Stats:
SAT: 1520/1600 (Math:750 Reading 770)
ACT: 32
AP Scores: Calc AB:4, AP Lang: 4
GPA: 4.3
(Just retook the ACT and didn’t get my scores back so hopefully it will be higher, also planning on taking math2 and physics as subject tests.)
I am doing independent research partnered with Princeton University at Steven’s Institute of Tech for this summer, internship at my city’s hospital for the pharmacist for 3 years, Math Circle at NYU, Courant Mathematical Talent Program last summer, plus your average school extra curriculars like quiz bowl, math league, etc.
I am looking into schools such as Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Cornell, Duke, etc. you get the picture. I am a female looking to major in chemical engineering, I am an immigrant, low income family. Now what are my chances?
Side note: Also looking at QuestBridge, any chance I could get into there for their college match program?
Unweighted GPA?
Have you run the net price calculator on the web site of each college you are considering?
State of residency?
Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Cornell, and Duke are generally considered reaches for everyone for admission, even before considering affordability.
You need to find a safety with your major that you will be assured admission to and which will be within your budget.
Weighted, some classes count more than others and I can’t ontain the unweighted one.
For the budget I’m mostly relying on financial aid, also looking into Quest Bridge
You can calculate your unweighted GPA by assigning A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F= 0 to each semester grade in an academic course (English, math, history / social studies, science, foreign language, art / music, academic electives like computer science) and averaging the numbers.
What net price do you need to get below, and have you checked the colleges’ net price calculators to see if they will give net prices within your budget?
3.7
Net price, Id say below $15,000. My older sister attends Carnegie Mellon with similar stats and pays virtually nothing so I am really relying on financial aid. College calculuators say I will be paying less than 10,000
Do you have any affordable safeties with your major? In-state publics, if you live in a state with good in-state financial aid? Automatic full ride merit scholarship schools?
The universities you have listed are reaches for everyone. The top universities that meet full need get many worthy applicants - much more than what they can accommodate. Also , your grades in core courses will be important - the entire transcript is evaluated - not just the GPA. Do you have many B’s in the more rigorous courses? Is the weighted GPA out of 4.3 out of 5.0 or out of 4.5 or something else?
As ucbalumnus already suggested, you are better off building your list from the bottom up - look at in-state safeties. Looks like you may be either from NY or NJ? Questbridge may be worth a look for their college match program. Here’s the profile of their latest cohort:
https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match/finalist-profile