<p>I'm a first-generation American. I got all A's until last year, when I got a few B's and one C (in an AP class). But I do have a really good recommendation from the teacher whose class I got the C in (he loves me). How will I fare at Harvard, Amherst, Princeton, Penn, and Stanford?</p>
<p>User Name: DontAskMeWhy
Gender: F
Location: California
College Class Year: 2011
High School: Public
High School Type: rarely sends grads to top schools</p>
<p>Academics:</p>
<p>GPA - Unweighted: 3.80
GPA - Weighted: 4.30
Class Rank: top 10%
Class Size: 650</p>
<p>Scores:</p>
<p>SAT I Math: 650
SAT I Critical Reading: 650
SAT I Writing: 650</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:</p>
<p>Significant Extracurriculars: Newspaper (11, 12)
California Scholarship Federation (9, 10, 11, 12)
Mock Trial (11, 12)
Debate (10)
Film Club (11, 12)
Also member of teen writers program with local paper, where I have work published weekly.
Leadership positions: Arts Editor (11)
Photo Editor (12)
CSF Vice President (11)
Honors and Awards: 1st Place award in state Debate tourney</p>
<p>Your test scores are pretty low for them (1300 is below the 25th percentile in all the schools; in fact, it's 30-100 points below), and your ECs aren't too unique for them either. </p>
<p>My advice? Aim lower. Stanford rejected the super-genius of my school last year, and my school's pretty good. I'm sure the other ones are almost as selective, if not more.</p>
<p>once more, you have 0 chance at all those schools except amherst. you scores are low, your ECs are average. no offense, but nothign about you stands out in the least, besides the fact you are black.</p>
<p>Its kind of funny how people can say such a negative thing in such a cold, hollow way don't you think?</p>
<p>Baby girl you're grades are great (higher than most of the nation), but in the ivies you don't get by on great, you almost ahve to get by on perfection.</p>
<p>Honestly though, don't think those are the only schools you'll get into. I have chances at many of the ivies, yet I'm choose to not go to ANY of them, I'm more interested in Umiami/USC because I feel that having a great social life, and actually ENJOYING college is part of the whole college experience. PLus winters up here SUCK, let no one tell you otherwise, I've lived up here in the north for all my life, and winters are never a fun thing.</p>
<p>Look at some UCs, UCLA and UCB may be reaches but you have a good chance there. Good luck.</p>
<p>WORTH27, be quiet. I agree that affirmative action sometimes goes a bit far, but dontaskmewhy has every right to use what she can to get into a top school. Play the race card. Don't feel guilty.</p>
<p>Anyway, raise your M & V scores 50 points and you even have a shot at Harvard.</p>
<p>why are you trying to delude her??? SHE HAS NO CHANCE AT IVIES!!!</p>
<p>her grades are good but not exceptional, and her extracurriculars are average. THE ONLY thing she has going for her is that she is black, and trust me, harvard (and the other ivies) have enough geniuses (of all races) applying that they do not need her.</p>
<p>My two cents---As you are a student from a PS which rarely sends students to top tiers schools, it is hard to know if your stats and experiences are what the admission offices are looking for. Life is about opportunities and challenges and how you respond to them. Some people will look at your race, and make a decision based on that one element. But you know you are so much more than that.</p>
<p>I agree with karan89. She has absolutely no chance in any Ivies because her grades and test scores are not exceptional. In addition, her extracurriculars are not extraordinary. I think that DontAskMeWhy should aim a little lower and try to get her test scores up. Her overall stats and her race will get her into most schools but I doubt any top tier ones, let alone the Ivies. I don't know what it is, and no offense to DontAskMeWhy, but there are a lot of people these days aiming way too high. I am aiming for schools that I know I have a fair shot at.</p>
<p>Since when is a 3.8 unweighted GPA "not exceptional"? A 1300/1950 is really good, considering. ppl in my school- the smart ones- get like 1700-1800 on the SAT and still applying to Brown, and African Americans from my school w/ lower than 1300 have gotten into ivies like Cornell, or Darthmout. Cant u ppl get it through ur heads that not everyone that gets into HYPS has 4.0 GPA/2400 SAT score.</p>
<p>i know she will get accepted, coming from a high school with many decent smart black ppl getting accepted into harvard and princeton every year. yes, it is very messed up, but dontaskmewhy should take advantage of affirmative action regardless. if shes a junior, then she better not apply to any of those schools</p>
<p>OMG...all of you shut up....she has a chance at Penn and Amherst....Princeton, Harvard, and Stanford will be hard but not impossible.....a girl (URM) at my school last year with a 1980 got into Columbia</p>
<p>Dontaskmywhy, apply to a range of schools. If you can afford the application costs, apply to several reach schools (yes, Ivies and top LACs), but make sure the bulk of your applications fall below thoses, just in case. Have a couple of safety schools as well where you'll be happy if nothing else turns out.</p>
<p>It doesn't matter what anyone says here about your chances because, in the end, the only thing that counts is the envelope that arrives in the spring. Good luck!</p>