<p>I hate to be the dream crusher, but I will do what I must. Create an account and join College Pro*wler, then look up Yale’s stats and view the students who have been accepted/are attending. You will notice that only 2 or 3 students were accepted with sub 1750 SATs. There you go, that is your less than 1% chance of getting into Yale. If you want to waste your money and apply, go ahead.</p>
<p>True. However, let me remind you that I am still taking February ACTs!</p>
<p>Thanks eatlovepray, I’m definitely giving it a shot. 
I have been for a while. Although my recent SAT results may have brought me down, I’m still going. </p>
<p>And yes, you are correct. Scores and grades are not everything. Every year, what students do outside of school counts more and more vs grades and scores.</p>
<p>Suppose I get a 34 on the ACTs in February. My chances would go up to around 7%, right? That is a fantastic percentage.</p>
<p>Has anyone been in this situation before? Is there anything at all that I can do in addition to the ACTs that would raise that “less than 1%” to a probable 1.2%?</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Don’t forget that it’s not just getting into Yale and other ivies…it’s being able to cut it and STAY in once you are there. And to do that, it’s your grades and what you do IN the classroom that matter more than what you do out of the classroom. You may be counting on your EC’s to get you in, but they won’t keep you in. Your current GPA and test results don’t speak strongly to your academic ability in the classroom, and that is something that is of utmost importance to EVERY college that will look at your application, not just ivy schools. If you were lucky enough to somehow get in over candidates with perfect SAT’s and 4.0’s who don’t, would you really be able to meet the challenge and still have some sort of life beyond studying constantly? The time for a serious, honest, self assessment is right now! Good luck…</p>
<p>They may reject 60% of kids with 2400s, but they reject 99.9999999999% of unhooked kids with 1750s. Saying top schools don’t accept all the excellent kids doesn’t mean they accept subpar kids. It just means the competition is so tough that even incredible students can’t all get in. But it seems you are deadset on Yale, so there’s no point in trying to persuade you otherwise.</p>
<p>Anyway, you still need at least one safety. Because right now you don’t have any. Even Rutgers could be a no-go for a 1750 and 3.5. And until you successfully take the ACT and get a good score on it, you cannot factor that in to where you are applying. Because there’s a fair chance you won’t take it or won’t improve if you do. So be realistic, and going by what you actually have right now, you need to find a safety you actually like.</p>
<p>Okay, first off I called NYU a few weeks ago because I am applying RD and I asked if the January 28th SAT was too late and they said yes, it is too late. Therefore, your February ACT is definitely way too late for NYU. It is possible other universities will accept those ACT scores, but I would call and ask instead of relying on the web.</p>
<p>Second of all, I feel like you are raising your hopes to much and are relying on the fact that you will score high on the ACT. It will be your first time taking a test which has a completely different format from the SAT and a more difficult math section. I was hoping I would do great on my ACT but I got a 23 and a 1900 on the SAT.
Big difference.</p>
<p>Your GPA and SAT score reflect correctly, so please don’t expect to get a 34 on the ACT because that is HIGHLY unlikely. You will probably get a 24-25ish. Nothing is wrong with that, but it is not high enough for all of these great universities.</p>
<p>Yes, some people are better on the ACT, but you DO NOT know if you are that person.</p>
<p>I would not get your hopes you because you might not do better and the scores will most likely not even be accepted.</p>
<p>I am not trying to upset you I am just being realistic because it would be a shame if you end up not going to college because you had false hope.</p>
<p>I would still apply to the reach colleges that you want to, I sure did, but also warm up to the idea of less competitive universities such as Penn state (whose SAT is awfully low for its rank), maybe Ohio State, Syracuse U, and one school that is a complete back drop whose ranking is in the 70-90 range.</p>
<p>To be honest, NYU is known to be pretty random. So maybe they will be impressed by your EC’s. NYU is an option and I feel you should apply EDII.</p>
<p>I do wish you the best of luck because you seem like a good student.</p>
<p>I appreciate your concern. Thanks for the advice. I am applying to Rutgers and Seton Hall as safeties (100> range). Great IR programs. In this thread I was just discussing attempting to get into some crazy reaches. Don’t misinterpret that as the only schools I am applying to.</p>
<p>Would applying EDII increase chances significantly? When I spoke with NYU they stated that last year’s RD and ED difference was only 2%. </p>
<p>Any advice to spice up the app to NYU and other schools?</p>
<p>No it doesn’t increase that significantly but any little push would help. Also, you would find out your decision much earlier. If NYU isn’t your top choice and you can deal with a few extra months of waiting, then just remain RD.</p>
<p>I would really focus on your essays. That is probably the only thing you can change right now if you haven’t already submitted your apps. Try to focus on conveying your true passions for the universities and why you deserve to go there.
Your mid-year report may also have an effect, so hopefully you took challenging classes and received good grades.</p>
<p>OP, what’s your financial situation like? How much can your family afford to pay each year? If you don’t yet have a budget from your family, you should find out right now because that affects your list of schools. NYU, for example, is notorious for offering poor financial aid. They do not guarantee to meet need. Every year, there are students who post here on College Confidential about being admitted to NYU, but without being offered any aid except for loans. If your family can afford $60k a year then this isn’t an issue…but if your funds are more limited, then NYU is highly unlikely. </p>
<p>What is your class rank? An unweighted 3.5 GPA would be low, but if your school’s grading is deflated (meaning they tend to give low grades), or if the curriculum is especially challenging (meaning you’ve taken a lot of APs or honors courses) then adcoms will take that into account. If your class rank is outside of the top 10% and you haven’t taken the most challenging curriculum possible, then that’s a different story. </p>
<p>Your numbers look good for Seton Hall as a safety, with Rutgers being a bit less safe. Did you run your list by your school counselor, and did he/she agree that you have some true safeties on your list?</p>
<p>What about my chances for GWU? </p>
<p>For my financial situation, I don’t think my family can afford to pay much, but I got some of it covered with an entrepreneurship scholarship I recently received. I’m also looking for more scholarships to apply to.</p>
<p>I have taken challenging courses, AP courses, honors courses and whatever was available. Do you have any specific advice on essays? I’m doing the supplements at the moment.</p>
<p>Your test scores look low for GWU. Take a look at their Common Data Set or at their info on their freshman class. The mid 50% level for their admitted class is 1900-2100. They don’t guarantee to meet need, either, so even if you are offered admission, you’re unlikely to be offered a substantial amount of money.</p>
<p>How much is the scholarship you’ve received so far? The biggest source of financial aid is from universities and colleges themselves. Most other scholarships, the type that you’re looking to apply to now, are for relatively small amounts. They’re also generally one-time deals. It’s great to be awarded $2000 from a local group, but that’s not going to cover the COA for attending many schools. You and your family should run the Net Price Calculators for the schools you’re interested in to get an estimate of what your family would be expected to pay. </p>
<p>I like Harry Bauld’s book on college essays, but I think it’s more important for you to make sure that you have good financial safeties on your list. If your parents agree that they can afford Seton Hall or Rutgers, that’s fine. If not, please make sure you find a school that is affordable! It is critical that you have a frank and honest talk with your parents about college costs, and not just base this on what you “think” they can afford.</p>
<p>The money part ain’t much fun, but as an entrepreneur you can understand that it’s vital. :)</p>
<p>Can you expand your college search list to consider some of the schools that don’t require test scores. Check out Fair Test to get a list of schools that don’t consider test scores or are test-optional.</p>
<p>1750 will most likely not get you into Northeastern…find TRUE matches and safeties.</p>
<p>My worry for the OP with test-optional schools is that they’re often expensive. Without a budget in hand, it’s hard to recommend schools that would both accept the OP and be affordable.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for worrying! I think Seton Hall and Rutgers are good safeties. I can’t think of any others that have notable International Relations programmes. </p>
<p>I’m going to sign up for the February ACT today. Should I rush the scores? I can’t ask the schools specifically right now due to winter break.</p>
<p>Are rushed ACT scores still electronically delivered? If not, most schools would prefer regular, right?</p>
<p>Oh I almost forgot. In the CommonApp academics section I put ACT tests: 02/2012. Is this enough to have the colleges that accept February ACTs expect the scores – Or should I make a note in Additional Information that I am taking February ACTs and (January SAT subjects).</p>
<p>You should not rush your scores. Most schools actually prefer them not rushed.
I don’t think you should give up. Take the SAT/ACT, study hard, and see what happens… You never know…
Of course applying to safeties as well is a must. Good luck</p>
<p>You shouldn’t rush SAT scores but are you sure on the ACT? Should I order rush during registration. I heard it is different.</p>
<p>I thought it was the same for the ACT. My brother was told to just fax over a copy of his ACT once he receives it so they have a copy quicker (though you should send the official scores later). You should also make sure that on your four free score reports, the most important schools are listed. This way, the second they are available to view online, the school can have the scores too.</p>
<p>Northeastern, Boston University, GW and American are all reaches for you. NYU is a mega-reach. Yale is a mega-mega-mega-reach. You need some matches and safeties.</p>
<p>Don’t do this to yourself. Go out and give yourself some choices.</p>
<p>Rutgers (my state school) and Seton Hall.</p>