Better chances at Yale or Wharton

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>Didn't get any replies in the chances thread so I thought I would try here.</p>

<p>I realize the chances of getting into either of these schools is ridiculously low but in terms of early decision where do I stand a "better" shot with my current stats. I really like both schools and would be ecstatic to get into either one, I am trying to figure out where to apply early decision but am torn between the two.</p>

<p>Here is my profile if you want to call it that,</p>

<p>Gender: Male
Race: Indian
GPA: Projected 4.61 W, unweighted 4.0 (end of 1st semester senior year)
Rank: 3 or 4/596</p>

<p>SAT I: 2270 ( 770 CR, 700 M, 800 W) will take again to get up that math score
SAT II: Signed up for June exams in US hist. Biology, and Math II. Shooting for 760+ in all of them</p>

<p>Courses:
Toughest courses with the following AP's</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
AP Chemistry: 5
AP European History: 5
AP French Language: 3</p>

<p>Junior year:
AP Calculus BC
AP US History
AP Biology
AP English Language and Composition</p>

<p>Senior year:
AP English Lit.
AP Studio Art
AP Psychology
AP US Government
AP Computer Science
*Second Year Calculus</p>

<p>Research: As part of the Academy I am in I am doing a research project involving the Stock Market, developing a risk minimizing set of equations.</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:</p>

<p>Debate Team (4 years) Captain 2 years, Regional Finalist, 4th place in districts (09), 2nd place districts (10), various top 5 finishes in Local debate league tournaments. Does it matter that I am not competing at a national level?</p>

<p>Theater (4 years) Acting and Light Crew (2nd in district, 2nd in region, 8th in state for a one act play)</p>

<p>Scholastic Bowl (3 years) captain 1 year (district and regional champions)</p>

<p>National Honor Society (1 year, only allowed for seniors) Running for president, I think I can win.</p>

<p>Other ECs:</p>

<p>Football JV (2 years)-does JV make it weaker, i mean it was still a huge time commitment of 3+ hours a day and in the summer.
Varsity Tennis (2 years)
French Honor Society
Operation Smile</p>

<p>Comm. Service:
Volunteer for the summer reading program at library (50 hours)
Volunteering at an aquarium. (50-100 hours)</p>

<p>Work Exp.</p>

<p>Founded a clothing company, design and selling t-shirts, I think it is pretty unique</p>

<p>Worked as a graphic Designer for a local ad company one summer.</p>

<p>Will have an internship at a investment group over the summer</p>

2

<p>I think slightly better chances at Wharton. However, your chances would be fine at both (theater and debate are good for Yale, and investment is probably very relevant for Wharton).</p>

<p>I would apply to whichever you prefer. If you only want to do study finance and don’t like the unique features of Yale (res. college system etc), apply to Wharton. Or vice versa. Look up threads comparing Wharton vs. Yale.</p>

3

<p>You have zero shot of getting into Yale ED because we don’t have an early decision program :P</p>

<p>Your app is really good but Wharton and Yale have such terrific applicants that you won’t be a standout. Don’t do Wharton ED simply because you want a better shot at getting in. If you need significant aid or if you’re not 100% on Wharton, don’t ED there. Both schools have low admit rates and none of us can tell you which choice is better - research both schools, visit, consider other options, and then contemplate the plus/minus until you can settle on a place. Good luck!</p>

4

<p>Well I don’t think aid will be a problem, my family basically said that if I get into any top school, they will foot most of the bill, and I am pretty sure I don’t qualify for aid.
As for being sure about Wharton, I am sure, but also sure about Yale, to me either one would be equally good in terms of what I want to do and how I feel about them, I have visited both and like both a lot. So that is why I am more concerned with where I have a better shot.</p>

5

<p>If you’re truly happy with either one, your better chances are at Wharton ED.</p>

<p>Its slightly less selective than Yale is to begin with, and the ED increases your odds more than SCEA does. It’s not going to be a huge difference, but I think you actually have a pretty strong shot at Wharton ED.</p>

<p>Just be careful, because they’re very different College experiences. Don’t apply to Wharton if you like Yale better, as those schools in particular will be very different–and I’d suggest you visit, as it doesn’t seem like money is a problem.</p>

6

<p>In my opinion you could get in anywhere, everything looks amazing. I applied to Yale RD with 2080 SAT and not a single subject test breaking 700. Your combo of scores/activities make me think you should just go for which ever school you like best.</p>

7

<p>@MSauce, What would you say the difference is between them in terms of experience, I visited both and the only real difference I could tell was that Penn was more busy and active, while Yale was more toned down and kind of peaceful, but again, I saw Penn in the morning and Yale in the evening so maybe that affected it. Thanks for any information.</p>

8

<p>I don’t see why you don’t just apply to Yale SCEA, because it’s not binding, and then apply to Wharton RD. That way, you can have the option of both schools. So…if you don’t get into both, that will decide it for you. Let the schools decide! I do agree though that you should definitely do more research on the schools and visit them if you haven’t. They are both quite different. And with your chances, no one knows, but you are definitely a well-suited candidate. There is no way to ensure you have fantastic chances. However, it is definitely a possibility for you to get into one of the schools or maybe even both. Just make sure to show your passion in your applications. Everyone I know who has got into Yale this year that I have talked to seems to have something they are very passionate about. Let the admissions know that! They like to see a person’s personality in app, not just scores, extracurriculars, and community service. Good luck!</p>

9

<p>@bluecoast: did you get in? Also, just out of curiosity - what was your declared ethnicity?</p>

10

<p>@081382: Yeah i understand what you’re saying, but around here and looking at the official percentages, applying ED to Penn increases the chances one has to get accepted, but the problem is, its ED, so you are making the commitment, which I am fine with, if what Msauce says is true and SCEA at Yale doesn’t have the same effect as ED does for Penn, then I might go with ED Wharton, and then apply RD to Yale unless the miraculous happens and I am accepted to Wharton.</p>

<p>Also is Wharton less selective than Yale, i was under the impression that they are equally ridiculous to get into.</p>

11

<p>I was wait listed :confused: but as always am blissfully ignorant and optimistic :). As far as declared ethnicity I’m white. Also I’m not a legacy and have very limited athletic ability. Point is I believe you really can get into Yale (or in my case wait listed) with out walking on water.</p>

12

<p>I agree with bluecoast. I got into Yale, and I definitely did no “walking on water.” I just wrote about what I loved and was very personal with my short responses. My admissions officer told me one of the reasons I was admitted was because they could feel my personality through my application. My SAT is 2150 and ACT 34, with SAT Subject Tests ranging from 650-720, so I am no perfect applicant when it comes to scores like you will see a ton of on CC. Also, I am white, so no hook there. So don’t just focus on scores!</p>

<p>And in the end TheWikiMan it is your decision, I just really think you should do more research and visit if you haven’t. I do have a bit of bias towards Yale of course, but I can tell you honestly when I was there for Bulldog Days, I have never met so many friendly and talented people in my entire life. Many people who I met there visited more schools after Yale, such as Penn, Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, Stanford, and every single person told me that he liked Yale more because the people were of their own breed. The people at Yale are just awesome. So, after my rant (trying to push you to yale :wink: ), I would advise you to go to the campuses and get a feel for what the atmosphere is and see where YOU fit in the best. I just think it isn’t a good idea to apply to Wharton just because you think you have a better chance. I am pretty sure the difference in percentages for Wharton and Yale show Yale to be more selective. However, these percentage differences really don’t mean a whole lot. I got waitlisted at schools that were “less selective” than Yale, so I personally don’t believe the percentages acceptance rate mean as much as people make them seem. Also, you have time to decide, it’s only just May. Enjoy your summer!</p>

<p>P.S. good luck bluecoast! optimism never hurt anyone!</p>

13

<p>you are right, wharton’s admit rate for this year should be around 10-12% but Wharton is much more self-selective and you are actually competing with a higher percentage of highly qualified students (whereas many unqualified students apply to yale just for the heck of it) so in the end it all balances out. They are both equally hard to get in.</p>

14

<p>Thank you 081392 (random digits, a birthday perhaps?). And I agree with everything you have said. I must admit I once feared there would be a level of elitism at Yale but after visiting a friend who went there I could tell how down to earth everyone really was. And I think essays are a BIG part of it, showing you are real. People sometimes feel the need to credit someones admission on some hook when they see people with straight 800s get rejected. But personality will always trump perfection.</p>

<p>Anyways sorry, I know this isn’t what this thread is about but go with YALE!</p>

15

<p>081392…I’m pretty sure I met you. How many people from Idaho can there be?</p>

<p>Also, I don’t buy that applicants to Wharton are necessarily more self-selective. Wouldn’t its yield then be boosted as well?</p>

16

<p>Of course its yield is boosted, it is somewhere around 80%</p>

17

<p>What? Let’s see some actual numbers. Like X number of people were accepted, X number matriculated.</p>

18

<p>Wharton’s dean said the acceptance rate was 8% four years ago. So I assume that it is lower now. The Wharton class size numbers you see on the website includes all of dual degree program kids but the application numbers include Wharton only kids so that skews the acceptance rate (which makes it seem higher than it is). In reality it is around 7-8%, but its yield is over 10% higher than Yale’s so it is more self-selective. Getting into Wharton is just as hard, if not harder considering how self-selected the pool is, than getting into Yale. After all, a large portion of Wharton’s class got into Yale but chose Wharton anyway - so clearly the student bodies are of equal caliber intellectually, but just have different interests. </p>

<p>Now, businessweek is not a very reliable source since Wharton no longer provides them with information, but this piece of information came straight from the Dean’s mouth so I find that credible. </p>

<p>[A</a> New Hybrid at Wharton](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)</p>

<p>You are correct though that Wharton’s ED program helps you more than Yale’s EA program because it is a sign of commitment. I honestly think you are a strong candidate for either school, but you probably have a stronger shot at Yale. Most of the Wharton kids have done amazing things in business when they apply (starting up their own companies, doing economic research on a national level, winning some top accounting competition,managing their own portfolio, winning some major math competition) etc. Since you do not have that, Yale will probably be easier to get into. If you really want to go to Wharton though, apply ED to maximize your chances. Wharton RD is notoriously difficult to get into, rumor has it that Wharton is more selective than Harvard during the RD process sine half the class is taken ED.</p>

19

<p>The most common traits among Wharton admits are: a very high level of math competence, leadership, and a demonstration of interest in business. You do not actually have to have started your own company, though many do, but you should at least be able to show in some way that you are passionate about the field. Wharton prides itself on having kids go into the force who love the job, unlike many liberal arts kids who decide to do it their junior year in college for the cash and have little real knowledge of the field.</p>

20

<p>bluecoast - yes that possibly could be a birthday… hmmm :wink: </p>

<p>MSauce - hahahahah everyone knows me from Idaho, quite depressing actually. No one has ever met anyone from Idaho. PM me your name, we probably did meet!</p>