pd

Focus on what you’re looking for in a college. If you’re just posting your stats and asking for a list of colleges that fit your stats then it’s inherently a chance me.

Example text of a thorough reverse chance me:

A itsy-bitsy bit of context: I want to major in Physics (maybe double major applied mathematics). I want to pursue a Ph.D in astrophysics and study gravitational wave detection / binary star system evolution, though obviously I am interested in far more than just those areas. I want to become a college professor.

Here is a very quick summary of my commonapp if you're at all interested 😭 b/c other reverse chanceme posts have them:
3.91 UW GPA (according to uc calculator), 4.54 W SAT: 1560 superscore, 1550 single score, 9 APs (7 5s, 2 4s, currently taking 8 APs), ECs 1. debate 2. piano 3. schoolhouse tutor 4. uc berkeley summer student 5. scioly 6. animal shelter volunteer 7. church volunteer 8. independent research (not published...yet) 9. FBLA 10. piano teacher @ public library) Honors 1. debate national champion 2. debate superior distinction (\~4%) 3. nmsqt semifinalist 4. state piano semifinalist (\~10) 5. piano concerto comp 2nd place. ESSAY: its ok. RECS: 3 recs. Was the fav student of my APUSH teacher, was a pretty ok student in my physics C class, counselor loves me i practice spanish w her)

Here is what I'm looking for in a college from most important to least important:

1. Employability. Not in the sense that I *need* a HYPSM graduation or anything, but for college professors where you went to school really matters. I've heard that you always teach at a school a step down from the school you learned from. Ex: Brown university graduate goes to UT Austin for graduate school and becomes a professor at UT austin (true story). I want to be a college professor, but I still want to teach at a decent school to do research.

2. Location. This is more important than campus IMO because in a sense your larger surroundings *is* your campus. I absolutely adored UC berkeley when I went there for a debate tournament and studied there over the summer (yikes waste of money) because although the campus was just decent (not the prettiest IMO when stanford is literally in the same area) the food was AMAZING and the vibes of oakland and the bay area and the metro were im-ma-cu-late (minus some high homeless people that pull you aside when you're walking around on campus). Location also includes weather. Basically, I just want to be somewhere where it gets cold enough. There should be snow in the winter.

3. Campus. Basically, how universally instagrammable each location on campus is. I want to be able to study anywhere, to sit down at a coffee shop and lock in for 3 hours. I want to be able to spend my weekends hiking or at parks or... ykwim. Campus also includes walkability! I am NOT going to buy a car, I am going to probably bike around or e-scooter around and devote all my money to paying off college tuition (yikes).

4. Cost and tuition (ouccchhhh). I have already decided to get a job the first thing I can because my parents don't make a *ton* of money (though we are relatively well-of - 150k-ish/year), but they're still not willing to dig 90k out of their pockets every single year for a school like Princeton, even if I were to get in (which I highly doubt). The university needs to be affordable (a huge reason I'm applying to so many international schools!) in a reasonable respect, though obviously FAFSA exists and my job can alleviate some of the burden.

5. Networking opportunity. I have some qualms about this - I am debating about NYU because although networking opportunities are awesome I value campus highly. However, networking opportunity is important for any field, especially for STEM-heavy research (though not so much as a field like business). Though, as long as I am able to form pretty good connections and make my summers busy with research and stuff, I'm happy.

6. Clubs!!! I want to go to school somewhere where you can apply to clubs, but other clubs are free for anyone to join. I want to be able to find community and not have to submit a ton of forms telling each club "please accept me". Though I'm not sure that clubs differ between universities.

7. Time to myself. I am extraordinary at procrastination and using time inefficiently, but I am also similarly extraordinary at creating time to do everything (which usually involves some level of self-sabotage). I think that I will be fine with most university grinds, I'm sure I'll be able to get used to it if it is faster-paced than the grind that I am currently in.

8. Quality of education... to an extent. I've heard generally that undergraduate quality of education doesn't really differ between school to school, but up to a certain extent. Obviously, I want to learn and take interesting classes, but anything T50 is all gonna be the same to me.

9. Diiiiiiiiversity. Obviously I don't want to go to a school that's only female or only male, or 90% asian or 90% white or 90% black (I also think it's weird for non-black applicants to apply to HBUs), but otherwise I don't notice diversity. Everyone is diverse from each other in their own respects, not only demographically, and friendships should not be contingent on race or sexual orientation or etc etc (though I do feel weirded out when I see a group of exclusively all-asian friends lol)

10. Social life. Yes I would love to have time to hangout with friends, just not in the social events type of thing. I really enjoy time alone and time with just a few friends, but "social life" is not like a requirement. I think that I can trust myself to make my own time or to balance my priorities, but I don't think that having specific undergraduate hangout events, or having a wealth of local clubs/bars or frats is something that I value too much.

There are only a few things I want the school to value from me:

1. Well-roundedness and diversity of interests. I am someone who loves physics, yes, but also loves reading, loves philosophy, theology, the performing arts, foreign languages, etc. My highschool extracurriculars reflect this, and because of this they are all over the place. I want a university that values this about me at least to an extent, or at least is not partial *against* this diversity of interests (MIT, Caltech, Stanford)

2. My identity. I know I'm an overrepresented group (asian male, double cooked) at basically every top university, but that doesn't lead me to believe I should be penalized for factors that I cannot change. I said this once, but I am so much more than just my skin color, just my sex, and I want the college to value me for me, not for my skin color.

Strong scores in math classes and calc APs. Proving your quantitative aptitude is critical on the Wharton app. On the essay, clear story of what you want to study and do post-school.

Look at Penn’s career outcomes for typical paths—like if you want to do finance, be crystal clear in your app about that. The nebulous, “I like business and want to start a business one day” isn’t going to be as strong.

On the M&T side, the students are entrepreneurial in high school and can show something for it on their application already.

Your best bet is to ask your dentist or specialist (eg orthodontist if you had/have braces). If you’re a patient that’s good with always being on time for your appointments, you or your parents were friendly with the doctor, and you had good dental hygiene then just ask. Cold emails/calls are unlikely to work.