Am I delusional?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>This is a chancing thread, just to avoid any confusion the title may have caused.</p>

<p>I'm male, white, lower-middle class and from Long Island.</p>

<p>I have a 2120 on the SAT 780W (12 Essay), 700M, 640CR and a 29 on the ACT. I have a 710 on Math Level 1 (expecting a 760 next time) and I'm expecting around a 730 in Literature.</p>

<p>I am in the top 15% of my grade (about 200 kids.)</p>

<p>I have a 3.8 unweighted and a 4.0 weighted. The reason this is so low is because in the first two years of high school I wanted to be a musician, and then in junior and senior year I realized I didn't so I tried harder. My junior/senior GPA will be about a 4.2? (102) and unweighted will be about a 98. This is a big part of my essay, and the lesson I learned from it.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Community Band (9-12) section leader, everyone is like 45+ except for me and I am the saxophone section leader, I have also been a featured soloist in it. </p>

<p>Mock Trial (12) </p>

<p>Jazz Band (9-12) section leader</p>

<p>Marching Band/Pep Band (9-12) Section leader</p>

<p>IB Leadership Group (12) only year available and I am the president</p>

<p>Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division (12) worked to contribute about $3000 so I could attend</p>

<p>Interact Club (9-12) event coordinator.</p>

<p>Work Experience: Every summer to help my family. I worked this last summer to help pay my way through the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, contributed about $3000, instead of doing an archaeological dig. I have been tutoring a young boy with learning disabilities for a little more than a year. I also tutored a girl a few grades lower than me for a few months. Both tutoring jobs are for pay.</p>

<p>Recs: Music Teacher's is glowing. One from counselor and teachers will be amazing as well. I also have one from my principal who I took an independent study with and it is very laudatory, although it kind of restates my resume. But the few good things he says in it are worthwhile.</p>

<p>Courses: All honors for 9th and 10th grade. 6 IB courses over junior and senior year, most of which are 2 years. I should be getting 6's or 7's (out of 7) on all of them. 1 AP.</p>

<p>Senior Year:
IB Physics SL
IB Biology HL II
Physical Education Electives
Honors Band
Applied Music
Science Research Honors
IB Spanish HL II
IB History of the Americas HL II
English 12H
IB Math Studies SL </p>

<p>Avg for first quarter of senior year is a 97.00</p>

<p>Honors and Rewards: Outstanding Achievement in Band (9-12)</p>

<p>Outstanding Achievement in Spanish (11, maybe 12)</p>

<p>High Honor Roll every quarter, every year</p>

<p>National Junior Honor Society (9,10)</p>

<p>National Honor Society (11,12)</p>

<p>National Spanish Honor Society (9-12)</p>

<p>Musical performances for board of eduaction (10,11)</p>

<p>Community Service: 500+ hours from community band, Relay for Life, Interact, helping out church, etc.</p>

<p>Essays: A lot of people have lauded my essays, even people who are being paid to find fault with them.</p>

<p>Supplement: My music supplement is, in my (I feel like a jerk, but world-renowned) teacher's opinion, gorgeous. I play the classical alto saxophone. I also compose and play piano, but not as well as my saxophone skills, and none of that went in on the supplement.</p>

<p>Hooks (if any): I'm a musician (does that count?). My step-father has been best friends with the guy (Michael Price) who is in charge of some big financial stuff at Yale since they were like 10 years old. Hopefully that will get me some cred. I'm assuming if he's in charge of such big financial stuff, he most know the president, who carries a ton of weight.</p>

<p>There may be some stuff I am forgetting, but this is the bulk of it. And if I am forgetting anything, let me know so that I can fix it.</p>

<p>What do you think? Am I deluding myself thinking that I may have a shot?</p>

<p>P.S. I didn't do SCEA, just RD.</p>

2

<p>Forgot to mention a few things:</p>

<p>Extracurricular:</p>

<p>Community band (10-12) - accounts for much of my community service</p>

<p>Saxophone Lessons (9-12) both Jazz and Classical (I’ve really been doing it since 2nd grade, but they don’t care about that.)</p>

3

<p>I just saw that there is a new feature to CC. You can see what people have posted on the bottom that is similar. </p>

<p>I wish I could say you are going in, but I am not sure. You still have a chance, and I would apply to many schools because they want talent like you</p>

4

<p>Believe me, I’m applying to no shortage of great schools (Columbia, Princeton, Williams, Dartmouth, UVA (not quite the same), Brown, Cornell). I have a feeling like i’ll get into at least one, but Yale is my top. Not because of it’s US News ranking just because of the feel. It’s good to get an opinion from a current Yalie, and just one question for you: why do you say “I wish I could say you are going in”? Not like I’m perturbed or anything of the nature, and I know I’m not the best candidate, I’m just wondering what your reservation is.</p>

<p>P.S.</p>

<p>Yale Interview (on-campus) went very well and I feel like me and the interviewer got along very well, beyond what they’re paid to do.</p>

5

<p>You seem like you have a great chance especially with your music and essays, but stats a little low according to CC standards. Then again CCers are pretty critical since almost everyone has outstanding stats.</p>

6

<p>you have a great chance!! your ECs and SATs are amazing!!</p>

7

<p>Just a little more info, don’t know I forgot this…</p>

<p>All-State Symphonic Band, Winds Symphony and Jazz Band Alternate</p>

<p>Participation in NYSSMA (state music competition) grades 9-12 and for Jazz and received grades of: 9th - 98 Classical, 10th - 97 Jazz, 99 Classical, 11th - 99 Jazz, 100 Classical; each year I did the grade lvl 6 pieces (out of 6). </p>

<p>I also won statewide awards for Outstanding (highest rating) in all of the mentioned years. It’s like A+ = Outstanding, A = Great, etc…</p>

<p>Also did lvl 5 (out of 6) Piano NYSSMA after self-studying Piano for less than a year and received a 97.</p>

8

<p>Um, question … what else can we say but:</p>

<p>“Crapshoot”
“Good, but not likely just like almost all other applicants”
“Reach”
“Good chance, but it’s Yale, so you never know …”</p>

<p>etc. etc.</p>

9

<p>To the OP: like the above poster said, you do have a chance but there are thousands of applicants with similar scores, ECAs, background and recommendations. All you can really do is try your best, apply and keep your fingers crossed. Most chancers are high school students or parents who have little idea about their own chances or their child’s chances at elite schools, so these chances threads are pretty pointless unless you’re looking for a bit of reassurance (I’m not trying to be mean here). It’s all in the adcom’s hands, and there’s no telling what they’re looking for this year… A kid with a 1700 SAT I but volunteering experience in Africa might get in whereas a debater who’s done international tournaments and has perfect SATs might not. Best of luck :)</p>

10

<p>sorry, but this is a random comment. volunteering overseas is overrated. just a lil bittty…
why not new orleans. why dun we clean the country up before cleaning other places. </p>

<p>just saying.</p>