An Honest Estimate Please

Colleges & Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>I thank you in advance for responding to my inquiry. It is much appreciated.</p>

<p>Anyways, before I launch into what credentials, or lack thereof, depending on your view, I may have, I just want to give an overview, as seems customary on these forums:</p>

<p>Rising Senior
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Rank: 7/431
Grades/Transcript Overview: Mixture of A's and A+'s, with one B+ in Freshman gym, and another B+ in Freshman, Semester 1 French II. AP (so far) are two in Sophomore year, AP Stats and AP Comp Sci, and five in Junior year, AP Lang and Comp, AP Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Calc BC, and AP Gov.<br>
GPA: 4.478 Cum, albeit our school has an odd, odd grading scale and is also weighted based on Standard vs. Honors vs. AP Classes
SAT: 800 Math, 800 Writing (12 essay), 740 Reading, 2340 total
ACT: 36 Math, 35 English (9 essay, but not factored in), 35 Reading, 36 Science, 36 total
SAT II: 800 Math II, 770 Chemistry, 770 US History</p>

<p>Extra-Curricular:
Academic Challenge/Academic Bowl
Newspaper Editor
Debate Team
Orchestra
Violin (5 years now)
Piano (11 years now)</p>

<p>Awards:
Academic Challenge/Academic Bowl team won numerous awards regionally
Orchestra was given top marks at state competition
Violin: Junior-Level regional champion, state runner-up at competition, several other awards, Concertmaster of Orchestra
Piano: 11 Years Consecutive Superior Rating, many other awards for performance</p>

<p>Volunteering:
Yearly in Soup-Kitchens
Weekly as Chinese School SAT Course Teacher's Assistant
Weekly during summer at hospital
Three-week summer camp "counselor" (many different duties)
Total is anywhere from 400-500 hours</p>

<p>Other:
6-week internship at Fudan University State Key Laboratory in Summer 2009, in Shanghai, China
Summer-long research internship at Akron City Hospital</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Computer hardware and software maintenance/repair
Landscaping during summer (rarely nowadays due to internship/volunteering)</p>

<p>Notes:
Oh, geez. Where do I start? Well, there's not too much to say. I, in essence, bombed Freshman year quite horrendously, and have been playing catch-up in Sophomore and Junior years since then. I did make the decision of taking SAT II US History despite not having a history course this year, for the sake of variety, not that I think it honestly matters. I have gotten 5's for my sophomore AP's, but I have not heard back on Junior year AP's yet. </p>

<p>Admittedly, my resume's a bit bare, and all in all, this package is quite lacking. I'd imagine that being Asian is not of much help either. I'm really just looking for an honest estimate, as I'm assuming that my chances of getting in to Yale are roughly that of LeBron James signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, but, heck. Life's boring without reaching for the sky (or space, in this case), every so often.</p>

<p>And if you wouldn't mind, could I also have some input as to my chances at the following?
Ohio State University
Case Western University
Northwestern University
University of Chicago
Johns Hopkins
University of Pennsylvania
Rice University</p>

<p>Once again, thank you for having read through this painfully lengthy "overview". I appreciate any and all comments and ideas. I hope you have all enjoyed the July 4th weekend; thanks again!</p>

2

<p>My PSAT was a 226, and I’m in Ohio, if that matters.</p>

3

<p>Wait, so you had a B+ in Freshman gym and Freshman French and that counts as “bombing” the year?</p>

4

<p>Sorry, just wondering, how does one get a B+ in gym?</p>

5

<p>I’m glad you asked the question. Apparently, it is possible, though before it happened, I was inclined to believe the contrary. In essence, one of the three units comprising of the class, happened to occur during our school’s music trip. Those of us who were going (mind you, at least half the entire grade) were given written work to do instead. The teacher decided to lose the packet I handed in the day after the music trip, and proceeded to blame me, despite my having given it to that teacher directly. I convinced said teacher of giving me a 50/100 instead of 0/100, so I managed to get a B+ that quarter, with various other factors thrown in.</p>

6

<p>Wow, your language is quite formal. It’s odd and almost humorous, especially on an Internet forum.</p>

<p>Anyways, I’d say you have decent chances at Yale. You’re being far too harsh on yourself. Your numbers (test scores especially) are excellent, though your extracurriculars don’t particularly stand out and, in fact, fit the Asian stereotype. But you are still a very good applicant. Write some damn good essays.</p>

7

<p>Do something, ie other than study. I don’t mean that to sound rude: you have wonderful grades, and I commend you on your hardwork. But you have to realize, with enough studying , those same numbers are attainable, and have been attained, by almost every other applicant. So do something that sets you apart, ie write your own piano composition book and try to get it published. You have to show that you’re a well rounded human being, not just a student capable
of memorization, mind you, those are still excellent grades.</p>

8

<p>As I said (typed) earlier, I’m open to any and all responses, 999999. The lack of coordinated direction in my extra-curriculars, or once again, lack thereof, as well as lack of more intense ECs, will probably end up biting me in the rear end. My summer is strained to heck with activities as is, though, so what’s listed is probably going to be it. That being said, reading around these forums does make me feel quite terrible in terms of preparedness…</p>

9

<p>You’ve got a good shot. The credentials are there - now write some terrific essays, get great recs, and leave the rest up to luck.</p>

<p>Also, I suggest you get rid of most of the commas in your writing. It’s not good to make every sentence sound like philosophical discourse because your writing has little flow and I found myself stopping too many times.</p>

10

<p>This sounds like something out of a Dicken’s book…</p>

11

<p>Haha. Yeah, there are certainly a few quirks to my writing. Generally, I’m much less formal, but it’s my first time on CC and I tried to make a good first impression. I’m banking on my essay being the only hope I have…</p>

12

<p>

Stop being stupid. You’re being so self-deprecating that it’s honestly making you look bad. Surely you realize that you have a very good chance at many top schools - Yale included.</p>

13

<p>Take a look at it from my perspective: I’m 7th in my class, out of 431. Almost every year, one person gets into Yale/Harvard, and a good 90% of the time, that is the valedictorian, or salutatorian. I have learned over the years that it is better to expect less, rather than more.</p>

14

<p>wow ur score is great! however, u may want to broaden a bit in your ecs…and like u already said, don’t be down even if u don’t get accepted of ur dream school. there are millions of chances out there! don’t limit yourself and stay optimistic!!</p>

15

<p>You have a 36. You’ll end up somewhere great, even if it’s not Yale.</p>

16

<p>I just want to thank everyone who has replied so far. It’s been truly helpful. I just want to apologize to ahhhhhmotherland if I seem a bit harsh–I’ve been pretty drained these past few days for various reasons. That being said, does anyone think it matters that my father attended Yale graduate school? I didn’t include that previously as it’s not anything I’ve done, and moreover, I’ve heard that it has no effect.</p>

17

<p>No, you weren’t too harsh – it’s understandable to be stressed when it comes to matters such as these, but just try to realize that your credentials (even by HYP standards) are very, very good. I have no doubt you’ll get accepted to other non-HYP schools (most of the Ivies included), and you have an excellent shot at the “big three” as well.</p>

<p>As for a parent having attended a Yale graduate school… Unfortunately, that has no effect whatsoever on your being accepted to Yale as an undergraduate. Legacy comes into play when it’s a family member who has attended an institution as an undergraduate only.</p>

18

<p>Extra-Curricular:
Academic Challenge/Academic Bowl- okay
Newspaper Editor- how big… school size?
Debate Team- meh.
Orchestra- okay.
Violin (5 years now)- meh.
Piano (11 years now)- meh X 10.</p>

<p>Awards:
Academic Challenge/Academic Bowl team won numerous awards regionally- decent
Orchestra was given top marks at state competition- okay.
Violin: Junior-Level regional champion, state runner-up at competition, several other awards, Concertmaster of Orchestra- meh.
Piano: 11 Years Consecutive Superior Rating, many other awards for performance</p>

<p>Volunteering:
Yearly in Soup-Kitchens- meh x10
Weekly as Chinese School SAT Course Teacher’s Assistant- meh x10
Weekly during summer at hospital- okay.
Three-week summer camp “counselor” (many different duties)- decent</p>

<p>Total is anywhere from 400-500 hours- So??? your Community service activities are mundane. I don’t see how you changed your community.</p>

<p>Other:
6-week internship at Fudan University State Key Laboratory in Summer 2009, in Shanghai, China- So what?
Summer-long research internship at Akron City Hospital- decent.</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Computer hardware and software maintenance/repair- decent.
Landscaping during summer (rarely nowadays due to internship/volunteering)- Creative!</p>

<p>SAT: 800 Math, 800 Writing (12 essay), 740 Reading, 2340 total- decent
ACT: 36 Math, 35 English (9 essay, but not factored in), 35 Reading, 36 Science, 36 total- excellent
SAT II: 800 Math II, 770 Chemistry, 770 US History- excellent</p>

<p>I can’t chance you, but I can rate activities.</p>

19

<p>Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.
What happened to not necroposting?
Anyways, thanks for the honesty. But this is a rather defunct thread: several things have chanced since then.<br>
That being said, the whole “I can’t chance you, but I can rate activities”…was that in any way supposed to be a rather insulting mirror of my comments regarding billabongboy’s defunct thread?</p>