What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Okay..
I am applying to Stanford early action. And I am also applying to Cal Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Caltech, CMU, MIT, Harvard and Columbia</p>

<p>I'm majoring in biophysics if the school offers it, if not, then just regular physics.</p>

<p>Oh and my dad is an active alumni of CMU.</p>

<p>So what are my chances? Especially for Stanford.
I'm a half-Asian (Korean) half-white (1/4 Italian, 1/8 Greek, 1/8 French) female (so it can go either way on the app, although I usually decline my race) attending a large public high school in Northern California.</p>

<p>My SAT scores are as follows:
660 writing (9 essay), 720 math, 660 critical reading
(am taking again on Oct 8 because these are bad)
780 Physics, 760 Math IIc, 640 US History (but college's don't need to know that one)</p>

<p>AP Scores: 4 Calculus BC (5 on the AB part), 5 Physics C Mechanics, 4 Physics C E&M, 4 Biology, 3 US History, 3 Music Theory</p>

<p>GPA: 3.975 unweighted, 4.17 weighted (for 04-05 school year), 4.83 weighted for soph + junior (they don't count frosh year right?)</p>

<p>Honors/AP Courses taken:
Freshman year: English, Social Science (honors only)
Sophomore: English, World History (honors only), AP Biology, AP Calculus BC
Junior: AP English Language, AP United States History, AP French 4, Multivariable Calculus (at Community College), Differential Equations (at community college)
Senior: AP English Lit, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Chemistry, Linear Algebra (at Community College)</p>

<p>Other stuff to note:</p>

<p>ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS:
March 2000 (6th Grade)- Our Savior’s Lutheran School Science Fair
Title: “Comparing Food Coloring Molecules Using Electrophoresis”
2nd place in school</p>

<p>March 2001 (7th grade)- Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair
Title: “Extracting DNA”
2nd place in Biological Sciences category</p>

<p>2001- Golden State Exam
Algebra 1- High Honors</p>

<p>March 2002 (8th grade)- Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair
Title: “Will Shrimp Eggs Hatch in High Gravity?”
1st place in Biological Sciences category
Engineering Award</p>

<p>2002- Golden State Exam
Geometry- Honors </p>

<p>March 2003 (9th grade)- Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair
Title: “Is Sunlight As Dangerous As Laserlight”</p>

<p>1st place in Physics category
US Army Award
US Air Force Award
SPIE 1st Place
Industrial Surplus Foundation Award</p>

<p>April 2003 (9th grade)- Rotarty Club Student of the Month Award</p>

<p>April 2003 (9th grade)- Livermore School Board Recognition </p>

<p>May 2003 (9th grade)- California State Science Fair 2003- entered</p>

<p>March 2004 (10th grade)- Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair
Title: “Environmental Changes and Species Diversity: A Numerical Simulation
1st place in Computer Science category
US Army Award
US Navy Award
INTEL Best in Computer Science</p>

<p>May 2004 (10th grade)- California State Science Fair 2004- entered</p>

<p>March 2005 (11th grade)- Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair
Title: “The Sun’s Big Bang in January 2005”
Sweepstakes Winner (Higest award at the Fair)
1st place in Space Science category
US Navy Award
Valley Times Award for best graphics
American Vacuum Society 1st Place
SPIE Award
Yale Science and Engineering Award for best 11th grade project</p>

<p>May 2005 (11th grade)- Intel International Science and Engineering Fair- Finalist</p>

<p>May 2005 (11th grade)- 4th place Las Positas College American Mathematical Association
of Two Year Colleges Contest</p>

<p>May 2005 (11th grade)- Outstanding Achievement Award in Math & Science from Sandia National Laboratory</p>

<p>EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES</p>

<p>March 2004 (10th grade)- Passed MTAC (Music Teacher’s Association of California) Advanced Level Certificate of Merit in Piano, continuing to compete in Advanced Level.</p>

<p>November 2004 (11th grade)- Water Polo Most Valuable Player for Livermore High School Water Polo Team</p>

<p>2004-2005- MECCA, a science club run by the Tri-Valley Regional Occupation Program</p>

<p>Expanding Your Horizons- science workshops organized by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (every year)</p>

<p>August 2003- COSMOS, California State Summer School for Math and Science (4 week program)</p>

<p>July 2004- EPGY, Education Program for the Gifted Youth by Stanford University Summer Program in Physics (4 week program)</p>

<p>September– November 2004- Helped Livermore School District Pass Measure D in the November Ballot.</p>

<p>Summer 2005—Student Intern at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory</p>

<p>So what do you think? And is there anywhere else you guys think that I should apply? Like what would be a really good dumb safety school.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>i helped pass measure D too!!! yay measure D people</p>

<p>you have lots of things....</p>

3

<p>What is biophysics?
Chances wise, you will definately want to raise your SATs, and take advantage of your under represented minority status, I would.</p>

4

<p>tminazozo:</p>

<p>UCB: Match
UCLA: Match</p>

5

<p><em>edit</em></p>

<p>sorry guys, my gpa for last year was 4.50 not 4.17, i forgot a class when averaging. but they don't really care about one year's gpa..</p>

6

<p>well, i think listing your EC's and awards in order of importance is better, so you know bump that ISEF finalist up to the top.</p>

7

<p>shes not a URM.........</p>

8

<p>okay yea. i'm not an expert but i think for a decent shot your SAT's do need to go up.</p>

9

<p>working on it as we speak..</p>

10

<p>i don't think you should include your awards from 6th grade, though... or 7th grade... or 8th grade. Anyway, your awards from 9th grade and up are quite sufficient that they can stand as great achievements on their own without having to delve all the way back to when you were 11 years old. :)</p>

11

<p>yeah i just copied and pasted my resume and it was all on there. i probably wouldnt put it on my actual app.</p>

12

<p>Mina, I think being an ISEF finalist will greatly improve your chances at Stanford. But don't name your roomate Biscuit in your letter like Chian did.</p>

<p>Also, I know you haven't been on varsity teams, but make sure to mention in your application the time you have put into water polo (with summer/winter leagues + hs, it adds up to around 20 hours/week for around 30 weeks/year) because it shows dedication and and a willingness to stick to something for a long time.</p>

13

<p>wow ur really good at math!</p>

14

<p>Stanford -- rejected
Caltech -- rejected
MIT -- rejected
Harvard -- rejected
Columbia -- waitlist, rejected</p>