Math Major at Princeton 4.0 UW GPA, 1570 SAT, FL resident

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics - Asian Male, upper-middle class, southern state, small competitive private school(<50 students), no hooks

Cost Constraints / Budget
n/a

Intended Major(s)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.00/4.00
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.78/5.00
  • College GPA: 4.00
  • Class Rank: n/a
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1570

List your HS coursework

(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)

  • English: AP English Language(4), AP English Literature(this year)
  • Math: AP Pre-Calculus(5), AP Statistics(5), Calculus BC(5), Analytic Geometry and Calculus III(A), Differential Equations(this year)
  • Science: AP Physics 1(4), 2(5), C(both Mech(5) and E&M(5)), AP Environmental Science(5), AP Biology(5), AP Chemistry(5)
  • History and social studies: AP Macroeconomics(5), AP Microeconomics(5), AP US Gov(5), AP Comp. Gov(5), AP World History(4), AP European History(5), AP US History(this year)
  • Language other than English: AP Spanish Language(4), AP Spanish Literature(this year)
  • Visual or performing arts: n/a
  • Other academic courses: AP Business(this year), AP Computer Science A(5), Programming Fundamentals I(A)

15 5s, 4 4s, 4 APs this year

College Coursework (Transfer Applicants)
(Include college courses taken while in high school if not included above.)

  • General education course work:
  • Major preparation course work:

Awards

  • US Chess Federation National Master(top 1% of competitive chess players)
  • 1st place at a national chess competition(200+ teams)
  • 3x AIME Qualifier
  • School Math Team 3x National Champions
  • State Quiz Bowl Champions (top 12% individual scorer at nationals)
  • 10+ medals at regional and state Science Olympiad(qualified for nationals)
  • IAC 2x JV Science Bee national semi-finalist
  • USABO Honorable Mention(Top 20%)
  • National Merit Semifinalist
  • AP Scholar w/ Distinction

Extracurriculars
Chess (playing for 12 years) / Officer of School Chess Club

Treasurer of Quiz Bowl Club

Member of Science Team

Member of Math Team

Library Volunteering (Chess Club)

Teaching math at non-profit

Paid Math Tutor(real tutoring company)

Essays/LORs/Other
Hopefully good :pray:

Schools
(List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if unsure, leave them unclassified)

If a scholarship is necessary for affordability, indicate that you are aiming for a scholarship and use the scholarship chance to estimate it into the appropriate group below; also, for colleges that admit by major or division, consider that in chance estimate.

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability): n/a
  • Extremely Likely: n/a
  • Likely: n/a
  • Toss-up: UF (EA)
  • Lower Probability: UMich, CMU
  • Low Probability: Princeton(REA), Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, UChicago, Cornell, Brown, Duke, UPenn, Georgia Tech (EA CS), UIUC (EA CS)
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No limits or no money?

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My parents say that they’ll probably pay if I get into a “name-school” like HYPS, so money shouldn’t be a huge issue.

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Is your household income > $200K?

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Yes

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Are there schools that they will not pay for? If so, is that the reason that you have no likely or assured schools on your list?

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Oops. I forgot to change it from “n/a”. I think I would’ve put FSU and UCF as Extremely Likely’s.

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Princeton is possible, but difficult. The Math class at Princeton is very accomplished. It wouldn’t hurt to indicate other interests. You are not necessarily admitted into the math department, but if you indicate math, they will see if you are at the level of the incoming math talent.

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Q: Why are you applying for compu sci & not math at Georgia Tech & UIUC?

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I’d probably choose them over the University of Florida only if I got in for CS, as they are a decent bit better in CS compared to math.

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Q: Are you on the pre-PhD track with definite plans to pursue a doctorate in mathematics right after undergrad, a likely or definite no, or 50/50, totally not sure at this point?

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Haven’t really thought about it, so not sure.

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Wow, incredible background.

You should major in what you want, regardless of the school name. There’s no need to sell out from your desires. Ga Tech and Illinois will both be strong in math. So will UF, UMD, and Wisconsin.

I have no doubt you can get in anywhere but this is a lot of schools with essays and more.

Why not find 5 or 6 reaches, do a fantastic app, and choose a few publics like UF (you won’t need FSU or UCF but you can) and an Illinois, Wisconsin or Maryland - I can’t imagine you don’t get in and if that’s a fallback, it’s an outstanding fallback.

Then pick five or six of your lower / low probability. You might want to look at NYU too. I’d put Ga Tech in this bucket OOS.

If your parents are going to say - UF is one of the top in math (which I believe is true), then why bother with a U Mich, Illinois, etc. Apply there and for 6 or 7 from your lower probability list - and you’d be covered either way.

Why would they pay $80K+ for UM (the last two years go up) when you will have UF for near free. They’re basically substiutionally - certainly not worth a quarter of a million difference.

Good luck. But I suspect you’re going to do great!!

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Many people consider this a valid strategy – i.e., pick the better regarded department at any particular university, if that department is adjacent to your main area of interest, and potential employers would give you more credit for getting into the more selective major than the less selective major. This is applicable between CS and Math, if potential look at these two majors interchangeably, and if the CS dept is the more selective of the two – happens in public schools or the likes of CMU where CS is closed and Math is open.

This probably means the OP is not set on pure Math, and is likely not grad school bound in math, unless it is some interdisciplinary area like AI etc.

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I get it - I just don’t love it. There are GREAT schools for math - at a similar level - I mentioned a few.

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It depends on their goals. You are thinking their goal is Math, and nothing but math. Whereas, likely, they are more fluid in their thought process.

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Would your parents pay for UT Austin CS?

Are you eligible for Bright Futures?

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You might want to check out the combined Mathematics & CS degree at UIUC:

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I’d drop UCF. You’re not headed there.

You’ve thrived academically & socially exceptionally well in a small close-knit environment. Consider also applying to some smaller schools like Caltech, Harvey Mudd, Williams, & Amherst. You could also consider a school like Eckerd College to include another in-state option. No need to apply to more than 20 total.

“Probably pay” depending on name recognition & the financial aid offers next April. If this is the case, you’ll need to apply to schools that offer merit-based grants & scholarships, with criteria weighted toward high GPA & test scores - at least 10 of the 20.

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I’d assume they’ll get into UF with little issue. Today it’s a top public and known as strong in math. The question is - why would you pay for UM, as an example, over it. Even Ga Tech, if you are getting a math degree?

A Mudd, etc is a whole different experience. So that’s different.

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