<p>As I have read several “What are my chances” threads I notice a trend with chancing for Top-tier schools like Stanford and Columbia. They’re always a “reach” and never a match. Out of curiosity, what would match for top tier schools look like? Descriptions or an example chance me thread would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Firstly, you have to meet the minimum academic requirements: High GPA and test scores. Then, you would need some forms of hook: Recruited Athlete, URM, Legacy, Major Awards etc.</p>
<p>A Hispanic athlete with high GPA and near perfect SAT for example is almost guaranteed to be admitted at many top tier schools.
Examples (assuming good academics in all cases)</p>
<p>Elite Athlete - Tiger Woods, Amy Chow: Stanford
A-list celebrity - Natalie Portman: Harvard, Jodie Foster: Yale</p>
<p>If a match is at least 50% chance of admission, then there is no match for Stanford and many top schools.</p>
<p>If you are a recruited athlete with a likely letter, then it is a match.</p>
<p>Essentially, if the school wants you and sends you a letter saying you are likely admitted, then you have reached match status.</p>
<p>Otherwise, all your stats can match and you buy your 6% chance lotto ticket, … apply, and who knows, you might be the lucky one.</p>
<p>4.0 GPA
2400 SAT
36 ACT
1/1000 class rank
Cured cancer</p>
<p>Or be the best QB prospect in history, in Andrew Luck.</p>
<p>I’ve heard he is really smart too.</p>
<p>And don’t forget…being a recruited athlete at Stanford is at a much HIGHER level than being recruited at peer academic schools…Stanford recruits are usually Olympic level or nationally acclaimed athlete in all the major sports who have the potential to become professional athletes…</p>
<p>…Stanford grads have won so many Olympic medals that if it were a COUNTRY it would be ranked 8th in the world for medal count…</p>
<p>…Stanford has won the NCAA division-1 Director’s CUP for the 19th year in a row (most NCAA points garnered per year in all contested sports)</p>
<p>…this past year alone they had the #1 draft pick in NFL, Andrew Luck/quarterback (architecture major), #1 draft pick in MLB, Mark Appel/pitcher (material science engineering major)…</p>
<p>…some famous sports figures include Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Michelle Wie, John McEnroe, John Elway, Jim Plunkett, James Lofton, etc…too many to list…</p>
<p>…they have many playing in all the major professional sports leagues…</p>
<p>…SPORTS is only ONE aspect of Stanford…so, one can easily see if SPORTS is at the HIGHEST LEVEL…what would they seek in the ACADEMIC LEVEL to match it…it’s quite eye-opening.</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I had no idea sports were such big factors!</p>
<p>Nneka Ogwumike of Stanford was a number 1 pick by WNBA last year.</p>