After looking at other threads i feel totally discouraged... But chance me anyway?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>Hi! So this is my first post and I really hope you guys can help me!</p>

<p>I will be applying to colleges in the next few months and I was wondering if you could chance me for my reach schools!
They include: Harvard, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Stanford (Early Action), Yale, Brown, U of Penn, and Cornell.</p>

<p>These are the AP/Honors classes I have taken:
Biology Honors, English Language AP, Biology AP, US History AP, AP French, AP Calculus AB, AP Economics, Government Honors</p>

<p>I have had a 4.0 for my whole life and weighted I have about a 4.5 I think.
My school does not rank but I know I am at least in the top 10%.</p>

<p>I am a California resident.
I am Persian.
I am a male.</p>

<p>These are my extracurriculars:
I have been volunteering/interning at the hospital for 3 years and I am a shift leader (300+ hours)
Next week I will start shadowing my uncle in the emergency room God willing.
I have been doing Speech and Debate for 4 years and attended the State Tournament last year. (I am also the Chair for one of the events)
I have been doing piano for 10 years and will be taking the Level Advanced Certificate of Merit test this February God willing.
I was on JV Volleyball for my Freshman and Sophomore years.
I peer tutor at my school in Biology (AP and honors), French (1,2,3,4, and AP), and in all math levels until Calculus AB.
Got 2nd Place at the Synopsys Science Fair</p>

<p>Clubs:
California Scholarship Federation (9,10,11,12)
French Club (9,10)
Science Club (11,12)
Accent Club (play music for the elderly) (12)
Chance Against Cancer (Vice President) (12)</p>

<p>Other:
Attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine at UCLA for 10 days</p>

<p>Will get 2 awesome letters of rec from Biology AP and English AP teachers</p>

<p>SAT: 2030 (Retaking next month, hope to get at least 2150)
AP: English - 3
US History - 4
Biology - 5
SAT II: Biology M - 800
Will be taking Math 2c and French w/Listening in November God willing. Hope to do well</p>

<p>Thank you so much! I really appreciate all the help! Also if you can, let me know if all the schools I am applying to have good undergraduate Biology programs because that is what I would like to major in!</p>

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<p>I think your grades and EC’s make you competitive, if you can bring your SAT score up. And by “competitive”, it doesn’t mean you would def. get in, but that you have a shot.</p>

<p>But it was the last sentence in your post that gave me pause. The fact that you haven’t found out on your own if these schools have good Bio programs suggests that you might just be going after the name/prestige of schools without really looking to see if it might be the right school for you. I suggest you do a little more research, not only of these schools but others that have good programs in the area that you wish to major in.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Applying to eight “reach schools” appears to be a bit excessive and I agree that these are reaches with your test scores and standard ECs. Agree with my2sunz that you should do some more research on whittling this list down and spending at least as much effort identifying great target schools with excellence in Biology.</p>

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<p>Looks like you got a chance! i think?
Im persian too! :slight_smile: and am applying to the same schools minus john hopkins!</p>

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<p>^Nobody applies to John Hopkins. They all apply to Johns Hopkins :slight_smile: lol</p>

<p>And about the chances, it seems like you have a good resume, but I would definitely raise that score for the colleges on your list. </p>

<p>Good luck Guy786 and 2011ivy!!</p>

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<p>oeps! typo :slight_smile: thanks!</p>

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<p>As is the case for the majority of candidates, you stand a chance if your application is passionate and -crucially- focussed. Don’t make yourself appear to be a ‘box-ticker’ but pick out those extra-curriculars that you genuinely love, and tell Yale why.</p>

<p>The SAT does need to be higher, probably by about 150 points. From what I’ve seen there’s no real difference once you hit 2200.</p>

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<p>Thank you all for the advice!</p>

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<p>Without a 2200+ you will get into none of the schools that you listed. You’re welcome to prove me wrong, but statistics will not be on your side. Good luck.</p>

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</p>

<p>Uh…no. </p>

<p>OP, your SAT scores are far too low for those schools.</p>

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<p>not true. for example, being a hookless scea admit basically requires >2300.</p>

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<p>also false. as evidenced in the results threats, there’s a sizeable number of applicants to HYP that were admitted in spite of a sat score <2200.</p>

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<p>Raphael, while what you said is true, most of those people are accepted due to legacy, athlete recruits, & URMs, which the OP does not fall under.</p>

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<p>You say that these are your reach schools–I assume this means that you have other, safer schools to which you are applying. I have to agree with others that the schools on your list are long shots unless you significantly improve your SAT–and they still will be difficult even if you do.
I don’t think you necessarily have too many reaches–if you get into the ballpark with your next SAT, then you may need this many to have a reasonable shot of getting into one or more of them. You do need some matches and safeties though–and if your next SAT is disappointing, then you probably need to retool your whole list.</p>

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<p>As noted by others, since you do not appear to have a hook, your SAT I is too low for HYPS. Also, ECs are average for elite schools (HYPS). </p>

<p>Basically, the issue becomes why HYPS should accept you over all the other 3.9 to 4.0 applicants that are applying? Given the SAT I score, I don’t really see anything that stands out. </p>

<p>I don’t mean to be harsh. I just think you might be better served by applying to another school ED. For example, you might be better off applying to Penn ED (unless you do not want to be bound for financial reasons). Penn would probably be a mid-reach and you’d markedly improve your chances by applying ED.</p>

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<p>Penn is still a big reach. I would probably suggest looking at some less selective schools that have EA.</p>