What Are My Chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey! I am applying to multiple selective colleges including Princeton and Stanford for Computer Science. My concern here is Princeton. I know that there is a very high chance I can face a rejection, but I am thinking of every flaw in my application I can possibly rectify to increase my chances.
Due to obvious reasons this year I was unable to give the SAT, but I could give the TOEFL iBT at-home test (I got 116/120).
Here is more information about me:

  1. I started out a company that puts out simple games and apps to help increase the concentration in kids suffering from ADHD. These games have been implemented in the education system of multiple schools.
  2. I ranked top 20 (globally among 15000+ other contestants) twice in a coding contest hosted by Google (called Google Code-in) in my sophomore and junior years.
  3. Varsity basketball.
  4. I completed multiple udemy courses on Computer Science and continue to learn and apply my knowledge to this day.
  5. Opened up another company that focuses on blood donation in rural areas (it is not as popular as my other company).
  6. Working on multiple apps to this day.
  7. 92% in 10th grade (I am an American Asian, Indian)

I can clearly see how Princeton can reject me as the only standardised test score I can send is TOEFL. Is there any way I can compensate for not sending an SAT score?

2

Princeton is test optional this year. This makes sense since many students are in the same situation as you are, and cannot take the test. I would believe them that in this case “optional” really means “optional”.

116 on the TOEFL is very good, and suggests that studying in English will not be a problem at all. However, if you are an American, I do not see how it would be a problem or how the TOEFL would make any sense to take. Admissions at Princeton might be able to answer this.

Princeton is of course a reach for nearly all students (assuming that your parent is not the leader of your country, and you have not already won a Nobel Prize). You should assume that your chances of getting in is somewhere in the single digit percentages. This is however not due to any problem with your application. It is only because there are so many excellent applicants to Princeton (and to Stanford also, of course).

How strong at you at Basketball?

3

I am decent at Basketball if I do say so myself, but not nearly as good as other players that have played division 1 in college. So there is no way I will be able to commit to Princeton because of my Basketball skills.