Advice and chance for Ivies, Yale & Harvard especially

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello! I am a junior currently and I plan to apply to Ivy League and other top 20 schools. Yale or Harvard are my top choices. I plan on going a sort of Pre-Law kind of route, though there is not a specific major for that at those schools. I plan on making it clear in my application that if admitted, I would try out for their cheerleading squad.
This is more than a chance thread, I am really seeking advice from an outside perspective. I have heard time and time again that these schools are about "depth not breadth" and I am wondering if my application thus far is too all over the place. Does it seem that way? If so, how could I improve? I truly love everything I am involved in, but I am concerned about how it will look to a committee. Thank you for any input, I owe you one!! </p>

<p>Objective: </p>

<p>ACT: 34
SAT II: Will take World History and Literature exams
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0, weighted 4.79
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/590
AP (place score in parenthesis):
Human Geography: 5
World History: yet to take
Language and Composition: ^
Calculus AB: ^
Psychology: ^</p>

<p>Senior Year Course Load:
AP Calc BC, AP Comp Gov, AP lit & comp, Honors acadeca, honors newspaper, honors economics and finance, AP biology</p>

<p>Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
-2014 JEA (National High School Newspaper competition) 7th place Best of Show
-University of Nebraska at Omaha Large School Division A 1st Place
-2014 Nebraska Academic Decathlon First Place Team Large School Division
-2013 National Cheerleading Association Camp Cheer from a Varsity Squad 2nd Place
-2013 Nebraska State Cheer Competition Varsity Squad Non-Stunting 3rd Place
-2014-15 Universal Cheerleading Association All-American Cheerleader
-2014 UCA Camp Xtreme Routine Varsity 1st Place
-2014 UCA Camp Leadership Award </p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Cheerleading (captain) (varsity 3 years),
Newspaper (co-Editor in Chief)
Student council (3 years, vice president 1 year)
Prom Committee (2 years)
NHS (president)
Academic Decathlon (honors division tester 2 years)
Mayors Youth Advisory Council (President, 2 years)
JAMbassadors Joslyn Art Museum program (2 years)
American Society of News Editors Youth Initiative Journalism Advisory Board (2 years)</p>

<p>Summer Activities:
Cavanaugh Law Firm Summer Internship 2015
Nebraska Girls State (likely)
National Newspaper Free Spirit summer camp (likely)
Universal Cheerleading Association Summer Camp 2012-2015</p>

<p>Work and Volunteer Experience:
I will begin to work the summer before senior year.
Edible Omaha magazine Editorial Intern 3 years
Film Streams Independent Movie Theater 400 hours
Coach Elementary School Cheer Team 3 months/year</p>

<p>Applied for Financial Aid?:yes
ntended Major: Pre-Law
State (if domestic applicant): Nebraska
School Type: Very large, competitive public
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
Income Bracket: <45000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): raised by a single mother without support from father</p>

2

<p>This is exceptionally good. I say that you should rock out on your essays and you stand a terrific chance at each and every one of the schools you are applying to. Still do remember that these schools are very unpredictable, so be prepared if they do, for some reason, turn you down. However, I would like to believe that you will get into at least one of the ivies. Just to be sure, apply to some safety schools like state flagships, just in case the worst comes your way. </p>

3

<p>Thank you!! I am so heavily immersed in my own application and activities that I honestly cannot tell if it is impressive or not anymore. </p>

4

<p>Make sure you discuss what you’ve been through with your father and all in your essays; it’ll show perseverance.</p>

5

<p>You have amazing stats and your just a junior! Great test scores, ECs and GPA, I see you getting into the best schools this country has to offer. Keep that hardwork going into your senior year and I guarantee you will be successful not only in college admissions, but in life. Whatever your doing, your doing right!
P.S If that is really you in your profile pic, you’re very beautiful too :slight_smile: Best of Luck!</p>

6

<p>Haha yes that is me, & thank you!!</p>

7

<p>You have as good a shot as any, it seems - your scores and grades are great, your EC’s are wide and point towards cheerleading or law, and the leadership is a necessary bonus. </p>

<p>But why Harvard and Yale? You said that they don’t offer the Pre-Law track you seek, so why are they your top choices?</p>

8

<p>Has the absence of your father really impacted you as a person? I understand it could mean a harder experience financially, but does his absence reflect a huge part of your personality? If so, talk about it in your essays, but if not, don’t and just mention him briefly somewhere. You want to use your essays to reflect who you are. Many people would talk about loss or absence of a family member to explain their lower grades, showing how close they were with the loved one. You don’t have that pressure, so you do have a choice; how do you best portray yourself?</p>

<p>Harvard and Yale are great institutions, where you can study a specific major that will help your career in Law. Keep in mind, though, that “Pre-Law” is not a major; at some schools, it is a track or program. </p>

9

<p>Keep doing what your’e doing!! This looks great!
Good Luck on AP Tests!!!</p>

10

<p>ummmm, you probably have the best chance possible!!! Even the fact that you’re from Nebraska sets you apart. I go to Dartmouth—I don’t think many people are from Nebraska, which is good for you because GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY is important. Make sure you have awesome essays—also don’t list everything you do because that might make you look like you’re just padding your resume. Only mention the most important things you participate in! Hopefully you have good recs too! The essays and the recs tell the admissions directors what kind of person you are, which is arguable just as important as the kind of student you are. </p>

<p>Good luck!! :smiley: </p>

11

<p>4.79 GPA as a WHITE FEMALE? I bet your going to get in. </p>

12

<p>when you keep bumping your post because no one is telling you what you’re doing wrong lol </p>

13

<p>You are doing very well. Just focus on school and wait for next year to come :)</p>

14

Here are a couple of additions for my own sake:

I’m pretty sure that I’ve decided to get a minor in film studies or art history.

Academic Decathlon: Honors level regional competition- 1st place literature, 1st place science, 3rd place art, 3rd place economics

Flyover (culture magazine)- Copy Editor, Contributor

Polyphony H.S. (national literary magazine) Submissions Editor

high school Arts & Literature Publication- Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief

As always, suggestions are appreciated :slight_smile:

15

AND I FORGOT- class rank is up to 2/591

16

@kelsey9874 - There’s not going to be enough space on the Common App for you to list all of your activities and awards, so you’ll have to decide which ones to include and which ones to leave out. Make sure you present them in the best way possible - treat these portions of the Common App as if it were a resume.

You seem to be on track for admission to some of the top schools. A few comments:

  • study hard for the SAT subject tests. Go onto Amazon and find highly related workbooks and take as many practice exams as possible.
  • keep up with your studies. You’re currently in great shape, but if your grades slide, you chances will too.
  • start working on your essays in the summer - don’t leave them too late. Ask people who can offer critical advice (not your classmates) to read them.
  • decide which teachers you will ask to write your recommendations, and approach them early.
  • consider applying to Harvard, Yale, or Princeton SCEA.
  • investigate Questbridge.

Good luck!

17

You are quite an impressive young lady. Make sure your essays show who you truly are as a person, what you are passionate about, etc. Not so much a writing contest, but an inner glimpse.

My advice would be to keep working hard, to focus on extra-curriculars that are more community-based (that you are passionate about), and to not focus on just the Ivies.

There are so many wonderful colleges available to someone like you. I went down this path with my son two years ago, and he was almost certain he wanted to go to an Ivy as well (similar stats, 4.0 unweighted, 5.0 weighted, with near perfect SAT II’s). We went on a lot of college visits. And guess what…

He ended up applying Early Decision to Pomona College after a fantastic visit, and he absolutely loves it. You can succeed at any school you attend, and you can be happy wherever you end up. Have seen so many kids hyper-focused on HYPMS, and they were crushed (and kind of lost) when they were not admitted.

Look hard at other options and be open to all your possible choices! Best wishes!! :slight_smile:

18

@BldrDad Right now I’m planning on applying to Yale SCEA. Thanks for all your feedback!!

19

@rav525 I have a list of around 10 places I’m going to apply to :slight_smile: There’s no doubt that an Ivy is a dream, but I’m also totally expecting to end up somewhere that’s still great, but not HYP. I guess we will see how it all shakes out. Thanks!!

20

My youngest is a freshmen at Yale. Your scores and/qualifications are quite similar to her. That said, I think what you really need to focus on and frame, is how attending Yale is distinct from other institutions. So, not so much what the school would do for you, but rather, how you would contribute to their community. It should provide a narrative that exhibits that you really did your homework about Yale and creates a nexus between you and institution. Very best–