Chance me pls! 🙏 HYPSM + other schools [4.0 GPA, 1540 SAT, physics major]

Chance Me / Match Me
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(I’m a current junior for context)

Schools: HYPSM, Caltech, Hopkins, Berkeley, UChicago

Demographics: public school female, no hooks

Intended major: physics/astrophysics

GPA: 4.0 uw, 4.75 w

SAT: 1540, 750 rw 790 m (retaking soon)

Coursework (including 12th): AP Calc BC (5), AP Stats (4), APUSH (5), AP Comp Gov, AP US Gov, AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics 1 + 2, AP Lang, AP Lit, AP CSP

Dual-enrollment MVC, linear algebra, proofs + diff eq at state university since 10th grade.

Extracurriculars:

- Astrophysics research under university lab, ISEF finalist ('24 - '26)

- NASA SEES Intern (summer '25)

- NASA citizen science ('24 - '26) working on gamma ray bursts and black hole projects.

- AAS undergraduate student member + upcoming poster presentation ('26)

- Member of university math circle ('23 - '26)

- Summer camp counselor job at science museum ('25, worked around 320 hours)

- Volunteer at same museum for various programs, created an astrophysics exhibit ('24 - '26)

- Jazz/classical pianist (performer): selected national performance at Disney World ('26), university chamber institute ('23 - '26), pianist in a jazz combo, performed around the state at venues/competitions/recitals

- Jazz/classical pianist (paid accompanist, coach): paid accompanist for 40+ students, accompanist for choir, orchestra, and theater ('23 - '26),

Awards:

- Regeneron ISEF finalist ('25, hopefully '26 as well)

- Publications in Research Notes of the AAS ('25, '26)

- American Geophysical Union (AGU) BrightStars presenter ('25)

- Various regional/state level science fair awards (including a $36,000 scholarship)

- Various regional/state level music awards/scholarships (nothing too special)

- AP Scholar (lol)

- National Honor Society member (lol)

Comments: I thought my profile was competitive, but after getting rejected from all the summer programs I applied to, I’m feeling doubtful. Also, if anyone has tips on how to improve my application and level up between now and senior fall, that would be sooo appreciated. Tysm :folded_hands:

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Strong applicant with weak LORs due to extenuating circumstances
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Have you talked to your parents about college funding? If they are not able or willing to pay $100k per year, have they tried the net price calculator on each college of interest?

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Why do you think that you were rejected by the summer programs to which you applied ?

It certainly was not due to insufficient GPA or standardized test score.

Could it have been due to an application essay ?

Your profile is competitive & solid.

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Wow -

I hate to think that you’re taking the SAT again but it makes sense in order to get an 800 on math.

What a profile!!!

Can you get into these schools? Absolutely.

Will you - it’s too hard to say. Obviously, UCB won’t see your SAT.

I would not worry about summer programs (although I don’t know for which you applied) - their selectivity is often above regular programs.

You are competitive - just be you - but you know you need to expand your school list.

Schools like UC Santa Cruz, U of Arizona and CU Boulder represent top large schools in your field of interest. For smaller schools, U Rochester and RPI are great bets if your top tier don’t pan out.

Have confidence - you’ll need great essays of course, but your academics, test score and activities - if you present them well - will take you far.

You are FANTASTIC. That’s what matter - not what a college says about you. You will make your mark - and there are many fantastic programs out there - including those I mentioned - where you’ll be able to make your mark.

Of course, first and foremost is budget, budget, and then budget. You have a list of expensive schools.

Good luck.

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Without going too much into details, my parent and I have discussed funding extensively and I am super fortunate to not have to worry about that. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I’m not sure, honestly. Both programs (RSI and BU RISE) are quite competitive so it definitely could be that they didn’t have enough spots. When I applied, I hadn’t taken the SAT yet, so maybe that was a factor? I thought my essays were good, but maybe they weren’t the right fit. Anyway, thank you for the feedback! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Wow, thank you so much for all the advice + positivity! I really appreciate it! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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There’s a free essay reading service on here to get feedback when the time comes. You can also ask family, friends, an English teacher and more. The issue with family/friends are they may not be objective (don’t want to hurt your feelings). But definitely get them read.

Why did you choose the list of schools you did? I can imagine how.

You might think about what you want in your college experience beyond a big name. After all, you will be on campus four years, day after day. Perhaps there are better fits for you out there?

Good luck.

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What are you doing in terms of non-native languages?

Otherwise, a lot of the schools you named put a lot of weight on non-academic factors involving personal traits like kindness. These traits end up being evidenced through things like counselor and teacher recommendations, possibly essays, possibly interview reports when relevant, and so on. You can’t really control all that content, but you can make a point of being an active, friendly, helpful, high character individual in your school and local communities.

Finally, you can make sure to develop a good list where you have reasons for applying to each school that are less about things like prestige or rankings or such, and more about what you are really looking for in terms of a four year college experience, a community, and so on.

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I agree with other answers that you are a competitive applicant at any university in the USA, and probably any university abroad that teaches in English (or at least in a language that you speak). I think that you are doing very well and already have an impressive resume.

You need to also apply to safeties. “HYPSM, Caltech, Hopkins, Berkeley, UChicago“ are not safeties. Stanford in an article years ago in the alumni magazine said that something like 80% of applicants are academically qualified to attend. You are in that 80% IMHO. However, their acceptance rate was less than 4% the last time that I looked.

Be aware also that some of these schools are academically quite demanding. For example, one time at a welcome presentation for freshmen at MIT they asked: “How many of you expect to be in the top half of the class?”. About 90% of the incoming freshmen put up their hand.

Think about what would make a university a good fit for you. You might get an impressive list of acceptances and you want to end up at a university that is a good fit. Also, if you can give a solid and well thought out answer to “why is [insert university name] a good fit for you”, this is likely to come across in your application one way or another and may help your chances.

I notice that you have put a lot of effort into music and done very well. I worked in high tech for my entire career. There are a surprisingly large number of high tech people who are also good at music. I have for example multiple times seen coworkers who I knew as software engineers get up on stage and play at some musical event. In most cases they played very well. In one case they played so well that I then spent the next month learning to play the same piece (it was something by Turlough O’Carolan adopted to guitar).

I would not worry about summer camps. Participate in the ECs that are right for you, keep doing well in your classes, make sure that you apply to safeties, and you will do well.

I think that you should read the applying sideways blog on the MIT admissions web site. It is interesting and I think gives a healthy perspective.

Do what is right for you, make sure that you apply to safeties, if you have any budget constraints then pay attention to them, and do not worry about it. You are on track to do well regardless of where you attend university. There are hundreds of universities where a very strong student such as yourself can do very well.

By the way, I have seen exceptionally strong students attend pretty good but not top 50 or in some cases not even top 100 universities and do very well. Several of them went on to very good and very highly ranked graduate programs. I believe that a very strong student is likely to do very well wherever they end up. You should have lots of options to choose from. I do not think that any of us can predict whether Stanford or MIT or another reach school will be included in those options, but I think that you are likely to do well.

Best wishes.

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Thank you! I’ll definitely get my essays read.

In terms of choosing my school list, I honestly just went with the top STEM/physics schools in the country. I certainly need to have targets and safeties as well, but picking those is more tricky since I haven’t really heard much about them and need to research.

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To be honest, my native language situation is painfully average. I am in Spanish 4 as a junior, on track to take AP Spanish next year. Other than that, I am monolingual :smiling_face_with_tear:

Thank you for the advice! I certainly try to be very kind, but I miss a TON of school due to severe health problems, so I’m a little worried about recommendations. I’m not sure my teachers will have many good things to say, but I can hope!

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Wow, thank you for taking the time to give such detailed advice. I am so grateful! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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As an already fully qualified applicant, your application will be as good as the list of colleges to which you choose to apply.

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You should think about what you want - large, small, urban, rural, warm, cold. A great name doesn’t bring happiness on its own. Maybe it’s small you seek - an LAC - either selective like Carleton or Swarthmore or a bit less like Grinnell or read.

For fun, here’s the top 50 feeders to PhD. I like the right better - it’s per capita vs just the most. These may not all be the highest ranked but are all great names While you can afford all, many will throw money at you - $30, $40, $59k a year if your family would like that.

But the list I gave you b4 (Arizona, CU, UCSC, Rochester, RPI) - those are top notch subs to your heavy reach list.

Good luck.

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That’s not an issue with the Spanish! Through AP as a senior is fine.

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This is fantastic, but if you have access to DE math, why not also take DE calc-based physics as well?

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You can start with your state flagship (multiple UCs if you’re in California) for sure.

UCSB has a super selective physics program: Physics | UCSB College of Creative Studies

On the safer side, this program: Physics Major | Honors Tutorial College allows students to take the core physics courses in a one on one setting, making it easy to develop relationships with professors and obtain research experience.

In general, many state flagships (UMich, CU Boulder, UVA, UWisconsin, OSU) will also have strong physics programs.

If your family will not be eligible for institutional financial aid, then applying to strong need-aware institutions (e.g. CWRU, URochester, Reed, RPI, Wesleyan) and selecting that you will not be requesting financial aid will give you an admissions advantage. Do keep in mind that doing so will commit you to receiving no financial aid even if your family’s circumstances change.

For a proper safety, MSU has https://honorscollege.msu.edu/programs/research-opportunities/professorial-assistantship-pa-program/ which allows students to do research in their first year.

Some other institutions worth checking out are Rice, Norwestern, NYU, and Johns Hopkins.

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Can you share a bit more about your background and goals? Do you want to get a job after your bachelor’s, or are you set on getting your PhD and being a researcher, or something in between? Do you know any math or physics or CS beyond what you’ve learned in school (e.g. through self study or your research)?

The High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM)® and The Middle Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MidMCM) - COMAP - this takes place in November.

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I would suggest that you find two sure things for admission, that you like, that are affordable. Find those now. It’s easy to find elite schools…not so easy to find those sure things. So…find them…NOW.

You are a very strong student, and certainly have a chance of admission at your very top heavy list of colleges. But so are the vast majority of applicants to these colleges.

Please read the thread I’m about to link. It’s older, and admissions have only become MORE competitive. This student was a top student, NMF, excellent ECs, LOR, GPA…the works. No one expected that he would be shut out everywhere he applied his senior year of high school…but that is what happened. He did land on his feet after a well crafted gap year, but his senior year of high school was not a happy time. You don’t want to be in this position. Read the whole thread:

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