Everyone else does it, Chances?

intangible · July 2, 2008, 4:06pm

Alright, It’ my first time posting by the way. I’ve been reading around for a while though.

Scores: (I hate this part)

GPA: 88/3.3 Unweighted
Sat I: 690 CR, 600 Math, 630 Writing (Retaking)
ACT: 28
SAT II: 690 US History; 610 Physics
AP’s haven’t come in yet

Extra Curriculars:

Track and Field- 4 years: Went out of my county by Public Bus everyday for 3 years to go run track as my school didn’t have a track team. Nationally and State Ranked

Basketball: Co-Captain of JV Team, Playing Varsity Next year

Co-founded Debate Team; founded Mock Trial Team: My school had nothing before hand.

Youth Leadership: Spend every friday night acting as a leader figure for a given mentee (ages 8-12) in another city.

French Club

Onyx: African American Club Vice president

Background:

2nd Generation African-American
Adopted 2 Brothers and sisters in addition to biological brother
Live in the Northeast U.S.
3rd to go to college in immediate family
Year younger than my classmates e.g. If most of my grade is 16 in sophomore year, I am 15.

Extra info:
Took 3 AP’s (AP Calc., AP. English, and AP Euro) Although I didn’t take the classes (School wouldn’t let me, too many Classes)
Skipped both Algebra 1 and Pre-Calc. to go straight to Calc. in junior year
Interned at a non for profit which doesn’t usually/never gets HS students. Involved with Disease Vaccine relating to Biotech.

I was looking at colleges like Stanford and other really good schools in California and UPenn, but I also want to know of some other schools that are really good and not a head case to get into. I like the sciences, especially Neuroscience and Psychiatry.

silverchris9 · July 2, 2008, 4:32pm

Well, based on your objective stats I was ready to say that Stanford was extremely unlikely, but then I noticed that you are URM, 2nd generation, third in your immediate family to go to college AND possibly a recruited athlete. So I have to say your chances are hard to predict, but possibly very good.

I know a kid who’s recruited at Columbia, and it looks like at Columbia, if you qualify academically then you’re automatically in, and I presume it’s a lot like that at other top schools. Being brutally honest, I’m not 100% certain that your academics will qualify you, especially if you haven’t taken the most challenging courses available, and your test scores don’t wow me either (of course, they’re also pretty good, esp. that ACT score). But your grades are pretty good, so I bet you could get into some excellent schools.

Consider retaking your SAT I and your subject tests as well and maybe take Math Level 2. You seem to have lots of aptitude in math, having taken Calc early, and that would help demonstrate your ability as a student further.

Here’s something I REALLY bet will improve your app a lot: be sure to get good recs tfrom teachers who will talk about your academic qualities as well as your personal ones. which are evident from your excellent ECs and such.

I definitely encourage you to write an essay from the heart about running track. That’s a very tangible example of finding a passion, falling in love, and pursuing it with excellence. Although, there’s so much that excellent on your EC list, perhaps there’s something even better you could write your essay about.

Overall: I feel that you’re probably a pretty remarkable person. Your objective stats, unfortunately, don’t wow me, otherwise you could practically write a ticket to most elite colleges (I mean, you’ve got a LOT going for you), but even still you’ve got a very good shot. My guess is that admissions for a student like you, for whom lots of factors go into consideration, even moreso than most applicants, admissions are very hard to predict. So all I can say is that you seem like a pretty remarkable person, and you’ve got a good, albeit unpredictable shot at most colleges.

Two more notes:

AP scores are available by phone if you have your AP Student Pack
What’s your rank? Rank would put a lot of this academic stuff into context.

Regarding college selection:
If you haven’t already, look into all the UCs, and seriously consider Claremont McKenna. You’ve clearly got buttloads of leadership and initiative, which they love up there. As far as not-a-head-case schools, look at Boston University, all of the Claremont colleges, American University, Washington and Lee, and other schools like that, just to start with. I honestly don’t know about their science programs, because I’m more of an english\writing person (if you couldn’t tell from the enormous block of text I wrote) but those are some places to start where your GPA and SATs are closer to the median, so your amazing ECs should tip you right over the edge.

intangible · July 2, 2008, 11:36pm

Actually, this was amazingly helpful. I’m embarrassed to say it, but I’m a bit worried going into this college process it’s very nerve-wrecking. That being said, your bit of writing was very helpful in lifting my spirits a little. With all the perfection I see going on in this website I get a little nervous with my competition.

Your ideas and tips were a great help and I will take them to heart. Especially the AP pack thing… I called about 3 minutes ago (as soon as I read this) and I received a 5 on the English, 4 on US History and 3 on the AP Calc., so I am ecstatic On the other hand, my school doesn’t rank.

One thing is I don’t know what UC’s stand for. I’m sorry. Other than that I’ll take a look at those school, thanks for that as well.

Thanks again for the positive writing. It was very helpful, and I wish you luck in your writing/english, you’re very good at it.

Everyone else does it, Chances?

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