<p>My son has a 2300 SAT. 800 CR 800 writing 700 math </p>
<p>34 ACT</p>
<p>Four "5" grades on AP exams.
Two "4" grades on AP exams
Two "3" grades on AP exams (Physics and Calculus)</p>
<p>But only about a 3.7 unweighted gpa (which puts him in the top 5% of his high school class, but barely, by two people)</p>
<p>And except for the Debate Team and publishing a couple poems and stories, not much in the way of ECs (many kids on CC seem to have almost super-human ECs).</p>
<p>Does he have any shots at the Ivies, and if so, which ones? And how low do you think he has to go on the US News list of the top 50 national universities before he has a reasonable chance of admission?</p>
<p>I think your son has a great chance of getting into an Ivy university, his class rank is great even if his GPA isn’t. That just means his school must have been really challenging! Just tell him to work on his applications and his essays.</p>
<p>My fear is that his ECs are not outstanding from an Ivy League standpoint, and also, it seems that most of the Ivy kids are in the top 1% of their class, not just the top 5%.</p>
<p>He does go to a good high school (at least by Florida standards !!!)</p>
<p>He really needs a school where standardized tests are “king”, and in general, the trend in this country seems to be moving away from that direction.</p>
<p>I understand that in the UK, for example, that they go much more by standardized test scores.</p>
<p>Floridadad55, I’m a newbie here but it sounds like you are riding the proverbial parental pendulum for college admissions. I’ve BTDT for two of three kids so far. My third is now a HS senior. The reality is that you can’t second guess college admissions…not for the Ivies, not for the top 50 national universities, not for any universities.</p>
<p>Your son has terrific standardized test scores, a fantastic class standing, and is a published author! From what you have written, he has a passion…and to the adcom that is fantastic. With respect to the GPA, that is simply a facet of who he is at this point in his academic career. With the number of AP test scores you’ve mentioned, that GPA must reflect a rigorous curriculum. With the class rank you mentioned combined with his GPA, that suggests a highly competitive school. Remember that AP scores are generally self-reported so your son can list whichever ones he wants to list. </p>
<p>Does you son have “enough” for a reasonable chance of admission at an Ivy? Quite possibly. Here’s what one section of the Yale webpage “What Yale Looks for” has to say on the topic:
“…We estimate that over three quarters of the students who apply for admission to Yale are qualified to do the work here. Between two and three hundred students in any year are so strong academically that their admission is scarcely ever in doubt. But here is the thing to know: the great majority of students who are admitted stand out from the rest because a lot of little things, when added up, tip the scale in their favor. So what matters most in your application? Ultimately, everything matters. The good news in that is that when so many little things figure into an admissions decision, it is fruitless to worry too much about any one of them…” (from [What</a> Yale Looks For | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/what-yale-looks-for]What”>What Yale Looks For | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions) )</p>
<p>He has a shot, he might as well apply. Is it a great shot? No, but with great essays/recs I could foresee him getting into a couple of the “lower” Ivies. HYP are within reach as well, but will be less likely.</p>
<p>floridadad55: Does your son want to go to HYP? Will HYP be a good fit? My kids are at H and Y not because I wanted them to attend, but because THEY wanted it! If HYP is your son’s dream, then don’t hold him back, encourage him to apply. But, if he is hesitant, for whatever reason, then listen to the words. This whole college process is about him! What does he want?</p>
<p>To answer your question: Yes, your son has a shot, but so do 80% of all students that submit an application. He’ll never know though unless he applies.</p>
<p>What’s Wrong with College Rankings?
“A college, however, is not a vacuum cleaner. Choosing a school is a far more personal, subjective, and ultimately expensive decision. Yet despite the greater importance and complexity of selecting a college, college rankings systems all take a far less thorough and scientific approach than Consumer Reports does when testing vacuum cleaners.”</p>
<p>A Better Approach
“Your high school academic record, teacher recommendations, extracurricular activities, test scores, and personal objectives will determine the range of colleges where you stand a good chance of admission. If your school has a good counseling office, you should certainly work with your college counselor to develop a reasonable sense of the different kinds of schools that lie within that range.”</p>
<p>As a parent, I strongly second "Power4good"s polite advice, and Gibby and Superkelpie’s more direct message. The college application/decision process can be extremely stressful. If he wants to apply to HYP, great, but make sure he also applies to other schools that truly appeal to him. My DS is a happy college freshman at a top 10 liberal arts school–but he’s happy precisely because we showed him some options, took him on visits, supported his decisions and got the heck out of the way.</p>
<p>In your son’s case, it might be beneficial to go to a state school or something, where (since he’s pretty smart, as shown by his scores) he will do well, but also receive credit for his ap’s. In the ivies, they generally don’t accept ap credit, so that would be going to waste.</p>
<p>hey just dont listen to the people here. either they make you overconfident or they demoralize
you. just dont take in their crap. only a handful give honest opinion(which, i admit, i dont belong to). so just relax. best of luck to your son.</p>
<p>I am a bit puzzled by your opion that parents should stay out of the process… I did that with my first child… he wanted none of my help whatsoever… and looking back, I should have had my hands(and feet lol) in every aspect. There are issues with FA/the ability to select classes etc… just to name a few things that he now faces. He demanded total independence and trust me… it is showing…how can we as parents expect 17 year old kids to make such a huge decision on their own? How can we expect teenagers to figure out the FA/scholarship gauntlet without our assistance? Especially when coming from a 1st generation/single parent household… I think the stakes are even higher. My gut told me to be more involved… but I wanted to give him a sense of independence… and now, looking back… thats BOLOGNA!</p>
<p>Last year, when DD14 was a freshman, I began to compile a folder of scholarships, we have begun to visit colleges and I have become well read on the college admissions process. And stumbinling upon CC has been a Godsend…DD14 will be in a better position in 20 months when she is able to fill out the commom app on 8/1/13. I have learned so much from the people who also frequent this site. </p>
<p>I do believe that there are kids out there who are completely autonomous in the college admissions process…but I believe that most are not. And parents who arm themselves with information are better able to assist their student with the knowledge they require.</p>
<p>NewHavenCTmom, I mean no disrespect, but I feel that if a teenager is applying for Ivy League schools then he or she should be adequately capable of finding out all the information he or she needs. This, along with the fact that he or she should also be able to get the proper documents themselves. I understand that the parents need to get involved with the FAFSA, but apart from this, I feel that at the age of 17 or 18 that the applicant should have matured enough to handle this on their own. Now, if the teenager was 12 or 13, then that’s different, but they’ve matured significantly enough, and if they’re applying to the “cream of the crop,” then they should be able to handle the process on their own. Maybe I’m a little different in my regard to being extremely independent and making nearly every decision on my own without the feedback of parents, but its this independence I feel is required and if it isn’t yet obtained by the time applying to college comes, then allow the application process to be the time when they have this life-changing and learning experience of growing independent. Yes, guide them a little, answer questions they may have, and help them if they ask for it, but aside from that I would leave the entire process to the applicant.</p>
<p>Neh, some people work with their parents as more of a team–need somebody to bounce ideas off, etc. Personally, I was like parents, OUT! But they’re being rather more involved with my little brother, and I don’t think he’s a less capable person for it.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to imply that it’s realistic to be totally hands off…especially when it comes to the FAFSA. All I was trying to say is…listen to your child’s interests, give him/her some options beyond HYP, and truly consider where he’s likely to thrive, excel, and be happy.</p>