Duke, Cornell, Northwestern HPME, UPENN, Johns Hopkins, University of Chicago, University of Illinoi

College Search & Lists
1

Hi everyone!
I am a junior and is currently scared/nervous if my efforts throughout high school weren’t good enough to get into these colleges.

What are my chances of getting into Duke, Cornell, Northwestern HPME, UPENN, Johns Hopkins, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign?
I would like to apply early decision for either Duke or Cornell, and I would like to go into premed.
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is my safety.

Ethnicity: Asian

U.S. Citizen and Applying for Financial Aid

During my freshmen and sophomore year I went to school in Korea called Seoul International School (There are no honor classes but there are APs. Also the school uses the percentage system and not letter grade system). [Semester 1 Grade%, Semester 2 Grade]
9th grade:
Strings - (94, 95)
Spanish 2 - (83, 85)
Conceptual Integrated Science (the only science class available to freshmen) - (94, 94)
Geometry - (94, 98)
Physical Education - (100,100)
World History - (94, 95)
Communications - (94, 97)
General Literature - (94, 95)
10th grade:
Strings - (94, 95)
Spanish 3 - (96, 94)
Biology - (97, 96)
Chemistry - (83, 92)
Algebra II - (92, 94)
AP World History - (95, 94)
U.S. History - (94, 94)
U.S. Literature - (86, 92)

During my junior year and soon to be senior year I went to an American Public School. (I can only show my semester 1 grades because the year didn’t finish)
11th Grade: Unweighted GPA (3.93), Weighted GPA (4.0)
AP Biology - (B-)
AP Environmental Science - (A-)
Spanish 4 - ©
AP English 3 (Language and Composition) - (B)
Hon Precalc - (A-)
Symphonic Orchestra - (A)
P.E - (A)
12th Grade: These are the class that I’m going to take
AP Microeconomics
AP Macroeconomics
AP English IV (Literature and Composition)
AP Computer Science
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
Symphonic Strings

Test Scores:
SAT: 2000-2100
SAT II Math: 730
SAT II Chemistry: 750
SAT II World History: 730
AP World: 5
AP Biology: 5 (if I were to get these scores; I am pretty confident that I can receive these scores)
AP Environmental: 5 (if I were to get these scores; I am pretty confident that I can receive these scores)
AP Language and Composition: 5 (if I were to get these scores; I am pretty confident that I can receive these scores)

Extracurriculars:
High School Student Council - Level Representative (9th grade), Treasurer (10th grade)
Daniel School - volunteer club - Captain (9th and 10th grade)
Varsity Cross Country - (Selected by the school to be represented at Asia Pacific Invitational Cross-Country Championship, GUAM) (9th and 10th grade)
Junior Varsity Basketball - (9th, 10th grade)
2nd place regional (Incheon) debater - (9th grade)
Shadowing a Doctor at a hospital during the summer (9th and 10th grade)
Red Cross Youth (9th to 11th grade) - Member
Aspiring Medical Professions Club - Member
Founder of the club Silent Revolution (11th grade)
Research at Loyola University (11th grade)
Shadowing a doctor at DuPage Medical Group (11th grade)

2

Hmm…tell me more about your research at Loyola University…that alone could help you if you did a lot.

3

Oh, and do you mean the undergrad school or the medical school? If the medical school and you got quite a bit of research done with a research paper, consider yourself mayybe getting an interview for those programs and stuff. Your grades might hurt, your SAT as well, but again, tell me more about your research

4

Hi kind sir or miss, I did research at The Academy of Applied Sciences and Loyola University Chicago on Type II Diabetes

5

Try to avoid C’s if you can. Also try to aim for 2150+ on the SAT or a 32+ on the ACT to be at or above the level of most of the schools you’ve listed. Your overall academic record looks good so far.

I’d suggest finding something that sets you apart from most Asian applicants. Many Asian applicants to top universities have orchestra + lots of APs + research, and it’s not your fault that some of your interests fall under these categories. But if you want to improve your chances of admission, you’ll have to find some way to set yourself apart.

Based on what you’ve provided, I’d say all of the schools you’ve listed are reaches (even ED, as many admitted students are recruited athletes, legacies, etc and drive up the acceptance rates), apart from Illinois, which should be a safety unless you apply to a competitive major such as CS in the engineering.

Also make sure Illinois isn’t your only safety.

6

Lol heck for those programs, avoid any more B’s. Keep your grades above the 93 mark to drive your gpa up. Honestly. I’m Asian and I was waitlisted at NU, which is surprising because I thought I was a typical Asian. I know that if I had a sport/ research done, I woulda gotten the interview because I person I know had almost same stats as me but had research and got interview.

BTW look into UIC gppa program. It’s also a 8 or 7 year med school program, really competitive (as in, up there with NU’s HPME program). I think if you raise the test scores and grades, you have a really good shot into those schools

7

Right now, other than Illinois, all your schools are reaches. You’ll need to bring up your SAT scores, as already advised, to be competitive. The farthest reach is probably Northwestern HPME. Median SATs there are > 2300.

8

Infor for Northwestern HPME:
Average Test Scores (of candidates receiving application packages) from 2013-2014 application season:
SAT Critical Reading : 763
SAT Critical Math : 783
SAT Critical Writing : 773
ACT Composite : 35
ACT Writing : 9
SAT Chemistry : 783
SAT Math Level 2 : 781

9

Except for Illinois, all of these universities are decided “reaches.” Obviously, you need to attain the BEST grades possible, but you even more need to increase your standardized test results. You can’t alter your GPA/transcript too much at this point, but – hopefully – with DILIGENT preparation, you can substantially improve your SAT I scores (you may also wish to take the ACT . . . some individuals do markedly better on one than the other).

I also recommend you find a true “safety school” you’d like to attend (affordable and >97 percent admissions probability). I do not doubt you’ll be admitted to UIUC, but it makes sense to have a contingency plan.

Good luck.

10

I also agree with the input you’ve received so far. Add more realistic target and safeties…and find 2-3 that you can picture yourself attending. Some of state universities are difficult for students out of state to gain admission (esp. directly into their program) into them so don’t underestimate needing more than one safety.

11

Yep, almost all “reach” and most “hail mary extreme reach,” given your spotty GPA (B- and C junior year? Not helpful, sorry) and not-yet-awesome SAT.

12

UIUC is not a guaranteed safety, so line up at least one of those.

Run the Net Price Calculator at each college/university website and talk the results over with your parents. Be aware that if your parents own a business or property other than your family home, or if they are divorced, the Net Price Calculators probably will underestimate your real costs.

If it turns out that money is an issue for your family, spend some time in the Financial Aid Forum reading through the threads pinned at the top. With a 3.0 and 2000 there are places that would guarantee you at least some merit-based aid.

13

You’ve received some great advice so far. Definitely get the SAT up. I’m guessing that your PSAT was between 200 and 210, no? Not bad, but for the schools you are reaching for (all these schools ARE reaches), your scores are a little low. Especially since you are Asian and will be competing against other Asians for a top spot. You need to get 2150+ on the SAT or 32+ on the ACT.

Even if you are in-state, UIUC isn’t a safety. UIUC has becoming more and more difficult to get into lately. Duke, Cornell, Northwestern, Penn, JHU, and UChicago are all super super reaches. It’s fine to apply ED to Duke or Cornell but you definitely need to come up with affordable matches and safeties that you like and can see yourself going to. A safety isn’t a safety if you look down on the school for not being prestigious enough,