What do you think?

What Are My Chances?
#1

<p>All about me...</p>

<p>My hopeful list reads UC Berkeley, Columbia, UC Santa Cruz, Reed, Harvard University of Washington, Yale, basically in that order in terms of interest. I'm a white male from California, at a pretty prestigious public hs. It's certainly among the best in the state, and a good portion of the people who apply to UCB/LA get in.</p>

<p>current junior
UC GPA: ~4.6W
CSU GPA (10 courses completed): 4.0
SAT (I've only taken the old one): 1400 (730V/670M)
PSAT was 226
Rank 1/420 UW, 4/420 W</p>

<p>EC's:
Science Olympiad (9-), with medals at the state and regional levels
Science Bowl (9-), captain of 'B' team (11)
Latin Club (9-), founder/president (9-)
Vegetarian Club (11-), vice president
Gay/Straight Alliance (11-), vice president
Youth Symphony (9-11), section leader (9)
Viola lessons (9-)
CSU Society of Physics Students (10-) for my astronomy
Local astronomical society (9-) not very active
Well over 100 hours community service (9-)
Internship as a research assistant (11-)
Academic Decathlon (11-) won regional awards
Speech and Debate (10) won local awards etc.</p>

<p>I'm also involved in three indie rock bands. One is sort of my solo project, one is a band that I front, and one is a combination of guys from a bunch of bands that are all friends.</p>

<p>I've taken a bunch of classes at the CSU here in town. They are Latin 1a, 1b, 2, 199, 120a, 120b, Philosophy 6, and Astronomy 4, 6, 199. I'll probably also take some more Philosophy, and a humanities course or two next year.</p>

<p>Last summer I worked on research with a professor at the CSU and went to COSMOS at UCSC (<a href="http://www.ucop.edu.cosmos)%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ucop.edu.cosmos)&lt;/a>, as well as volunteering at a physics conference and playing with a chamber orchestra.</p>

<p>This summer I'll be continuing that research for a project I plan on submitting to Intel STS etc., as well as taking a philosophy course at the CSU, working, and doing regular summer school. Hopefully my bands will be recording!</p>

<p>I run/own/started an indie press (<a href="http://www.yvpress.org)%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.yvpress.org)&lt;/a>, and I'm working on incorporating a record label. I've already got a bunch of local artists in place for the label. </p>

<p>Awards: National Latin Exam Silver and Gold Medals, Science Olympiad state/regional medals, some other random school prizes and such.</p>

<p>Classes next year:
Newspaper (Section Editor)
AP Chemistry
AP Calculus AB/BC (not sure which yet)
AP US Govt/Comp.
AP Econ
AP English
Small Ensemble (music)
Senior Project
CSU classes (probably Humanities or Physics)</p>

<p>AP's under my belt: AP Physics, AP US History</p>

<p>I'm in a civics academy at my school</p>

<p>I want to major in Astrophysics/Physics and English. Suggestions/comments/criticisms? What are my chances at the places I want to be? If you think my list is weird, bear in mind a lot of factors have come into play in its formation.</p>

#2

<p>i'd say forget harvard and yale, other than that you seem a good candidate for the other schools</p>

#3

<p>yeah I think harvard is a very long shot but I'm a lot more interested in columbia. I would think my chances at yale are improved because I know a lot of people there. I lived in new haven for 14 years, and my mum went there and taught english there. my dad's also a fellow at one of the colleges.</p>

#4

<p>Ok you didn't say you had those legacies. If your mom taught there you're probably in.</p>

#5

<p>You are a great candidate for all of those schools. Good test scores along with great GPA and very high class rank. Your internship as a research assistant will look good for your science major. I think you definately have a shot at all of the schools mentioned, especially w/ your legacy.</p>

#6

<p>You have a lot going for you and will certainly get into all UCs, Cal and LA are reaches for anyone, but you have a good shot.</p>

<p>For a realistic chance at the ivies, even as a legacy, you need to raise the SAT score significantly.</p>

#7

<p>Assuming you're class of 2006 or later, you'll need to take the new SAT... Beyond that I say UCSC is probably a safety, but I can't really say about the rest. Berkeley could be reach-ish, but you stand a very good chance of getting in, I'd think.</p>

#8

<p>thanks all, advice considered, thoughts appreciated, etc.</p>

#9

<p>thespondee, if you want info about Columbia, private message me. I am from socal and could give you a perspective about the school.</p>

<p>Best of luck to you.</p>

#10

<p>You might want to consider Brown (although you said you really thought out your list). It might be a Columbia range school that you will really like.</p>