What Are my Chances? (URM for UPenn, Harvard, Haverford)

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Hey there! I’m a high school junior (class of 2018) in the IB program, and any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much :slight_smile:
I’m the daughter of African immigrants (so URM hook), and I love writing, although I plan to go into premed and eventually become a doctor.

Schools I’m likely applying to: UPenn, Harvard, Haverford, UPitt (hoping to get into the GAP Medical program, though I know it’s a reach), Penn State, Temple, Swarthmore, Boston University

Objective
SAT I: 1530 (790 Math, 740 R/W, 8/8/8 Essay) (single sitting)
SAT II: Biology M and Math II (planning to take both of these in August! Maybe Chemistry too)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): I’m not sure, since my school doesn’t report it. However, my weighted is around 4.4, and I am projected to get a 4.5 for junior year. I’ve gotten all As in freshman and sophomore year, but I’ll probably have all As and one B on my transcript for junior year (the B would be in an HL class)
Projected IB Senior Year Course Load: HL Math, HL Chemistry, HL Biology, SL Literature, SL Spanish, SL History, TOK
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National TOC Qualifier and Semifinalist for Oral Interpretation, NCFL Grand Nationals Qualifier for Oral Interpretation, Gold and Silver Medal in National Scholastic Writing Awards. I also got a 1420 on the PSAT, so maybe National Merit Commended?

Extracurriculars: This is where I know I’m lacking. My only activities are as follows: speech and debate (captain), writing club, chorus. Could this keep me from being admitted into an Ivy League, even though I’ve won a few awards?
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteer at local hospital. Also a volunteer judge for speech and debate tournaments
This summer, I will also be doing a job shadow with a local science company.

Again, thank you if you took the time to read this chance thread! My biggest worry is my lack of extracurriculars. Any comments are appreciated :slight_smile:

2

I wouldn’t count on your URM hook at Ivies to get you in. All applicants should have strong EC when applying there. .

R u looking into BU 7 year program? In general, if you are sure about being a doctor, apply to those instead of going to undergraduate school. They are competitive but worth it.

3

Yeah, I think your ECs are weak. Being not-Asian/White helps but I don’t know if that will help make up for your pitiful ECs…

4

Friend of my DD,

AA, solid EC’s, 35 ACT, 4.4GPA…waitlisted at Harvard then denied.

5

@livingandwriting Cookie cutter African Doctor lol . Everything about your application is impressive except your EC’s. However you have the summer write a few articles about subjects that interest you most and get published. Apply SCEA to Harvard and some ED to some other elite privates. Also expand your IVY list. You’ll get into most places (If not all 8 ivy’s) . Good Luck.

6

Thanks everyone for the replies!

@kjake2000 I have looked into BU’s 7 year program! Especially since it seems to emphasize the importance of liberal arts in medical education, it seems really interesting. That program and UPitt’s GAP have caught my eye :slight_smile:
I’m also not counting on my URM hook to get me anywhere; I’m sorry if I made it seem that way. I fell in love with UPenn’s HSOC department, which makes it my first choice school, but I know my ECs could keep me from admittance. I have so few ECS because I’ve devoted so much of my time to speech and debate (one of my truest passions) and personal writing projects. Unfortunately, I only have a few national awards for each. I hope to further explain how much I love both of these activities in my essays.

@VANDEMORY1342 I think I’ll apply SCEA to Harvard! Also, I’m planning to enter many more writing competitions outside of Scholastic, and write publish some articles, to help show admissions officers how much time I actually devote to writing. :slight_smile:

7

Damn TOC quals! A lot of these people don’t know what the TOC is. It is basically the best and most prestigious speech and debate tournament in the nation. It is EXTREMELY hard feat to accomplish so hats off. Your speech and debate focus has been very successful so push harder. Your stats are great and your ECs are fine. I know a rich Asian guy whose only EC was qualifying for NATS and TOC for debate. He got into Upenn.

These guys don’t know what they are talking about. I would say that even without your URM hook, you have a good chance and with your URM status it is even better. I will say this. Don’t bank solely on your speech success. Because you want to be a doctor, I think you will need some more sciency-stuff to help. I would suggest doing research with a professor at a local university. If you can put that on your resume, boom! You have been accepted to __________'s class of 2022!

Overall, you will be fine.

8

Your awards are good, it will be your biggest seller for those schools.

9

Hello! I’d just like to provide an update, and see if it adds anything to my application. This summer, I plan on doing two summer internships–both of them are science related. In one, I will be shadowing a local physician, and in the other, I will be shadowing a large-university researcher. How does this add to my application, if at all?

I’m also greatly considering Johns Hopkins now–it’s becoming my first choice school, and I’m considering applying ED.

Thank you! All replies are appreciated :slight_smile:

10

Hello everyone! Just wanted to provide an update on my college acceptances.
I ultimately applied to six schools: UPitt, Penn State, Wayne State, Harvard, Yale, and Penn. I was ultimately accepted by all of these schools!!! and this includes a likely letter from Yale that I got a few weeks before my acceptance, and a full ride to Pitt as a Helen Faison Scholar.
I’d also like to add that since the time I made this thread, I had received a prestigious national writing award (which I won’t reveal since it would give away my identity), and I think this helped my applications a lot.
Thank you all so much for being supportive and helpful on this journey! I’m so grateful to have this college decision to make :slight_smile:

11

Congratulations to you! When I first read your post, I thought you were a strong candidate and was upset at some the respondents discouraging replies ( your pitiful ECs, Don’t count on URM to get you in,). I like it when they are proven wrong! Way to go! Happy that you took time to stop and give an update! Great choices ahead of you. Best of luck!