<p>yea, science is just a hobby. im really interested in the environment and diplomacy, and i’ve done quite a few things from writing petitions to the city council to install more trash cans in various parks to organizing local protests against various causes. in terms of diplomacy, i plan on interning at an embassy in the first two weeks of september, if that helps.</p>
<p>and being one of a select 86, i must say, is one of the most distinguishable factors an applicant can have</p>
<p>not really… every applicant to the schools you’re considering have been accepted into the same thing you have, or better</p>
<p>do you know what tasp is!?!?? seriously?!?? this is like THE ultimate realistic ec. it’s like next to being jesus, or writing a legitimate new york times best seller, or maybe im exaggerating a bit but you get the gist. it’s a huge deal, and its one of the most prestigious things that can go on a college app! and a tasp participant is quite rare, far rarer than ‘ever applicant’</p>
<p>this might help: the process involves writing 5 essays and sending in a booklist. if you make it as a finalist, you have to go through a grueling interview. after that, you get chosen as a participant. about 150 out of over 870 applicants got interviewed this year, 86 made the cut. that acceptance rate is lower than 10%, and thats after a self selective application process. its really hard to get into, thats one of the reasons its so prestigious. also, about half of the participants end up at HYPS, the rest end up at one of the top 25 colleges in the country. so thats why i say tasp is a pretty distinguishable characteristic</p>
<p>no not really…</p>
<p>among the people who apply to the schools you are applying to are winners of international competitions and things of that nature</p>
<p>I am not an expert, but I think you have decent chances if you raise that SAT score, which according to you shouldn’t be too hard. Also, TASP is going to help, but the Ivies are unpredictable so you never know. I wish you luck and hopefully everything will work out in your favor.</p>
<p>while tasp may not rank with first place at an international science competition, which wouldn’t affect me since im not planning on going into science–i took the courses because of genuine personal interest, some people are interested in computer animation as their hobby, others science–tasp is arguably equivelant to placing within the top ten at such an international science competition. there is no other humanities ANYTHING, other than a nobel prize, that can trump tasp in its field.</p>
<p>sorry if i came off as arrogant but i really am not. i just come off really defensive and bratty online i guess =), sorry! thanks for your thoughts, and i will try my best to stand out as you said</p>
<p>lol, i was just messing with you…honestly, you have a good shot</p>
<p>:-P not to be rude or mean, but if you were so sure of your merit from the beginning after getting into tasp, why did you post a chances thread? :)</p>
<p>i wasnt perfectly sure however, what would make the biggest difference on my application and how my application would fare. i got some flack for not being different and also my ec’s, and i tried to question the claims. that’s all. im not that full of myself, just that i think tasp is a bit of a big deal and that was one department that i felt pretty okay with.</p>
<p>can i get some more chances?</p>
<p>we all need to go to sleep first. 2 AM is not healthy for us juniors.</p>
<p>I would not go close to as far as to say that “tasp is arguably equivalent to placing within the top ten at such an international science competition. there is no other humanities ANYTHING, other than a nobel prize, that can trump tasp in its field.”</p>
<p>Because honestly, it’s not. Yes, TASP is amazing and all, but there are plenty of things that, while I don’t want to use the word “trump,” are quite comparable. Writing a best-seller book, for example. Winning national essay contests. TASP is not the key to life, nor to Harvard. Top ten at international science contest? It’s not really comparable. In fact, top 100, maybe (86 participants, yes?); but honestly, you can’t really quantify things like this.</p>
<p>Don’t bank on it for college acceptances; I wouldn’t even call it a hook.</p>
<p>That said, you have a “good” chance at all of the schools listed; good in quotation marks because everything’s a crapshoot these days at top schools, it seems.</p>
<p>thanks everyone</p>
<p>Seems like you already have all your chances in your head and you’re just looking for validation. Everybody that has said something contrary to your ideas about GPA, SATs, TASP, etc. you have shot down with arrogant remarks. Either be open to suggestions or be quiet and go back into your little rose-colored hole where TASP is next to being Jesus.</p>
<p>TASP is next to being Jesus? who knew? </p>
<p>and souteasttitan: hahahahahahahaha. :)</p>
<p>out of those 6, if i had to guess you’ll get into 3.</p>
<p>Hi, I’m a fellow UT Tasper. From what I’ve seen of TASP based on previous attendees, I do not think that it is a hook in and of itself. Many TASPers do go to top schools but most of them are already highly qualified. The big thing in getting into any college, beyond demonstrating capability, is demonstrating a passion. I applied to TASP because I am interested in the subject and I believe that it will be exciting as well as educating. I suggest that you find what you are truly passionate about and clearly pursue it. If you convey your passion well in your essays, you will have a great chance at many of the schools you are looking at.</p>
<p>I’ll see you this summer.</p>
<p>ROFLMAO. “little rose-colored hole where TASP is next to being Jesus.” Best line ever.</p>
<p>I’m gonna quote myself, just for kicks: “TASP is like the birth of Jesus…but better.” <em>dies</em> And to give you context, I meant that my life was “Before TASP” and “After TASP” kinda like B.C. / A.D. and such. Anyhoo.</p>
<p>I HATE CHANCES THREADS WITH A PASSION.</p>
<p>But really. Ivy, it’s a crapshoot. It depends on your essays, too, and on the way you present yourself in each application. People who’ve been accepted to HYPS have been rejected, say, by Brown, or Swarthmore, or even Cornell (which are “omg, lesser, 'cause they’re not HYSP”). It’s a CRAZY crazy thing. You just put your best face forward and hope for the best, aye? Come next April, you’ll see where you’ve been accepted and then you’ll decide. Cracking your brain up right now is, honestly, unnecesary and damaging.</p>