Rising Senior - Chances for Top 30 Schools

Chance Me / Match Me
1

I’m a rising senior about to begin writing essays for applications to colleges soon, as well as beginning to fill out the Common App (thank God for that), just wondering if the schools I’m looking at as reaches and matches would be reasonable for me. I appreciate any help, thanks!

High achieving student from a competitive school with multiple interests across different fields, including notable senator internship and participation and achievement in multiple other government/humanity based ECs, along with strong test scores

School Type: Charter
Location: Delaware (my school is #1 in the state)
Race/Gender: Asian (Indian), male
Major: Political Science
GPA: 4.35 W (school does not publish unweighted, but only 2 grades below A- through junior year)
Class Rank: Top 10%

SAT: 1580 (780 CR, 800 M)
PSAT: 1520

APs: 9 (My school only offers 3 APs to sophomores and none to freshmen; to take an AP sophomore year, you have to get a 95+ in either a prereq college course or on a challenge test)

Junior Year: 4 (APUSH, Bio, Chem, Lang)
Senior Year: 5 (Psych, Lit, Econ, Gov, Calc AB)

Interned for a State Senator: unpaid; main reason why I became interested in PoliSci and public policy; 2 years, researching policy for prospective bills, made some good contacts and connections, especially the senator himself (should get a very good recommendation from him)

Campaigning: 1 year, did this for a different senator than the one I did policy research for, met 3 state senators, Delaware Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General as a result (in contact with all of them)

Youth in Government: 2 years of participation; club which functions as a mock-government of sorts; member of the Judicial branch, where delegates are given a Supreme Court case and asked to create an argument for both sides; at conference, oral arguments are conducted, with teams rotating between arguing each side of the case and being student justices. I currently am the Youth Delegation Leader (very high position) for the newest branch of the program, after being asked to do so by the leader of the program; I have been very instrumental in campaigning for new students to join the delegation. I will be in the second highest position (Associate Justice) senior year. I was selected to attend the national competition this year (only 6 people in the state go to this competition)

Volunteered at a local hospital: not really supposed to bolster my ECs, but I still harbor some love for radiology and spent 100 hours working in Diagnostic Imaging (good recommendation here as well if need be)

Student Government: 4 years, will be Treasurer senior year

Maize Genetics internship @ University of Delaware: paid; took this internship the summer after freshman year, when I was still interested in medicine; assisted professors in researching the location of specific genes for maize on their genome, and observed disease resistance; very competitive application process, not many rising sophomores get selected for this internship (mostly college students, rising college freshmen and high school seniors)

Boys State: prestigious program taking place across the nation, hosted by American Legion, where male high school juniors are able to meet over the summer for a week-long conference, emulation of federal government; very competitive program across the country; elected as Attorney General, interviewed for Boys Nation, invited to return as a junior counselor next year

Wrestling: only joined my junior year; JV junior year, varsity senior year

NHS: School only inducts rising seniors into program, must maintain 60 volunteer hours and a 3.85+ GPA all year (worked on group service project as well)

Model UN
TSA
Various summer camps involving learning about medicine/government
Member of a local service organization which donates food and clothes to the homeless
Piano

Awards:
Boys State Attorney General
National Judicial Conference attendee
Student Government Treasurer
Attended conference w/ Delaware’s Congressional representatives (selected by school)
National Merit Scholar (atleast Semi-Finalist)

Financials:
I did the EFC calculator on College Board w/ my parents putting in tax information to ensure accuracy
FM Contribution: $39,231
IM Contribution: $33,996

Schools Applying To:

Delaware (in state)
Ohio State
Pittsburgh
George Washington
Virginia (EA)
North Carolina (EA)
Duke (considering ED)
Northwestern (considering ED)
Vanderbilt (considering ED)
Michigan (dream school) (EA)
Notre Dame
UT-Austin
Cornell (considering ED)
Yale (just as a why-not application)
Miami (FL)
Boston College

Thanks again, all feedback is welcomed! I am aware that I can only apply one school ED, so hopefully your feedback will help me make that decision!

2

I would say your pretty well qualified for many of the schools that you listed on here, especially if you’re applying ED to one of these schools. But, there are also many other extremely qualified students applying to each of these schools as well and it seems like you only have a few safety/match schools and a lot of dream schools. Although I think you will probably get into one of these top-tier schools, the college admissions process is completely unpredictable, so you should balance out your list a bit more.

But if Mich is your dream school, I don’t think you should ED anywhere because as you know, ED requires you to go to that school. On the other hand, have you used the NPC for each of these schools? Michigan does not give as much aid to OOS students as it does to IS students and if you end up using your ED somewhere, you can use it to determine how much FA you will get from each school. Anyways, you have a great chance with these schools, just make sure to articulate yourself/your application properly in your essays and GL!

3

@SomeKid123 Thanks for replying and for your help! I only have a couple safties because I’m basically guaranteed acceptance into UD - not a single high achieving student in my school has been denied from Delaware. I’ve also been told by my counselors and by outside sources that I’m pretty much a guarantee for Pitt, OSU, GW and Miami, and that they would be surprised if I wasn’t offered merit aid at any. I do see your point though, however should the reaches fall through, I am very happy to go to Pitt - I love the campus and the people, and I feel like I would enjoy 4 years there. Should I still expand my list of safties/matches, or knowing this, should I stand on the colleges I currently have? Thanks!

4

Have you thought about applying to USC (California)? They give large National Merit awards and it seems to me they would serve your interests well; it is relatively easy to double-major and otherwise blend interests there. (They also have a Health Policy track in the school of public policy, fwiw)

Why GW and not Georgetown? (It can’t be the religious affiliation, since you’ve got BC and Notre Dame…)

You look well qualified for all of your schools, and you have matches and safeties that you’re happy with, so you look pretty well set to me - it’s just a matter of deciding whether/where to ED. Good luck - seems like you have your bases covered, no matter what you decide!

5

i do suggest not applying anywhere early decision because many applicants who get deferred from michigan during the early action round end up being accepted during the regular decision round. however, have you considered applying to michigan early action then applying to a school early decision round two? honestly, i think your chances at any of these schools (particularly vanderbilt, especially if you decide to apply early decision) are very good. you’ll receive acceptances no matter what.

6

None of us have a crystal ball to know what will happen, but your list seems balanced and reasonable, and @kalons makes good points. Good luck!

7

As far as stats go you qualify for all the schools. Having just been through all this with my child he was accepted into several fine schools but missed out on his dream school of Cornell and 2nd dream Princeton. He did not apply ED to any school but ED does increase your chances at a school like Cornell for example provided you qualify. To give you some context, child stats were 35 ACT, 1/450 in competitive school, 16 AP including AP’s freshman year, good EC’s, and worked a part time job 20 hrs week. He got full tuition at a state school but finally chose a smaller LAC that also offered excellent merit and was a great fit. So, while many students qualify for the top schools just temper expectations a bit and understand that there are tons of great schools that are also great fits.

8

@aquapt Thanks for responding! I currently have no interest in Georgetown due to the academic requirements they have (3 subject tests, submit all scores). While I do like the school somewhat, I’m not prepared to spend 2-3 weeks studying for an additional subject test just so I can please them. USC was a school that was originally on my list, but I’m not too keen on going across the country for school, especially due to the cost it would be to come home when I want to. I’d prefer to stay on the East Coast for that reason. Thanks again!

9

@kalons Thanks for responding! I think my list got a little misunderstood. I do like Michigan the most out of all of the schools I listed, but I would be fine with leaving that on the table should I get Cornell/Duke/Vandy ED. I was not considering EA/ED2 - definitely something I’ll look into now! Thanks!

10

@TheGreyKing Thanks for your help!

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@FinalFor Thanks for responding! It’s very worrisome to me that your son didn’t get into Cornell - he has great stats! Glad to hear that he found a college that gave him good aid and was a good fit though. Thanks for the input, definitely something I’ll look into before finalizing my list!

12

@DJCURRYBEATS19 Don’t let that discourage you. His friend with stats not as good applied and was accepted to Cornell. She chose not to attend. Applying ED could increase your chances at a school like Cornell by as much as double so say from 11% to 22% for example. But it’s tough no matter what getting into a competitive college. Good luck and above all enjoy the experience.

13

The chances for the schools you are applying to are quite high in my opinion. You have a decent record and seem qualified. Duke, Northwester, and Vanderbilt are definitely in the more difficult category of your list, so if you really want to go for one of them, I would ED.

14

@nvb123 Thanks for the input! I’m definitely considering ED to Duke or Northwestern, since both are so ED-heavy when it comes to how they select for their class each year. Good luck with your application as well - pretty sure I just commented on yours.