instance a graphing program for Economics).
I regularly attend Coding Dojo's with my uncle (basically partner-programming on exercises with people who work with programming and are known in the community, in their 20's, 30's 40's).
I am proficient and know PHP, MySQL, Python and HTML/CSS very well. At the same time I am learning Java and C++.
I have started an initiative to giving Python programming lessons for fellow students at my school (currently at about 20 hours, but will be more than 100 by the summer and I plan on expanding this idea)</p>

<p>I have worked and work as a news writer for one of Norway's most prominent game-coverage sites (for free) and have qutie a good recommendation letter from the editor-in-chief.</p>

<p>4 years ago, I was part of the initiative to starting a LAN party in the local area (computer party sort of, google it if your'e not familiar). At first it was small, but has since evolved and I am practically the sole owner (but working together with the management of a youth club). Last event in January we sold out 150 tickets and even had extra seats set up which were filled and are now in contact with another place that will give us about 600 seats. For this I have done various tasks: administration, website development, sponsor applications, etc.</p>

<p>Member of Rotaract (Rottary youth organization) and have been giving some speeches there
Attented the Rotaract Youth Leadership Awards and was awarded a diploma.</p>

<p>I am attending an MUN soon, which is Model United Nations and is supposed to be well recognized among universities. Basically we are assigned a country and run a model united nations at a location. This will be in Southern England, but I might go to the main MUN conference too, which is in Haag.</p>

<p>As for sports, I played football until I was 16. I am now working out at a gym and taking tennis lessons (Probably not very important, but this at least, is included in the CAS diploma)</p>

<p>Then for hooks, I'm not really sure what extra to include, but at least I can say a bit (I saw something similar in another thread like this):
I'm from quite a multicultural family where my parents originally came from the Soviet union in 1991. (Now we're in Norway). </p>

<p>Hopefully you can pinpoint me in the right direction, and as you can see I have tons of questions and I'd love to get them all answered. If you have a school to recommend, I will gladly listen to you about that too! </p>

<p>Cheers,
Anton</p>

2

<p>Stanford, MIT, and the Ivies are extremely, extremely hard to get into…
If you get a 2300+ on the SAT, you have a chance, but otherwise you don’t.
Even with a 2300+, these schools will be very hard to get into…</p>

<p>If you really want to go to school in the US for Computer Science, apply at other… less competitive schools too. Specifically, look at UT-Austin, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, Berkeley, UCLA, Tufts, Michigan etc…</p>

3

<p>The Ivy League schools generally accept less than 10% of the people who apply.
That stat is even more crazy when you realize that most of those people who apply are good applicants who think that they have a really good chance.</p>

4

<p>So, you wouldn’t say my EC’s are any good? Are SAT’s that important?</p>

5

<p>Your EC’s are definitely “good”, but they’re not the best that those schools are going to see by a long shot.
…</p>

<p>It’s not that you aren’t a good applicant. On the contrary, you simply aren’t going to be one of their best applicants, and therefore you will have a very hard time getting in unless your SAT scores vault you into the top of their stack.</p>

6

<p>Get all 7s and a high SAT for any real shot. If you’re hoping for financial aid you need to be a rockstar.</p>

7

<p>Alright sure, so from the impression you are giving me. Perfect academics and high SAT would be needed for the schools above.</p>

<p>For high SAT scores, would 2200 and 720’ish for SAT II’s be viable?</p>

<p>I guess my EC’s are not outstanding, but hopefully the admission offices now what they’re dealing with. The culture in Norway is far different from what you’ve got in the states. For instance, we have no clubs associated with the school, and getting involved is very different and uncommon. I would say I am far above average, probably top 1-2% in my municipality/area when it comes to EC’s (50-100k students).</p>

<p>Now achieving 45 in IB would be hard, I could say virtually impossible, but that would be stupid I guess. I should be able to manage at least 7 in Physics, History, English, Economics and Norwegian, but Math HL I will probably struggle with.</p>

<p>The problem is also that I’m attending summerschool for my Math HL, but that is after the second semester and prediction of grades. Most possibly, I will not be able to send in the next grades I obtain, right?</p>

<p>Another thing, is the fact that I’m a Norwegian student with sort of an interesting background seeing as my parents are very well educated within the Soviet union. I’m not sure if this would be considered a hook?</p>

<p>Last thing, I may seem a bit arrogant in this post and I don’t wish to be portrayed in that way, so if you want me to tone down, please tell me! I would also love some recommendations on some other universities in my reach, that are good on Computer Sciences.</p>

8

<p>It is even harder for international students to get in than it is for American students.</p>

<p>And yes… you have to basically be a perfect student with very high SATs and incredible ECs…</p>

<p>2200 with your ECs would not be sufficient for the Ivies, and 720s for SAT 2s are below average for these schools’ applicants.
2300+ SAT and 750+ Sat 2s for any real shot</p>

<p>The fact that your parents are well-educated is not a plus, it is a minus. First-generation college student is a hook… 2nd is not</p>

9

<p>Bing an international student is an anti hook. Bing from Norway isn’t going to help you or is having well educated parents. A hook means being a recruited athlete, underrepresented minority, legacy or multi million dollar donor. A 2200 and 720s is below average for ivy school.</p>

10

<p>^It’s not that these stats are below average for the Ivies… In fact, I think most Ivies have average SATs of 2200 for admitted students…</p>

<p>The thing is these stats are well below average for un-“hooked” students</p>

<p>You are not a hooked student,… as Waverly says, you’re an anti-hooked student</p>