Chances for Admission at top tier

aramin · February 23, 2007, 7:36pm

Hello. I am a junior at a top public school outside San Francisco. I am a participant in a selective, 60 student, academy in my school. Last year, 15% of the students were accepted to Stanford ED from the program. We make documentary films in addition to rigorous english and history classes. Only 5% of the students in the three classes get A’s, and colleges know it.

Freshman: 3.85 GPA. Suffered through severe mononucleosis, which contributed to lower grades.
Summer:
Earned A in accredited Spanish program, while doing foreign study for 1 month in Salamanca, Spain.

Soph: 4.0 Weighted GPA, 3.7 Unweighted
Honors Spanish 7/8 A- /A-
Honors Integrated Science 3/4: B+/B+
Honors Physiology: B+/C+, I have a severe conceptual learning disability that prevents me from successful memorization. Physiology was low, because of this.
English 3/4: B+/B+ No honors/AP offered as soph
World History:A-/A No honors or AP offered.
Band:A
PE: A
Took most difficult classes as possible. Ranked in top 10%

Summer after Soph year: Earned A- in AP Government and Politics at Georgetown University program in 3 weeks. Earned A in accredited Spanish program, while doing foreign study for 1 month in Salamanca, Spain.

Junior:
Acceptance to selective academy, recognized for winning many student emmys.
Honors US History: B
Honors Advanced Exposition: B+
Digital Integrated Media Studies: A
Ap Spanish Language: A-
Chemistry: B
Precaculus:A
Chinese 110 at Community College: A
4.0 Weighted.

I have taken a very intense courseload for my school. I am in top 10%, no class rank.

Planning on Interning for Congresswomen Lynn Woolsey in DC during the summer.

Will have stellar recs from academy english and history teachers. Possibly rec from Congresswoman. Over 300 hours of comm service (look below)
4.0 Weighted GPA.

SATS: 750 Writing
720 Crit Reading
650 Math

SAT II’s:
Will take Spanish: probably 750
Lit: Probably low 700s
US History: probably low 700s
Math IIC maybe: possibly high 600s

Am going to apply to: UCLA, UCSD, Tufts (4 part legacy), Princeton (Legacy), BU, Penn Huntsman Program is top choice, NYU, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, GW, Brown, McGill, U. Michigan

EXPERIENCE:
2004-2006: Tennis instructor at Strawberry Recreation Center, Mill Valley. Lessons and clinics to children and adults. Head Coach of a Marin Youth Tennis League team.

2006: Winter Break employment as leasing assistant and clerical staff at Jakobson Properties LLC, New York City, a real estate leasing, management and investment firm.

EDUCATION:
2004-2008: Student at Tamalpais High School, 4.0 GPA. Advanced Placement and Honors courses in every subject. Member of AIM (Academy of Integrated Humanities and New Media), a selective, rigorous academic program that includes production of documentary films.

2006-2007: Concurrent enrollment at College of Marin, completing college level Chinese 110 with an A, and currently enrolled in Chinese 101.

2006: Georgetown University summer student in the Junior Statesmen Summer School, completing Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics. Received Honor Diploma.

2005-2006: Participated in Intensive Spanish Language Program, Enforex, in Salamanca, Spain. Six weeks total study, including home stay, grade of A both summers.

EXTRACURRICULAR:
2005-2007: Started Tam High School chapter of Junior Statesmen of America, introducing student body to JSA programming, organizing meetings and arranging travel to JSA conferences. Elected as Senator 2006-2007, moderated and debated at statewide conferences.

2005-2007: Special Olympics Coach for bowling and basketball, volunteer in Marin Games.

PERSONAL INTERESTS:
Politics, Foreign Language, Multimedia, US History, Skiing, Paintball, Tennis.

sfgiants · February 23, 2007, 9:42pm

UCLA: UCLA is rather numbers based (even with the new holistic admissions) so your GPA will hurt you here. Slight reach
UCSD: Match
Tufts (4 part legacy): Tufts has gotten a LOT more selective recently. The 650 in Math will hurt a bit. Match
Princeton (Legacy): SAT scores will hurt, but everything else is pretty outstanding. Still a reach.
BU: Match
Penn Huntsman Program is top choice: Reach
NYU: Match
Northwestern: Slight reach
Johns Hopkins: Slight reach
Georgetown: Slight reach
GW: Match
Brown: Reach
McGill: McGill, and other Canadian Schools for that matter, do not consider EC’s. Match/Slight reach
U. Michigan: Numbers based and won’t weigh the E.C’s as much as private universities. Slight reach (OOS).

Good luck.

lolabelle · February 23, 2007, 10:17pm

Let me give my opinion on the schools I know about:

Tufts (4 part legacy): Indeed, as the above poster noted, Tufts has gottena lot more selective. The array of B’s and 650 will hurt you here as it will at the schools I note as being some form of reach for you. Tufts is actually harder to get into than JHU and about as hard to get into as Northwestern. So… Mid reach
Princeton (Legacy): Big reach (Btw, you’re only legacy if your mom/dad went as an undergrad)
BU: High match
Penn Huntsman Program is top choice: Reach
NYU: Match
Northwestern: Mid reach
Johns Hopkins: Low reach
Georgetown: Mid reach
GW: Low Match
Brown: Reach

aramin · February 24, 2007, 3:15pm

Yea, I assumed that the 650 in math would be weak. I’m aware that in order to be considered a legacy, your parent has to have been an undergraduate, my Mom went to tufts and dad went to Princeton. In addition, I have 2 uncles and an aunt that went to tufts. Is JHU really a stretch for me? Their average accepted GPA is a 3.6, and SAT’s are about the same as mine.

Thanks for the replys.

darkhope · February 24, 2007, 3:22pm

<a href=“http://hopkins.typepad.com/hopkins_insider/2006/04/index.html[/url]”>http://hopkins.typepad.com/hopkins_insider/2006/04/index.html</a>

system · February 24, 2007, 3:34pm

Sorry, but I don’t think Wharton would take a URM or athlete with a 650 math. It’s just not competitive there, much less for Huntsman. Princeton, even as a legscy, I don’t think so with low grades AND scores. You can look up common data sets to understand your real chance anywhere. If you are white or Asian without a hook, expect to need to be in the 75 percentile. Neither your GPA or SATs is in the 75% at any ivy. That makes any of them huge reaches.

As for the 15% to Stanford…Is your school one of the ones near Palo Alto where Stanford staff lives?

aramin · February 24, 2007, 4:24pm

No stanford staff lives near me. I live about 2 hours away from the U.

Would it be suggested that I take AP Stat next year, coupled with a semester of calc at a Commnunity College?

flopsy · February 24, 2007, 6:39pm

aramin:

UCLA: Slight Reach
UCSD: Match

august_s_chopin · February 24, 2007, 11:47pm

I don’t see why UCLA is a slight reach… 2120 for SAT isn’t bad (even with 650 at math). You are top 10%, and your GPA 4.0 weighted isn’t that bad either.

I think UCLA is a match for you, but not safe match.

ucchris · February 25, 2007, 12:14am

UCLA: Slight Reach (in state)
UCSD: Match (in state)
Tufts: Match
Princeton: Reach
BU: Safe Match
Penn: Reach
NYU: Match
Northwestern: Slight Reach
Johns Hopkins: Slight Reach
Georgetown: Slight Reach
GW: Safe Match
Brown: Reach
McGill: Match
Michigan: Match (out of state)

aramin · February 25, 2007, 1:38am

Just to clarify, I am in state for california, which helps greatly. In addition, for McGill, I am a canadian resident.

Is it clear that NYU is a match for me? Because i’ve heard otherwise.

Are there any suggestions on schools for me? I want to study international relations/studies, and be near a major city.

Thanks

august_s_chopin · February 25, 2007, 1:41am

If I’d say, if you plan on majoring in IR, the math at 650 is fine.

To my opinion, all UCs are matches for you (some slight and others safeties)

aramin · February 25, 2007, 1:44am

I don’t really want to stay in California though. I would like to move to the east coast.

What would my chances at Emory look like?

liangshengtm · February 25, 2007, 8:25am

aramin, which part of Canada do you live in?

ucchris · February 25, 2007, 11:47am

“Is it clear that NYU is a match for me? Because i’ve heard otherwise.”

NYU seems like a solid match for you. your stats are better than their averages. What did you here that would make you think otherwise?

aramin · February 25, 2007, 2:44pm

Its not that i’ve heard otherwise, but my college adviser didn’t seem to have as much enthusiasm…

I am a permanent resident in Vancouver to answer that.

Back to the math question, should I double up with AP Stat and a smester of calc at a community college?

Also, my senior classes should be:

<ol>
<li>Honors Physics</li>
<li>Ap Stat
3.Film Studies</li>
<li>Internship credit with academy teachers
5.Digital Integrated Media studies
6.Gov/Econ( only have reg at my school)</li>
<li>AP Comp</li>
<li>Chinese 102 at comm college</li>
<li>1st semester calc at community college??</li>
<li>Contemporary Issues</li>
</ol>

Note: The internship, and film studies happen after the school day, so in actuality, I have 6 periods during school day.

Typically, a full day is 7 periods at my schol, I have some funky things going on.

What about USC? UVA? Emory?

aramin · February 25, 2007, 8:56pm

Any more suggestions?

scidoc · March 13, 2007, 2:54am

Physiology is considered an easy course. Chem grades are a problem, as are
integrated science. Be prepared to explain poor performance.

Chances for Admission at top tier

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