What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m a junior starting my college search. Please chance me for WashU, Emory (and the Emory Scholar’s Program), Georgia Tech, Rice, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, and Harvard or Columbia or some Ivy idk. Thank you!

School Type: Private and independent
Location: Louisiana
Race/Gender: indian-american, female
Prospective Major: engineering (probably biomed)
Unweighted GPA: 3.9 (ish)
Weighted GPA: 4.2
Class rank: school doesn’t rank, top 10%

SAT I - 1580 (790 on both sections and 23/24 on essay)
ACT- 35 (35 on all sections and 11/12 on essay)
SAT II Math II - 770
PSAT - 1490/1520

AP- World, APUSH, Physics I, Calc AB, French. Will take Bio and Stats as a senior.

Extracurricular Info:
Speech and Debate Team
Swim Team
Choir
Piano
Indian classical dance
School newspaper
Global Cultures Club
Young Democrats Club

Leadership:
Class Secretary for two years
Leader of the Global Cultures club for two years
Editor-in-Chief and Founder of the school newspaper

Volunteering
5 hours a week for 3-4 weeks one summer with BTNOLA (educational/tutoring service for underprivileged children)

Work Experience
two summers as a camp counselor at a local camp (4 months total)

Awards:
a whole bunch of debate awards (upwards of 15)
Cum Laude Society
1st honor roll every semester
2nd place in french oratory competition

Other stuff:
Shadowing doctors (multiple days)
Summer research program (highly selective, working under a doctor)
Peer Leadership program at school (highly selective, mentoring freshmen)

2

I’m basically just trying to feel out if my goals are reasonable. Thanks so much for y’all’s help.

3

also, are merit scholarships at these schools likely for me? Or would I have to aim lower to get full rides?

4

Good stats and you will do well. You already seen the headlines regarding the acceptance rates at Stanford and the IVY schools so they are all high reach schools for all applicants. D has higher stats and could only manage to get into Columbia for the IVY schools. Accepted at a bunch of really good schools like Rice, UCB, Amherst and UCLA. Still can’t believe she got into Stanford. She wrote outstanding essays to both Columbia and Stanford. Stanford admit officer, when we met her during a meet and greet for admitted students, specifically remembered D’s application and her name.

Keep up the great work you have done. Keep a folder of all your awards. Be passionate about what you will write in your essays because the top schools have their pick of outstanding applicants with good stats. Your voice and what makes you the insatiable learner you are has to come loud and clear.

Apply to the dream, high reach, match and safety schools. Have fun with the application. Just try your best and let the chips fall where they fall.

5

If Medical school is your goal, do not apply to UCLA/UCB. You are out of state and they offer no financial aid so you would be close to full pay at $60K/year. Save the money for Medical school or aim for schools like the others on your list which would give you good FA and merit aid.

Best of luck and you look like a very competitive and qualified applicant.

6

The UCs don’t give any merit aid? I don’t think I qualify well for FA… @Gumbymom

7

They give some merit aid like UC Regents: $2500/year at UCB, $2000 at UCLA, Alumni Scholarship at UCLA $1-4,000/year. Most of the aid at the UC’s is need-based for in-state students.

8

if u wanna be a doctor look into 7 year programs, also BME probably isn’t the best major bc your college GPA will not be the best. You currently have a decent chance everywhere, but keep in mind that for Rice, GTECH, Cal, Northwestern, and WashU, BME is one of their most coveted majors and will even more competitive than the average for the school.