Chance the Stereotypical Computer Nerd

What Are My Chances and Matches?
#1

<p>Background:
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Indian (as in from India)
Grade: Senior (Class of 2011)
Financial Aid: doesn't look like ill get much according to FAFSA forcaster
College Major: Computer Engineering/ Computer Science
Rank: Top 5% (highest my school gives)</p>

<p>Academics</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
All Honors Classes</p>

<p>Summer: Independently Studied Biology, Tested out of Honors to AP</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
All Honors
AP Biology (5)
AP Comparative Government (self-study, 5)</p>

<p>SATII Biology M: 790</p>

<p>Junior Year:
All Honors
AP Chem (5)
AP Phys C:M (my school doesn't offer EM) (5)
AP Calc BC (5, AB subscore 5)
AP US History (5)
AP Eng. Lang (Self-Study, 5)</p>

<p>SATI: 2300: 760CR, 800M, 740W
SATII: Math II 800, Chem 770, US History 720 (not gonna send US)
PSAT: 229
GPA: 3.85 (Really Unweighted, as in A+ as 4.0, everything else lower), 4.2 (school unweighted), 4.6 (school weighted), nothing lower than an A- ever</p>

<p>Summer: Working on A+ Certification</p>

<p>Senior Plans:
AP Lit
AP Comp Sci
AP Stat
AP US Gov/Poli
AP German
AP Phys C:EM (self-study)
Multivariable Calc (Stanford EPGY)
Possibly Comp Sci w/ Stanford EPGY</p>

<p>EC's:
FBLA (Computer Competitions, awards below)
Varsity Boy's Tennis
Marching Band (Clarinet)
Concert Band (Clarinet)
National Honor Society
Astronomy Club (Founding Member)
German Club (Secretary)</p>

<p>Other:
1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate
I'm a stereotypical computer nerd. I basically tinker with/mod computers during all of my free time, but I don't really know how to convey this. I pretty much do not own a single gadget that I could return for warranty repair (without unmodding), if you know what I mean.
I also run a website with tech news and guides (some guides have ~200,000 views and 500 responses). <-How can I show stuff like this to adcoms besides the essay?
In addition, I'll probably have A+ Certification by the time college admissions start (self-study)</p>

<p>I take more than the most rigorous courseload at my school (although not in comparision to some others at CC), the usual "overachiever" has 2-4 APs by the end of Junior Year and most of these people have like 1 EC</p>

<p>Community Service:
Web Design for Nonprofit 1: 150 Hours (finished, published)
Volunteering as "stage tech" for Nonprofit 1: 20 Hours (finished)
Web Design for Nonprofit 2: Ongoing, currently at ~20 hours, will definitely go up to around 150.
Probably Web Design for Nonprofit 3: ~150 (almost completely hypothetical)</p>

<p>Awards:
FBLA: 2x regional award
FBLA: 4 State Awards in computer related competitions in one year (1 group + 3 individual)
Rensselaer Medal
National Merit (Semi)finalist? (PSAT 229)
AP Scholar with Distinction (7APs, need one more for National :( )</p>

<p>Tests Summary:
SATI: 2300: 760CR, 800M, 740W
SATII: BioM: 790, Math II: 800, Chem: 770, US History: 720(not sending US)
APs: Bio 5, Comp. Gov 5, Calc BC+ABsub 5, Chem 5, Phys C:M 5, Eng. Lang 5, US Hist 5
PSAT (junior year): 229</p>

<p>Where I'm thinking of applying to:
MIT
Caltech
Carnegie Mellon
Cornell
Stanford
UC Berkeley
Harvard
Princeton
UPenn
U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
RPI ($60,000 scholarship guaranteed)
Penn State</p>

<p>So where should I apply? (more safeties?, a lot more safeties?, am I crazy thinking I could get in at some of these places?) </p>

<p>I really like MIT, Caltech, and Carnegie Mellon (computer/electrical engineering), but do I have a shot?</p>

<p>thanks for helping the computer nerd :D</p>

#2

<p>Nope, not crazy. This is a great profile. So long as you'd be happy attending any of the last three schools on your list in the worst case, you should be fine. Obviously invite the admissions committee to have a look at your website. I'm assuming you're a US citizen. Go nerds!</p>

#3

<p>are there any intermediates I can apply to? like between penn state and MIT/caltech/carnegie/stanford/ivies</p>

#4

<p>@Hannibalxx</p>

<p>Please leave this thread now. I have read some of your responses on other threads and I do not wish to have your input. Thank You. Bye.</p>

<p>BTW, don't pull the BS you pull on other threads, AKA saying things like "ur just hatin' because i speak the truth !!1!1!!!"</p>

<p>I will gladly accept almost anybody else's opinion (even if you say i have no chance, as long as you tell why, and are not a troll)</p>

#5

<p>Your EC's are weak. You may have done some computer stuff, but that's not soley what colleges are looking for.</p>

#6

<p>Are they too weak? like no chance</p>

<p>I tried to show passion in computers since I 100% want to go into compsci/engineering w/my website and FBLA but my school has seriously no science/math ECs besides astronomy club.</p>

#7

<p>Wow what happened to good chancers on CC?
Completely agree with your statement to HannibalXX...</p>

<p>Basically all of the ivy league schools and Caltech and MIT will be reaches, because they are reaches for everyone. But I think you will get into at least two of them.
Reading your profile and your interest in computers I would go to either Stanford, MIT, or Carnegie Mellon. (I used to be into Computer Science and these are the places I wanted to go)
I think you could definitely get into Carnegie Mellon, U of Ill., and Penn State.</p>

<p>Just spend alot of time writing your essays and you should be fine.</p>

<p>I don't think you really need many safeties...</p>

#8

<p>That's great I would absolutely LOVE to go to CMU. After I saw the Gates Center I seriously did not want to leave...like a little child haha</p>

#9

<p>Nice I have yet to visit, was originally interested in Computer Science, but now I am more interested in Physics. Still might "try" a dual major in the two, because Physics jobs are very iffy and their funding can be easily cancelled.</p>

<p>Maybe apply to 2 schools that you can get a full scholarship to(RPI), because I do not know your financial situation.</p>

#10

<p>Haha. I can identify with being a "computer nerd". Personally, I think A+ certification is handed out like candy nowadays, but whatever. </p>

<p>I think phxfire has it dead on in terms of your chances. When you apply to enough Ivies with a good resume, you're almost guaranteed to get accepted into at least one, and you have a very focused, directed resume, so I'd imagine you'd get into two or more. As for MIT and Caltech, I'm not so sure; our school has had a very peculiar trend as to who gets in and who gets rejected. </p>

<p>Don't put too much focus on nothingto, and certainly not Hannibal. They're both a little too pessimisstic, the latter just being a soulless demon dwelling in his parents' basement.</p>

#11

<p>Well clearly you have the grades and test scores and course rigor to get into these top universities. However, many students with all of these get rejected each year from top universities (such as MIT). When it comes down to EC's, although they are strong, people have stronger awards. I would actually have to agree with nothingto about the computer bit, your EC's seem very focused on computers, which is a good thing, but I think they are too focused (if that makes any sense lol).</p>

<p>Also, do people generally get into top colleges from your school?</p>

<p>Being an Indian will hurt you, so keep that in mind. Many Indians have a resume that is comparable to yours.</p>

<p>Varsity Boy's Tennis
Astronomy Club (Founding Member)
German Club (Secretary)</p>

<p>These seem like they are just there for leadership positions. Your awards and interests do not in the least bit include these clubs/activities. Have you received any awards in Tennis?</p>

<p>All in all, I would say have you have a good chance.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

#12

<p>Nope, I'm just an average high school tennis player :(
haha and I've always liked astronomy/space/airplanes so i just did astronomy club for fun and my german teacher would be quite unhappy if i didnt do german club :p</p>

<p>Someone got into MIT a couple of years ago from our school, but I know nothing about the person and nobody is willing to disclose anything unfortunately.
We have 1 or 2 every year that go to ivies.</p>

#13

<p>^ Thats about how many that go from my school every year, I can't believe that there are high schools that send 15-20 to top schools every year...</p>

#14

<p>
[quote]
Please leave this thread now. I have read some of your responses on other threads and I do not wish to have your input. Thank You. Bye.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>^5.</p>

<p>Caltech's admissions seems to be a lot more tangible than MIT's. So stats, EC awards, not so much "fit" and recommendations and essays. Therefore, I think you look pretty good for Caltech. I can/not/ read the minds of the MIT adcoms...their decisions are much more inscrutable than average. Idk about Carnegie Mellon.</p>

#15

<p>Bumpshakalaka</p>

#16

<p>bump^ anyone else?</p>

#17

<p>ill give my 2 cents.</p>

<p>I think you stand a very good chance. Good Test scores and angled EC. Put the focus on computer science in your application. Writing essays saying why you are passionate about computers.</p>

<p>About the "well balanced kid vs the angled applicant" scenario, the angled applicant will have the edge. Every year, there are over 25000 "well balanced kid" with piano skills, sports skills, science skills, math skills, and any mix in between and 5000 "well angled" applicants who are the ones winning all state piano competitions, recruited athletes, Intel Finalists, International Math Olympiad kids, and other winners of prestigious competitions. (dont quote me on numbers- pulled out of hat based on rough guestimations)</p>

<p>You tell me who gets into Harvard more frequently. No one wants a "jack of all trade, master of none." Society focuses on specialization. This aint the renaissance. Colleges want well balanced classes, not well balanced individuals.</p>

<p>dont listen to nothingto. He is probably an average applicant who dabbles in one club to the next, with no dedication or real achievements in any subject. Sour Grapes are his favorite snack.</p>

#18

<p>I agree strongly with jasonInNy. A guy who's passionate towards computers is all they need to see. It's clear you have the dedication to be a strong student as you have the focus, the scores, the course-rigor, and definitely the grades.</p>

<p>As for the schools, certain schools are reaches for everyone because unless you have a application that completely blows the competition away (ie: inventing something that became popular/useful, write a computer program that really benefits people, international awards, find the cure to an illness, etc.), admission officers are always subjective and may or may not pick you for slight things. </p>

<p>I would think that your ethnicity may put you back a bit, but not by too much. I still think you have a little-less-than moderate chance for MIT/Caltech/Carnegie/Harvard/Princeton, but a good shot at UC Berkeley/UPenn/U of Illinois</p>

<p>Chance me:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/963572-chance-average-asian.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/963572-chance-average-asian.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

#19

<p>^finalbump - it's your last chance to chance :D</p>

#20

<p>OP here, I've got two questions - I really want to take a multivariable calc class, but there aren't any local colleges to take it at, so im thinking about EPGY. How would I report this to colleges on my app? Or is it not possible? id be taking it first semester senior year.</p>

<p>Also, how do I write about my website on my app? As an EC? I but significant time into researching/testing/coding/posting (researching/testing 9th grade to now, coding/posting 11th grade to now) for it and it gets a pretty decent number of views (like 350 new visitors/week and like 700 pageviews/week, with no online advertising or word of mouth advertising, and the guides ive written have >200,000 views all time).</p>

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