Chances for top schools?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Ivy/Lower-Ivy/Other e.g. Cornell, MIT, etc?
No LACs please

UW GPA: 3.65~, missed 50+ days each year b/c of illness, hospitalized many times. There is an undisclosed reason for missing this much school. Essay would be on overcoming the illness

I attend a magnet school that requires an application & test-process to get in.

W GPA: Not sure

Ethnicity: Non-URM
Fluent in two languages, and have taken four years of Spanish in school

Intended Major = Computer Science

ACT: 34, may retake to get to 35/36
SAT II - Math II (800), Phys (800), Bio M (800)

AP Classes with score (12 currently, but 15 with SR Year) -
Statistics (5)
Macroeconomics (5) // self study
Microeconomics (5) // self study
AP Physics 1 (5) // self study
US History (2)
Government US & Politics (5)
Biology (5)
Computer Science A (5)
Calc BC (5), AB Subscore (5) // self study
Environmental Science (4) // self study
Psychology (5) // self study
World History (4)

Have taken Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra, will take higher level math class in SR Year

SR Year:
AP Euro History, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, Math Class at CC, Computer Science class at CC, Hon English 12, and Medical Interventions

EC/Awards:
-AIME Qualifier x2 (Would USAMO help me a lot this year?)
-USABO National Semifinalist
-USACO Gold Division
-National SeaPerch Participant (Won regionals and made it to National)
-US Chess Tournament Participant
-Math Team
-Key Club President
-300+ hours of community service
-Won local programming competition
-National AP Scholar

2

Hello! I think they can definitely see you’re a strong applicant with your test scores, especially if you retake the ACT. If you explain your reasons and do your best to raise your gpa your senior year, I think that you’ll have a good chance. If you’re open to suggestions, I think you’d be a match at the California schools- UCLA, UCB, UCSB, USC. Ivy leagues can be a bit random, which is why I’m giving suggestions. Best of luck to you and remember to start applying early!

3

@lovecollegeforum thanks so much, and yeah I’m open to suggestions. Will applying ED/EA increase my chances?

4

For Ivy Leagues it definitely does. If I remember correctly, for Harvard, 20% of its applicants are accepted ED, while about 3% are RD. That averages to the around 6% overall. I think the rates are higher ED because they have more spots left. I would really do some thorough investigating into the Ivy’s, and visit some if possible, pick your favorite to apply ED to. Make sure to do a great job on your essays and I bet you’d have a great chance. The only school I know of that has lower chances ED is Georgetown, but generally it increases chances.

5

I think you definitely have a great chance for each school, although the ivies are a reach (as they are for everyone) but if you have a strong essay, (which I think you will have) then I see no reason why you should not get in.
Chance me back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1860844-what-are-my-chances-of-getting-into-prep-boarding-schools-please-help.html#latest

6

very impressive awards, but if you are asian (you didn’t specify) you could be shut out. There have been horror stories about asians with extremely impressive scores and ec’s getting rejected across the board by ivies.
act score wont really make a difference tbh but if you want to get a 35/36 then sure go for it. If I were an admissions officer I’d definitely question how you managed to self-study that many APs with an illness. (Not trying to be combative, but if I were recovering from illness I would have focused on raising gpa first, then taking AP exams).

Also, to address an earlier post: Harvard does not offer ED. It offers restrictive EA, which has an acceptance rate of 14% this year. Those who apply SCEA are in a self-selective group and are thus stronger. Among the accepted are athletes, legacies and URMs who inflate the acceptance rate. The rate for unhooked applicants is lower.
HYPSM - Mid Reach
Columbia/Cornell/Penn - Low Reach (if you apply SEAS to CU or UPenn I think you will be accepted)

7

I think you would be a competitive candidate for all of the ivies if you can provide legitimate explanation for the gpa if not you are at a big disadvantage otherwise profile is competitive. Start the essays early to give you your best shot at killing them. Best of luck!
Chance back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1851091-chance-me-please.html#latest

8

@asianfang yeah I’m Asian, would it help if I made USAMO this year? or is it not that big of a deal. Thanks for your honesty btw

9

Yes, USAMO would help bc it’s a big deal. I’d spend lots on essays but you do have good shots at ivies. Try and find what you like about each school bc right now the school choices “Ivies+MIT” really sounds like a prestige hunt… And these schools can detect inauthentic enthusiasm pretty well

10

bump one last time