<p>I’ve never seen NA data. AA data is pretty hard to find, but what I’ve found at some top schools does not suggest a 100 percent admit rate.i have not seen ivy or Stanford numbers. I think I’ve seen 40 something once, 10 or so around 20 percent, and some with lower than the general admission rate. Don’t know what it means, but I don’t think it means it’s easy.</p>
<p>Bump 10char</p>
<p>At schools like MIT, it is not just about getting in, but also about stayin in, being able to keep up with the extremely rigorous coursework and load. Very serious, hard working kids with good GPAs and standardized test scores drop out, because the work is too much for them. Therefore, I think the idea about going to MITES or the Women’s program is excellent. They can tell you what your chances of success will be at a school like MIT. </p>
<p>You have not said anything about the competitiveness of your high school at which you have a 3.9 GPA. You have also not said anything about whether you are taking the highest difficulty of coursework at your school. If 2% or more of the class at your school makes National Merit Semifinalist and you are taking the highest difficulty of coursework at your school then as you have good test scores (above 650 in all sections of the SAT), you will do okay, you have less to worry about. If not, then keep working at it, so by senior year you can get to the point where you are comfortable handling such coursework. Good luck :)</p>
<p>My daughter is currently a freshman at Harvard and was accepted by every Ivy League school she applied.
She had a SAT score of 2200, a 4.0 GPA and was top 20 in the nation in her sport.
Both her SAT 2 scores were in the 700’s, 750 and 760 to be exact.</p>
<p>Most students at Harvard have all 3 SAT scores and SAT 2 scores in the 700’s.
Almost all the students we’ve met this year have one thing other than a great GPA and strong board scores that makes their application stand out.</p>
<p>Leadership and passion for something other than academics or in one academic field will make your application stand out.
Imagine your application in a pile with students all with the same GPA and all scores on the SAT in the 700’s. What about you will make an admissions employee not forget your application.
National or international recognition helps make you unique.</p>
<p>Your internship is interesting. It sounds like you’re published - is it something you’re passionate about? How can you take that to the next level?
Your volunteering is good but everyone else volunteers - Can you get a leadership role in the volunteering? Make sure it’s something that you can do for a few years - it must be something you’re passionate about.
Leadership roles, national recognition - on top of great grades are the key.</p>
<p>Use your summer to prep for SAT after sophomore year so when you take the exam junior year you ace it.
Use your summer to get recognition in something you’re passionate about.</p>
<p>One freshman in my daughter’s dorm writes some of the crossword puzzles for The New York Times. Another won the gold medal in math olympics. </p>
<p>In other words, just having great grades, great board scores and volunteering won’t give you an acceptance just because your are Native American.
Are you passionate about that? Maybe you could get published writing about being Native American.</p>
<p>In terms of courses, balance is the key. Yes, you do want to take rigorous courses, but not so many that you only have time for homework or that it hurts your GPA.
I’ve seen many students who were extremely bright not be as successful applying to college as others were because they over-loaded on AP’s.
My daughter took one AP sophomore year, 3 junior year, 2 senior year.
She did get all 5’s on all her AP exams - she took many practice exams first!</p>
<p>I think your writing is sticking out the most for me - a cnn columnist sounds impressive - are you getting credit? Where else could your articles get published?
New York Times maybe? That certainly would make you unique.</p>
<p>These top universities want a well-rounded student body, not necessarily a well-rounded student. Be the best in one area, on top of strong academics, and you’ll get in!
Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Thank you guys for great, insightful answers! And I’m taking the most rigorous courseload my school offers:
Honors Chemistry (no AP for this at my school)
AP Programming
AP US History
AP Calculus BC
AP English
French year 3</p>
<p>Bumppppppp</p>
<p>Babababuuump</p>
<p>Bump 10 char</p>
<p>You’re native American. Look at the demographic data at Harvard, yours is the least represented group. I think you’ll have absolutely no trouble being extremely competitive at both. And I think your ECs are very unique, just write some wonderful essays and focus in a bit on your heritage.</p>
<p>Best of luck! Care to chance back?</p>
<p>Thank you!
link to your thread?</p>
<p>By the way, my grades and everything in middle school were terrible (F’s, straight) then come high school I was motivated to step it up, colleges won’t see my middle school record, right? I just don’t want to be judged for that</p>
<p>Here’s my thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1276395-post-application-chances-top-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1276395-post-application-chances-top-schools.html</a></p>
<p>Bump 10char</p>
<p>No, Colleges will not see your middle school grades. Not a chance. Might have been a good essay topic though.</p>
<p>Really, they won’t see me as a slacker?</p>
<p>**if i were to write an essay about it</p>
<p>That’s a chance you would have to take if you think it would be a good topic. Would you be able to show growth? Would you be able to tell them how you learned from your mistakes? Could you present yourself in a positive light? It depends on how the essay turns out.</p>
<p>Bump 10 char</p>
<p>Any other opinions?</p>
<p>Bump 10char</p>
<p>Bump 10char</p>