I’m a junior graduating in 2020. As I look to apply this fall to NYU Stern, Berkeley Haas, Penn Wharton, and Columbia for Finance, I was wondering about a rough idea as to what chances I’m looking at.
Race: Asian
SAT: 1540 (770 Math, 770 Verbal, I’m gonna try again to maybe get that Math score up)
GPA: 3.87/4 UW
Rank: 32/722
APs:
9th- HuGeo(5)
10th- Psychology(5), AB Calc(5), Physics(3), WorldHist(3)
11th- EnviSci, BC Calc, US Hist, English
12th- Stats, Chem, Bio, English, Micro&Govt
NMSQT 224, will be semifinalist my state.
I plan to take Math II over the summer.
Notable EC’s: Science Fair(1st at school, 2nd regional, state finalist), started my own limited shoe and clothing reselling business as well as tech and forums to help in the process(thousands of $ in profit), multiple prizes won at hackathons, at one of those hackathons, I won entry into a business startup program and co founded a startup with my peers that is currently on hold, Business Professionals of America Member and Officer (4th at Regional), Student Emergency Team Officer, Basketball all 4 years(Captain 9th and 10th, Varsity 11th+), and founded a volunteer program dedicated to mentoring new international refugees in my area. I aim to start an investment club at my school this upcoming year too if possible.
Any advice and suggestions are appreciated! Thanks in advance!
I think you can get into NYU and Haas (are you instate or OOS?), but the other two are going to be tough, almost brutal for an Asian. If either Columbia or Penn is your first choice, apply ED to one of them. Good luck!
I don’t chance but please be sure to do detailed research so you fully understand your options.
–You cannot apply to Haas as an incoming freshman.
–Columbia does not have an undergraduate b-school/ finance major (and economics is a very different major than finance)
Yes, it’s really important that you know that you cannot apply to Haas as a freshman. You can only start applying for their undergraduate degree only after you get admitted and enroll at UCB.
Also, really good point on the economics vs finance major.
Agree you need to look at schools in detail. No direct admit to haas, and Columbia for reasons mentioned above is an odd choice for undergrad business/finance. Both Stern and Wharton have single digit admit rates and are reaches for everyone. ED would give you a best chance but if course you’ll have to choose one school and not need to compare funding to take advantage of that.
Are your alternatives only in state? There are a number of decent but less competitive business schools out there.kelley, Boston college, Fordham, BU are some that spring to mind. With your stats you might get into honors colleges at some of these.
Cross out Haas. Replace with UMichigan Ross (direct admit or bust) if it’s affordable for your family.
Consider Case Western, Miami-Ohio; UAlabama Honors is a safety with automatic merit and Honors; if you don’t need financial aid, Penn State (Smeal, Schreyer, Sapphire), UMD (Smith), UMN Carlson, U Wisconsin Business, URichmond, Emory, Fordham.
RUN THE NPC with your family - you need to know your parents’budget (out of pocket: from savings and current income) before you apply anywhere.
UT Business is NOT a guarantee (you’re top 6% so you’re in at UT but you may not get your major). Plan to research other Texas public universities and apply to another one or UAlabama.
Why Baylor?
For Stern and Wharton, nor anywhere else, no need to take AP Chem and AP Bio, choose one. On the other hand, see if you can dual enroll for statistics and take a college calculus-based statistics class, it’ll be the kind of class they like to see from a student who took calc as a sophomore. In addition, try to take the full year version of both Government (US and Comp) and Econ (Micro and Macro). If you can’t, see if you can dual enroll to complete these. Where are you with foreign language? Both schools like it if you’ve reached a good level of proficiency BEFORE you start there (ie., level 4 or AP by senior year).
Im an incoming freshman to Stern. Also got into berkeley. Did not apply to the other schools on your list. I’d say you have a decent chance no guarantees. All depends on essays, ec’s, reccs. Ap scores won’t matter. I barely submitted any. They are just for skipping college credits.