Chance Me for UPenn, UChicago, UT Austin BHP, CMU, UMich, Cornell, and more

What Are My Chances and Matches?
#1

I’m a rising high school senior from Dallas, Texas. My dream school is the University of Pennsylvania. I’m applying to the following colleges this upcoming admissions cycle:

  • University of Pennsylvania (ED)
  • University of Chicago (EA)
  • University of Michigan (EA)
  • University of Texas at Austin (Priority, Business Honors Program)
  • Cornell University (Dyson)
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Babson College
  • Case Western Reserve University
  • University of Texas at Dallas
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Southern Methodist University
  • Boston University
  • University of Washington

Personal Information:

  • Indian Male
  • Upper middle class
  • Intended major: BS Economics/Business/Computer Science
  • Legacy at Carnegie Mellon and Boston University
  • Auto admission into UT Austin (Top 6% rule - google it)

Test Scores/Grades:

  • GPA: 4.0 UW/4.79 W
  • Class Rank: 15/497 (Top 3%)
  • SAT: 1510 (Took only once, didn’t have the chance to take it again due to COVID)
  • ACT: 34 (Took only once, didn’t have the chance to take it again due to COVID)
  • SAT Subject Tests: 770 on Math 2 (Retaking in August), 740 on World History, Physics (Taking in August)
  • AP Scores: 9 AP classes (Five 5s, Two 4s, Two 3s) - Scored 5s on all the subjects relevant to my major - Taking 6 more AP classes my senior year
  • PSAT: Was very sick on the day that I took it, scored a 1430 - Commended Scholar but not a semifinalist

Extracurriculars/Honors/Awards:

  • Guitar instructor for students in my community for 1 year, I have a website where I post tutorials and have a YouTube channel where I post guitar covers
  • Intenship between Junior and Senior year as a software developer for an educational company
  • Summer Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania between Sophomore and Junior year where I created a prototype of a product and pitched it to investors with a team
  • Summer volunteer at the University of Texas at Dallas where I taught Java to middle and high school students
  • Orchestra (Officer for 2 years): Varsity orchestra, all region violinist
  • FC Dallas Youth Soccer all throughout high school (Could not play for school team)
  • DECA: 2 time state finalist
  • Speech and Debate: State qualifier, varsity member
  • National Honor Society
  • Spanish National Honor Society
  • National Economics Challenge Regional Finalist
  • Tutor geometry, algebra 2, and precalculus to a couple of students within my community
  • Computer Science Club (Various regional awards)
  • AP Scholar with Distinction
  • National Merit Commended Scholar
  • Academic Honor Roll (9th, 10th, 11th)
  • President’s Volunteer Service Award (Bronze)

I would like to know which of the above colleges I have a decent shot at getting into, and which of them are safeties, matches, reaches, and high reaches. Financial aid will not be a problem for my family. I would also like to know where I should submit my test scores where I shouldn’t, considering most schools are test optional for this admissions cycle. Thank you!

#2

You have high chance to U of Washington, UT Austin, UNC, CWRU, UMich, BU.
UT Dallas? How do you called a school which is more safe than safety school?
for the top schools, it is random, depends on your essay.

#3

UT Austin is your safety school. Nice to have that so you can apply to as many reaches as you want. Which is good because they are all reaches from the top of your list through Dartmouth, plus UNC.

Everything else is a match, except I’d say UT Dallas and Southern Methodist are probably safe.

#4

@brantly @lemonlulu

sorry to interupt, but could you chance me on my first thread for UWash, UMich, UTAustin, and the like? thanks.

#5

@lemonlulu @brantly
Thank you for your input.

  1. Which other reaches should I apply to? Or is this a good list of colleges for undergraduate business?
  2. I was most worried about my test scores. Do you think I should submit my test scores to the top colleges, considering they are about average?
#6

Are you applying to UPenn via Wharton or Arts/Sciences?

The test scores look fine, I wouldn’t hold them back.

Do you have a plan for ED2?

#7

I’m applying to UPenn via Wharton, thanks. I might consider applying to UChicago EDII instead of EA, what do you think?

#8

@cobrakai1
your ACT id fine for all reach schools. Don’t need to send SAT subject scores. Won’t make a difference. There is no point to add more reach school to your list as you don’t want to land a school which you don’t think about them before.
My understanding is even all reach schools don’t accept you, you are still happy with U Wash and UT Austin. Don’t apply reach school for the sake of reach.

#9

ED1 at Wharton: you def have the stats. But as you know, its one of the most competitive schools to get into. Put some time into writing good essays and you have a decent chance.

Now whether to EA/ED2 to Chicago? Why not both? Your chances of EA at UChicago is miniscule. Probably even lower than ED1 at Wharton. I remember reading somewhere that the EA acceptance rate is about 2%. The good news is that you are allowed to EA Chicago + ED1 Wharton at the same time. Assuming you get deferred from Wharton and Chicago during the first early round, then just contact UChicago and ask them to convert your app to ED2. Putting in the app during the EA round shows your interest, and then converting to ED2 gives you two opportunities for them to review your application.

You might as well throw in a few other non-binding EA apps along with Wharton. Do you have any interest in MIT, Caltech, or Tulane? There are lots of others aas well.

#10

Applying to CMU/Dietrich/Tepper as a Econ or Business major I’d say you have a pretty good chance. Certainly not a safety school, with a 20-25% acceptance rate, but a solid match.

Applying to CMU/SCS for Computer Science, not so much.

#11

@sgopal2 Thank you for the advice! I definitely will consider applying to UChicago both EA and ED2 now. I was interested in MIT initially but I took it off the list because I thought it was an unrealistic reach. As for Tulane, I think I already have enough safety/match schools on my list.

@RichInPitt I’m thinking of applying to the Tepper school for undergrad at Carnegie Mellon. My dad is an alumnus of the school, and I have heard very good things from the people from my school who have gone there. CMU SCS seems like a super unrealistic reach for me, considering my test scores are well below their average.

#12

Umm I would get your facts straight abt EA at UChicago; the overall admit rate was 6.2% for the Class of 2024, and a good portion of seats are for EA students. While it’s still low, just make sure you have the all facts before you choose to apply ED 2 bc in the chance you do get into Wharton Regular, you’ll already be binded to UChicago. I think you have a great shot best of luck!

#13

^^^ 2/3 of the Chicago class is filled from the early rounds (EA/ED1/ED2). That amounts to about 1200 matriculants. The remaining 600 or so are filled from RD. The exact breakdown between EA/ED2/ED1 has never been released by the admissions office. But my guess is the % of students accepted during EA is really small.

#14
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