<p>From what I've heard, Yale is the hardest collge in the country to get into. I've heard that only about 1% of applicants who aren't legacies or athletes get in. Is this true, and does someone with a 2280 SAT I and an 800 SAT II math IIc and an 800 chemistry and who is probably going to get an 800 on the Biology (if I don't then I probably don't have any shot of getting in anyway), a 99.5 out of 100 gpa and pretty good but not spectacular EC's have any shot of getting in with that non-binding early action thing? Sorry about the run-on sentencs.</p>
<p>Your scores are very impressive, and that will help you. Unfortunately, from what I've seen, extracurriculars outweigh scores in importance. Now there's nothing you can do about the basics of your application at this point, so I wouldn't dwell on chances and such. Bring your personality across in the essays to distinguish you from the pack. And if you can, submit SAT II scores in subjects that aren't sciencey-mathy.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your input. In terms of the SAT II's, those are only three that I will have taken, and the Biology I'm ending up having to self-teach myself the entire curriculum in a month. My EC's aren't that horrible (President of Math Club/Marine Biology Club/Worked with animal rescue groups), but I suppose that to get into Yale you need to just about found the red cross. Who knows, maybe I'll get accepted, stranger things have happened like when the Red Sox won the World Series last year ( yay, go Red Sox, boo Yankees). Thanks for anyone's input.</p>
<p>Dude, don't worry about it. Have confidence that Yale is not only for the Clara Bartons of the earth. You don't have to be spectacular, you just have to be well-grounded and real. If they see that you're a hard working individual who has something positive to contribute to the student body, it's more important than if you get an 800 on Bio. I got a 770 and I'm happy enough with that (they put it in tiers, you know, so a 760=800 essentially).</p>
<p>Yale lost the "hardest college to get into" status last year to Harvard. Harvard had lagged until they started the EA and special financial aid package to draw in applicant. Then they got 9.2ish percent admittance, which dipped below Yale's previous 9.8ish. So just send in your stuff and enjoy senior year--there's no point wasting your present worrying about the future (because you will probably have a solid one).</p>
<p>actually, i think deep springs college is probably the hardest college to get into. An incoming class might contain as few as 11 or as many as 16 students and select from a pool of between 90 and 200--which means our selectivity, for instance, can vary between 18% and 6% year-to-year. Deep Springs will rarely accept more than 15% of applicants (12.5% in 2002), and that over 90% (94% in 2002) will accept the offer of admission.</p>
<p>so they beat harvard and yale in yield and admit rate, though admittedly, its an entirely different kind of college.</p>
<p>How important is the "How did I become interested in applying to Yale?" question? What did everyone on CC put? Also, is the optional essay really optional, or is it one of those essays that they say is optional, but the options are write the essay or don't get accepted? Thanks for any replies, past and future.</p>
<p>Just be honest. Website, visit, et cetera. I don't think they expect more than a sentence.</p>
<p>To the OP - you sound a lot like me - i had 1580/4X800, ECs were ok but nothing spectacular, i wrote a good essay and represented myself well on the app, had some outside recs...etc, etc. i got into yale and RD at that (for which acceptance is around 6-7% compared with 20% EA) so don't worry about it - do what you can, nothing is guaranteed but don't lose hope...</p>
<p>hmm 20% EA sounds really reassuring.. even though I know its not... its still 20% which is almost 1/4... which is a lot</p>
<p>It is 1/5, which is still a lot :)</p>
<p>I heard that when you factor in the EA applicants who get deferred and admitted during the regular round, it's actually over 25%. What a delicious statistic.... :)</p>
<p>I can't imagine that Yale & comparable schools will look down on 2 Bs out of a straight A transcript.. right? I know totally nitpicky, but I don't have 800 SAT 2s...not even close lol. Oh well good luck everyone</p>
<p>I had a C+ on my transcript and I got in. Don't worry about two Bs.</p>
<p>i think onceyour grades are past a certain point, they dont care about them. almost everyone who applies is capable of doing the work at yale. theyre more interested in everything else.</p>
<p>but don't forget EA apps are more competitive</p>
<p>ya but still... 1 out of five applicants (which is practically 1 out of 4 lol) is reallyy reassuring; even though , in the backs of our minds, we all know that EA has a lot more competitive applicants yata yata yata... its still a warm thought:)
I really hope we all get in!
sigh</p>
<p>I'm so nervous!!!
::twitch::</p>
<p>Best wishes to all of you. My D is also applying SCEA to Yale...though doesn't have her app done yet and still has to record her CD. I'm saying a little prayer for all of you. Good luck!</p>