What My Chances: Help me out: Am I being realistic?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Hi guys,

I’m applying to a lot of reach schools, and I wanted to know if I have a chance, or if I am being unrealistic. Here are my grades and ECs:

Grades:
• Rank: 25 out of 930 (2.688%)
• Weighted GPA: 4.7391 out of 5.0
• Unweighted GPA: 4.0 out of 4.0
• SAT: 1540 out of 1600 (740 Reading/Writing, 800 Math)
• ACT: 34 out of 36 (34 English, 35 Math, 32 Reading, 34 Science)
• Graduation plan: Foundation High School Program with STEM endorsement, Distinguished Level of Achievement

Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Scores
• 10th Grade
• AP World History: Modern – 4
• AP Psychology – 5
• 11th Grade
• AP Chemistry – 5
• AP Physics 1 - 5
• AP Statistics – 4
• AP English Language and Composition – 4
• AP United States History – 5
• AP Environmental Science – 5

Activities:
CoFounder/President of National Science Bowl at my school: Selected members with an entrance exam, organized a team, mentored players, and led communications
National Honor Society: Officer (2020 year they didnt assign specific officers), member in 11th grade, performed community service
TaeKwonDo: ■■■ certified Black Belt, won some local competitions
Cellist and Pianist: Piano played for 10 years, cello for HS orchestra
National Beta Club: Nationals competition qualified cellist for Performing Arts Group both 2019 and 2020 (3rd and 2nd best in State respectively)
Science Olympiad: Competed at local tournaments, won a couple medals
Quiz Bowl: Member and Competitor

Honors:
Mu Alpha Theta
Science National Honor Society
National Honor Society
National AP Scholar

In the summer I coded a stock trading algorithm that uses machine learning to dynamically learn from previous decisions and get better, artificial intelligence style thing, still in testing process to assess accuracy
I also contributed to a project with my friends that tutors students and guides them virtually during the coronavirus

HONORS & AWARDS
9th Houston Open TaeKwonDo Championship
• 3rd place Bronze finalist
10th Vortexic Martial Arts Invitational
• 2nd place Silver finalist
10th Cypress Falls Science Olympiad Invitational
• 3rd place in Geologic Mapping
10th National Beta Club State Competition
• Nationals qualifier (3rd in state) Performing Arts Group Cellist
10th UT Austin Regional Science Olympiad Tournament
• 4th place in Geologic Mapping
11th Texas Quiz Bowl Alliance Division II Competition
• 3rd place in Quiz Bowl
11th UIL Solo-Ensemble Contest
• Rating of “1” for ensemble
11th National Beta Club State Competition
• Nationals qualifier (2nd in state) Performing Arts Group Cellist
11th National Beta Club Nationals Competition
• Placed 10th in Nationals Competition
11th National AP Scholar
• Received an average score of at least a 4 on all AP exams taken, and scored 4 or higher on at least eight AP exams

What are my chances guys?
This is my colleges list:

Reach: Stanford(early), Cornell, Harvard, John Hopkins, MIT, Rice University, Duke, Princeton
Match/Safety: UT Austin, UT Dallas, Texas A and M

Demographics: Indian Male Rising Senior

Please help me out, I want to know where I could possibly get in. Feel free to recommend universities that would be a fit for me.
Thanks!

2

Without claiming expertise, academics look strong with corroborating test scores. Not sure on your senior year courses but I expect to see rigor. ECs look ok, but there is nothing there that screams uniqueness. So I think all your reach colleges are reach, your essays need to really shine to make you standout as someone they want and that is different from all the other smart Indian boys they will see. I think you may be from Texas so are any / all of your matches auto admit? Good Luck!

3

It sounds like you’re in Texas, otherwise no one would even think of UT-Dallas. It’s a good safety list, because you’re an auto-admit for all three. UT-Dallas would probably give you a full ride. As far as the other schools on the list, they’re high reaches for anyone. There’s no way to chance you, other than to speculate.

4

Thanks for the comments here already, really appreciate the feedback. Also, I’m having difficulty making a match list, everything is either a reach, or a safety, or downright too expensive out of state. Can you guys please recommend match schools you guys think would be a good fit for me? And yes, I am in Texas. I plan to pursue either biology or electrical/computer engineering major

5

RPI would fit your mix.

6

Your list is excellent. One thing to keep in mind, though. Biology and electrical engineering are two very different majors. at UT, if you’re admitted into one competitive major as a freshman, it’s very difficult to switch, because of competition. A&M is more flexible, but still very competitive.