What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'll be a rising senior this coming fall, and since application season is coming soon, I've been wondering what my chances are with my stats. I appreciate any advice and input from the CC community. Here's a bit about myself, in the typical format:</p>

<p>Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2320 (760M / 800 CR / 760 W)
ACT: 34 (30E / 36M / 36R / 32S)
SAT II: 770 Chem, 800 Math IIC, 760 Phys
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.45
Rank: school doesn't rank</p>

<p>AP (No scores since I started taking them Junior year): Calc BC, Statistics
IB : Taking IB Spanish SL; the test comes in senior year for me.
Course Load:
Junior year:
Core: Adv. AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science, AP Statistics, IB Spanish SL, Honors US History, World Lit 1 Honors, Adv. Biology, Adv. Chemistry, Adv. Physics, Gym
Electives: Combinatorics/geometry, Physics Olympiad, Orchestra, Intro to Mandarin III/IV, Biological Psychology, Experimental Psychology</p>

<p>Senior year (What I signed up for):
Core: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, World Lit 2, AP Microeconomics, AP Psychology, AP Physics C, IB Spanish SL, Gym</p>

<p>Experience (Internships/Community Service/Jobs:</p>

<p>Columbia University/Laboratory of Quantum Photonics; 04/2011 ~ Present
Korean American Voter’s Council, Intern; 04/2011 ~ Present
-The President's Volunteer Service award (Bronze)
-Korean American Voters' Council Award
-Community Service Award from: 1) NJ Congressman Scott Garret 2) Senator Loretta Weinberg 3) Assembly Member Goldon Johnson 4) Assembly Member Valerie Huttle 5) Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan 6) Freeholder David Ganz
The Supply Education Group Service Trip to Kenya, Ambassador; 04/2011
St. Joseph Demarest Catholic Church, Praise Team Leader (Violin) & Alter Service; 06/2006 ~ Present
American Wheat Mission, INC., Volunteer Swim Teacher; 06/2010 ~ Present
Jewish Home, Retirement Center, Volunteer Musician; 09/2009 ~ Present
Camp Sunshine Summer Day Camp, Volunteer Counselor; 03/2007 ~ Present
Bergen County Academies, Volunteer Math Teacher in Math Team and Tour Guide; 09/2010 ~ Present
Haworth Town Swim Club, Lifeguard ; 06/2010 ~ Present</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>Bergen Academy Math Team & Individual International Competitions; 07/2006 ~ Present
-2012 AMC 12 Top 5% & Qualifying score for AIME (score for AMC12-99, score for AIME-9)
-2011 AMC 10 Top 2% & Qualifying score for AIME (score for AMC10-126, score for AIME-3)
-2011 Math Kangaroo- individually ranked 1st in the state, 6th in the nation
-2011 Fall Startup Math Competition: BCA team ranked 1st in nation, individually ranked 18th in nation
-2010 Ciphering Time Trials Math Competition: BCA team ranked 1st in nation, individually ranked 14th in nation
Science Olympiad; 09/2006 ~ Present
-Physics Olympics – 2011 States Competition Top 10
-Science Olympiad – 2012 Qualified for States
The Supply Education Group, BCA Chapter Founder, Co-President (2010-Present); 09/2010 ~ Present
Habitat for Humanity, BCA Chapter President (2011-Present), Vice President (2010-2011); 09/2009 ~ Present
Competitive Fencing (Foil), School Varsity/Captain (2012), Most Dedicated Award (2011); 06/2008 ~ Present
Competitive Swimming, Haworth Team MVP, YMCA Breakers MVP-States/Junior Olympics; 05/2000 ~ Present
Debate, Junior Varsity-Regional Competition 1st place; 09/2010 ~ Present
Violin, BCA Orchestra (Section Leader), Mandolin Orchestra; Bergen Youth Orchestra; 06/2000 ~ Present
Concert Choir, School Concert Choir ; 09/2009 ~ Present</p>

<p>Leadership & Enrichment Programs:</p>

<p>Study of Exceptional Talent (SET), Johns Hopkins University ; 2008 ~ Present
Youth and Family Focus (YAFF) Wildlife Experience Summer Program
-2011 Certificate of Outstanding Performance, 2010 Certificate of Musical Therapy Winner</p>

<p>Other
State (if domestic applicant): NJ
School Type: Public Magnet School
Ethnicity: Asian (Korean)
Gender: M
Income Bracket: middle class, applying for financial aid
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Legacy-older sister went to Princeton</p>

<p>I know my GPA is relatively low but I would like to apply to schools such as Columbia, Cornell, Princeton, Notre Dame, WU St. Louis, CMU, West Point, UChicago, and some safeties
My school acceptances this year (approximations): Columbia-13, Princeton-21, Cornell-14, Notre Dame-4, West Point-2, others I can't remember
My intended major-Electrical Engineering</p>

2

<p>Your GPA is very low. Or do students in your school generally get accepted to ivy level schools with that GPA? Very nice AIME score btw! And do you have an idea of your percentile or of you may be ranked 1 or 2?</p>

3

<p>What kind of rank would 3.45 give you if your school did rank? Is your GPA 3.45 because you go to a school without grade inflation, or are there a lot of people with higher grades in your class? </p>

<p>And among all those Ivy and Ivy-equivalent acceptances, how much overlap is there? That is, how many of the 13 accepted at Columbia were also accepted at Princeton?</p>

<p>Unless I’m missing something, I think the discrepancy between your stellar test scores and your less than stellar GPA is going to cause you big trouble at Ivies and their peers.</p>

4

<p>No students usually have higher GPA’s compared to mine.
I had like family issues during my freshman/sophomore year.
For instance, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer twice, but thankfully both surgeries went well and she is still living.
There were some other issues, and I had some trouble coping with them and as a result my grades dropped.
Would colleges look into factors such as the one I talked about above?</p>

5

<p>Our school doesn’t rank but I would probably fall under the lower half of students in my class.
I’m not too sure with the overlap but I know there are around 13 people going to Princeton, around 7 going to Columbia, as well as 3 Harvards, 4 Dartmouths, 4 Browns, and 8 Cornells. These are numbers that I got from an upperclassman so they’re rough approximations.</p>

6

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<p>I suspect that’s a big obstacle for you at highly selective institutions, for a couple of reasons. One is that you may look lackluster in comparison to classmates who will inevitably apply to the same colleges or universities. Another is that it’s quite possible that the letters written by teachers and administrators in support of your application may not reflect quite the same enthusiasm as the letters submitted in support of other applicants.</p>

7

<p>They will give you some leeway in that matter of your family trouble given your very high test scores and achievements in math and science to back you up. But a Korean applying for financial aid… It’s going to be very tough for you to get into those top schools or even attend.</p>

8

<p>I am/will be applying for scholarships and hopefully they will lower the cost. I spoke with my parents and we will only be asking for a small amount.
Also would publishing a paper help? I’m interning at Columbia university and I’m hoping to publish a paper and apply to science fair competitions such as siemens and intel.</p>

9

<p>Ackcihmo, I completely overlooked your post #4, above. Sorry.</p>

<p>First, let me say I am pleased to hear that your mother is doing well. Really, that’s the most important thing in this thread. If your grades have improved since your mother’s illness and your other personal issues, many colleges will be somewhat more forgiving of your earlier, lower grades.</p>

<p>Clearly, you go to a very good school that’s accustomed to placing students in competitive colleges and universities. The person who’s really best equipped to help you figure out what’s possible for you, what’s likely, and what’s simply out of reach, is the guidance counselor or college-placement person in your school. That’s going to be somebody who knows where applicants with grades like yours have been able to get accepted in past years, and who may even be able to help you get the maximum grade-forgiveness based on your mother’s illness and whatnot.</p>

10

<p>Of course publishing a paper would help! How much is up to the admissions officer reading it, but it can only help you. Not hurt you.</p>