<p>Hey there everyone :)
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!</p>
<p>My name is Alex, I am 16 years of age and currently have an interview on campus on the 21st of October. However, due to my specific circumstances, I would like to ask a few different opinions on my chance with Yale.</p>
<p>At a young age, I was always enthralled with the idea of helping people. I developed a vehement desire for knowledge, and a passion for making the lives of others better. From the age of 6, I knew I wanted to fix the world; disregarding however blatantly clich</p>
<p>Majoring in a bio-related field is to be surrounded by many, many pre-meds–a notoriously challenging and competitive atmosphere. You should be aware of this and admissions officers will definitely be aware of this. I won’t comment on your unique circumstances, however unless you can get above a 1920 SAT your chances are quite slim.</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply, however, have you read through the entire entry? I would greatly appreciate it if you commented your personal take on my chances, either in academia, or through a wholesome application.</p>
<p>LOfL: Yale is an academic institution first and foremost. Your “low GPA” and 1920SAT all but certainly rule you out as a viable candidate. Your activism is laudable but there are candidates who have achieved what you have (and more) who have tip top grades as well. That’s just the nature of the Yale applicant pool.</p>
<p>Hi LOfL: I am a Yale undergrad student so I’m not entirely qualified to give you an idea of what your chance of admission is, but I do have a sense of the type of student who is valued here. I don’t agree with T26E4 that you aren’t a “viable candidate.” </p>
<p>Your SAT is definitely on the lower range of admitted students but there is no score cut-off at Yale and the admissions committee knows that scores don’t always reveal a student’s full potential. I have friends here who got similar score on standardized tests. GPA is usually considered to be more important than SAT scores and I don’t know exactly what a “low GPA” means to you, but it’s not impossible to get into Yale with less-than-perfect grades. Plenty of people here including myself did not get straight As in high school. </p>
<p>Yale really looks for a passionate student who is dedicated to learning and making a difference in the world. It sounds cliche, but they can tell a lot about the kind of person that you are from your admissions essays. If you present yourself very well and convey your passions, your dedication to the public good, etc, and if you do it in a way that comes off as genuine, it’s possible that the committee will overlook a lower GPA/set of test scores and admit you. </p>
<p>T26E4 is right in his/her assertion that there are candidates who have achieved more than you and who have higher GPAs. That will always be the case, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot get in to Yale. Nobody is a shoe-in here and it’s impossible to predict what the admissions committee is looking for in any given class. Just apply and present yourself as best as you can and hope for the best.</p>
<p>Good luck! Even if Yale doesn’t work out, I’m sure there are many other amazing schools that would love to have you.</p>
<p>Y17: It’s been my experience on this site that when someone says “low GPA”, they don’t mean 3.8. I never said one needs perfect grades – you and I are examples of that. But one needs to have superior academic achievement and clear potential. The OP hasn’t returned to clarify what the GPA actually is so I’ll just leave it at that.</p>
<p>While Yale does sometimes overlook less than perfect stats, they won’t admit someone unless they feel they have the academic ability to do well there. While your contributions and activism may be appreciated, you will need to convince them that, in spite of your low grades (not really sure what that means, as you haven’t said) you will be able to thrive academically. It’s not that they don’t value your unusual qualities, but they want their students to be successful in the classroom as well as outside.<br>
This isn’t just Yale, btw, but most schools. I can’t estimate your chances. You just have to put your best foot forward and have a some attractive back-ups in case it doesn’t work out- like everyone else.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend retaking the SAT and try to raise your GPA by taking some classes over the summer. As far as everything else, you seem like a passionate student who wants to change the world which is incredible so I think you have a shot. Now do you have a small shot or big shot at this school, I don’t know until you retake the SAT’s and raise your GPA.</p>
<p>I’d also suggest that you check your word usage and spelling. I know this is just a message board, but your post is filled with errors. For example, it’s a “sob” story, i.e., a story that will make you cry, not a “sop” story. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of really WEIRD word usage. I don’t know how a “sob” story can take anyone’s life in its hands. What do you mean by wanting to take “consistent piano and cello” lessons? Your grades are explained by “the revealing of your past” is also not quite right usage. Sentences like </p>
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<p>make no sense whatsoever, IMO.</p>
<p>You are an altar server; not an alter server. (To alter is to change something.) </p>
<p>Your other posts have similar errors. What do you mean by a “wholesome application?” </p>
<p>I say this not to be mean but to make a very important point. Don’t write your college admissions essays in this same style or that in and of itself will wreck your chances. Use simple words and use them correctly. </p>