<p>Stop fishing for compliments. You know your test scores are stellar, I haven’t been able to find your GPA anywhere… But anyway. Do you have a shot? From an academic standpoint, I guess so. If you read A is for Admissions, you will learn that ivy leagues hate sob stories. Don’t use your fathers death as an excuse for poor grades or depression. Use it to show how you have overcame and excelled. And try not to play the sympathy card and say “Oh my life has been so bad. My father died (you won’t get ‘points’ because he is gay) and I’m depressed and mildly autistic”. Show how you have survived and advanced.</p>