Under-represented Minority - Need Help - First Generation Student.

Chance Me / Match Me
1

I currently rank in the top 5 out of 530 students in my grade and have been
doing so for every year of high school. My current GPA is a 4.5 weighted and
a 3.83 non-weighted. I challenge myself with various honors and AP courses as
well. I just recently took the AP European History, AP Calculus AB, AP
Psychology, and AP Language exam. Not to mention, I am signed up for 6 AP
classes next year.

—I received a 5 on Psychology, 4 on Calculus, 3 on both AP Lang & AP Euro.—

I have taken the SAT (1490) and plan to take the Math II and World History in August 2017.

For the summer, I will be participating in SIMR, and will be part of a team
conducting research in the first clinical drug trial of Pregnenolone; a drug
that has the potential to reduce irritability in those with Autism. I will be
working under several post doctoral fellows at Stanford.

P.S. the program has an acceptance rate of about 4%.

In addition to school, I participate in various after school activities, most
favorably, soccer. Current club is De Anza Force for which I am the captain
of. I was lucky enough to play for their academy team for 2 seasons under the u16
U.S National Team Coach.

In addition, I volunteer every day for several hours at the YMCA as a mentor
to the youth. Using my experience from the YMCA, early in my junior year I
started a program (P2C) which incorporates the peer tutoring of students from
upper classmen to help guide and mentor students who come from a
lower-socioeconomic background.

Additional extracurriculars include volunteering at the Red Cross. Club board member in Key Club, California Scholarship Federation, UNICEF, and will be participating in Siemens science competition in the fall.

My dream is to attend Stanford or at least one of the Ivies, any idea on how I stack up?
First generation college student - east African - good income

Thanks

2

I think your chances look great. Your stats match Stanford’s/andor Ivy standards, and your ECs match what they expect in applicants. That drug trial research is fairly unique and sounds like a really interesting experience as well.

Is your Siemens research based off of the drug trial or are you doing something else? (100% unrelated to chances, I’m just curious!)

3

Yes, the Siemens research is based on the drug trial I am conducting at Stanford.

4

You sound like you already know you have a pretty good chance, but you need someone else to tell you. I get it, I’ve done the same thing.

YOU HAVE A GREAT CHANCE AT STANFORD AND THEY WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE AN AMAZING PERSON LIKE YOU!!!

Now, take a deep breathe, and focus on getting rid of the insecurity. That’s really the only flaw I see in your profile (Well…besides that you used “In addition/Additionally” three times, haha).

Good Luck (not that you really need it) :slight_smile:

5

Talk to your GC or CC at your school. Would you qualify for Questbridge? You may be able to find out earlier than most.

6

Wow. That’s all I can say.

7

Yes and no…
Yes : you’re competitive.
No : no one has “a good chance” for HYPSM.
You’re a very competitive applicant, meaning your odds are close to 20%, perhaps higher if you apply REA/SCEA to one. That’s more than four to five times regular odds. However that’s still 80% odds you wont get in.

What is “good income” ? More than 125k?
Have you talked with your parents to know how much they’re able/willing to give you each year for college? Don’t assume, ask for a $ range, and don’t be placated by “we’ll figure it out” (as those typically end up the worst: no affordable college).

Do you have two affordable safeties and about four or five likelies you like?