As a sophomore, I have begun looking at potential colleges and I find my heart set on Princeton. Although I know that even the most qualified candidates are often refused, I was wondering if it is possible to stand out among the applicants. I will be graduating in the class of 2019 at the age 15, will this increase my chances of being accepted? Also, what are the average SAT/ACT scores of the students who are accepted? I appreciate any advice as the topic of college is a bit ominous to me.
I somehow forgot to mention that, permitting I stay on track, I will be graduating high school with an associate’s degree. I am currently attending Pikes Peak Community College as it is paid for by my school.
Here are the admission statistics for the class of 2020:
https://admission.princeton.edu/applyingforadmission/admission-statistics
As you can see, even with very high test scores and GPA, admission is a far reach for most. You will also need great letters of recommendation, top notch essays and interesting extra curricular activities. Beyond this, standing out involves becoming highly accomplished in an area that significantly sets you apart from your peer group, often nationally. It can range from being a published author, acclaimed musician or performer, nationally ranked athlete etc. And even for most of these, admission is not guaranteed.
Graduating at the age of 15 with an associate’s degree is certainly noteworthy but it’s difficult to say how much it will influence the admission committee. The downside is the scenario of starting college significantly younger than the rest of the student body. I’m sure it depends on the individual and how it translates on the actual application.
Instead of making admission to Princeton a goal, I’d suggest treating as a far reach and in the meantime, keep up your grades and pour your heart into activities that you truly love. If you do, you’ll find yourself with a number of great options from which to choose. All the best to you!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I knew that getting accepted was a bit of a reach, but it can not hurt to try. I will be sure to look into other colleges as well as keep up with my current academics and EC.
Ivies have a strong bent against students who do not turn 17 during their freshman year. If you indeed graduate HS at 15 and are of the academic caliber for schools like Princeton, I suggest you take a gap year and pursue some other valuable things.
Also, may I try to sway you from “having your heart” set on ANY college with single digit admit rates? It’s fine to one day decide to apply but hearing of HS sophomores’ being set on a school like Princeton makes me cringe, frankly.
I completely understand. After seeing Princeton’s admission rates, I have definitely began to look into other colleges. My initial plan was to jump into college immediately after graduation but I may take your advice and wait. I am now beginning to think that may age may be more of a hindrance than aid. Am I correct in my assumptions?
But really look into the colleges, read what they say, don’t rely on hearsay or other posters for the core info. Look into what “holistic admissions” means and try to get a sense of what really makes an applicant competitive, the sorts of breadth and depth, stretching (not only academically,) and the level of thinking and awareness.
In general, yes, 15 is very young. You may hear anecdotes of young folks who get into highly competitive colleges, but these are usually kids who’ve been ramped up for some time, somewhat rare in the level of their experiences and some independence.
But you have time.
@Serenity2019 I think @T26E4’s advice on taking a gap year is excellent, if you use it well. If you can have some interesting life experiences during that year, while maturing, it would help your admission chancesI believe. The college adcoms are looking to put together the best possible class, and while you maybe supremely qualified academically, your age creates a risk that they may not want, or need, to accept. They have thousands of other amazing candidates.
What if your admission essay next year talked about this difficult decision? How at your very young age you desperately wanted to go to college, but instead, realizing you might be better served with another years worth of life experiences and maturity, you instead did INTESTESTING THING X. This, in my opinion, would greatly impress the adcoms with your level of self-awareness and commitment to take additional steps in order to reach your goal.
Small note of caution, Princeton doesn’t take transfers, so be careful taking classes after you graduate from high school. Instead, consider doing something amazing and interesting for the life experience.