Brown/Cornell/Yale? Help me pick please :)

<p>So in my other chance thread, I asked chances for all my schools, but here I need an advice on which IVY SCHOOL to apply to? I'm thinking of applying to 1 only, so this has to be good. I haven't really visited any, so some advice would be helpful!</p>

<p>Considering:
Brown - The one I like the most. But at a college talk in Singapore they said they don't really want Indian students - WHY? -.-
Cornell - Lot of family friends/even an uncle who went there for an internship. But apparently it's depressing or something?
Yale - love their curriculum and college atmosphere and can write good essays for them but SATs suck so bad :(</p>

<p>Country: Singapore
Ethnicity: Indian
School: UWC
Intended Major: Undecided/Biology with Education(?)</p>

<p>Hooks
High income bracket (URM?)/no financial aid
Fluent in Chinese. Taught Chinese to chinese kids in Singapore
Not a stereotypical Asian - interest in writing, education along with science and history, education
UWC (is this true?)
Will probably be applying undecided or some really weird major like Biology with education, whereas most ppl in my school are interested in applying for engineering, economics or other heavily impacted majors.</p>

<p>Grade 9 and 10 = IGCSE Course
Cannot be bothered to attach transcript because there are grades for 7 marking periods.
However in G10, I can say with conviction that I mainly had 7s/A* during my marking periods, a few 6s/As.</p>

<p>Here are my final scores on the IGCSE Exam</p>

<p>Grades can range from U- A*</p>

<p>English Language: A*
English Literature: A*
Cambridge International Mathematics: A
Co-ordinated Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) Double Award: A<em>/A</em>
Economics: A*
History: A*
Foreign Language Chinese: A*
ICT: A</p>

<p>IB Subjects: At higher level (Biology, Chemistry and Economics)
At standard level (Chinese B, English Lang/Lit A and Mathematics)
With theory of knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay (EE)</p>

<p>First Assessment:
Biology - 7
Chemistry - 6
Economics - 6
English - 6
Mathematics - 6
Chinese B - 7</p>

<p>Second Assessment:
Biology - 7
Chemistry - 6
Economics - 6
English - 6
Mathematics - 7
Chinese B - 7</p>

<p>TOK grades are not provided. Predicted grade is around 43-44 IB points.</p>

<p>SAT I Score (will retake this...) ):
1920 </p>

<p>CR - 620
Math - 650
Writing - 650</p>

<p>SAT II Score:
Bio M - 760
Waiting on Chem (just took it)</p>

<p>Teacher Recommendations:
1 from my Biology HL Teacher - She really likes me, I am one of the most dynamic student in the class. Only 2 students scored a 7 in the last marking period in my class, and I was one of them. She is also supervising my Biology extended essay, which is regarding plants and antibiotics, so she will be sure to write a great reccomendation.</p>

<p>1 from my Chinese B SL Teacher - Again, a class where I am super dynamic. Only 2 students scored a 7 and I was one of them. She really knows my strengths and weaknesses and enjoys teaching me. I think she is a great educator as well. Apparently she mentioned my strengths as an Indian speaking Chinese and mentioned I am one of the "many in thousands". Counsellor emailed me specially to tell me she had written me one of the best references he has ever seen xD</p>

<p>Will also be getting letters of reccomendation from medical internships (see below) from top nephrologists etc. One of the doctors I worked with is a visitor at the Rochester Medical Center and UCSD Medical Center. </p>

<p>ECAs:</p>

<p>In School</p>

<p>Founder and President of History Club (Grade 9 and 10)
Grade 9 History Award and Grade 10 History Award
Awarded "Most reputed tutee" award in class.
Vice Chair of Bombay Leprosy Project (helps fundraise for lepers in Bombay) (Grade 10)
Recently became Chairman of Bombay Leprosy Project (in school) (Grade 11-12)
Founder and President of School’s first Biology Society
Short term member of SHILPA GC (group supporting a school for the mentally disabled in India)
Selected for the School Ambassador Committee (helps look after new students, organize school events, student body communications)
Selected on the school forum committee (helps organize forums regarding contemporary topics, world issues, economic problems in school)
Previously worked as a journalist for two school magazines.
Volunteering/volunteered for numerous charitable organizations
Singapore Airlines MINDS Center for mentally disabled
Helping organize activities for primary children at my school
Volunteering at a home run by the Red Cross
Selected as delegate to represent school at Harvard Model Congress Asia 2013. Part of Arab League Committee
Member of Ethics Society
Member of Medical Society
Travelled to Vietnam for a charity trip to teach street kids in Hanoi (Blue Dragon)</p>

<p>Internships:
-Shadowing my General Practitioner
-Internship with a Nephrologist at National University Hospital, Singapore
-Shadowing and observing radiology procedures and MRI procedures at a private hospital in Bombay
-Internship at Make-a-Wish Foundation (mainly administrative work)</p>

<p>Paid Employment:
-Running my own freelance tutions for science for low income families/children with disabilites like ADHD
-Also taught Chinese to chinese kids in Singapore</p>

<p>I have also undertaken the National Youth Achievement Award in Singapore - it is also offered by some other countries as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.</p>

<ol>
<li>NYAA Bronze Award</li>
<li>NYAA Silver Award</li>
<li>Will be getting NYAA Gold Award this year</li>
</ol>

<p>Expeditions:</p>

<p>NYAA Bronze trip: Pulao Ubin Island (Trekking on island)
NYAA Silver Trip: Hong Kong (Trekking in mountains)
NYAA Gold Trip: Perth (Trekking in mountains)
Discover Korea Expedition: Seoul (Trekking in mountains)
Chiang Mai (Thailand): White Water Rafting
Tioman (Indonesia): Kayaking</p>

<p>Outside of School:</p>

<ol>
<li>Tennis experience of almost 7 years (2 years on school team)</li>
<li>1st degree "full black" black belt in karate. 7 years of experience. Will be taking 2nd degree soon and also self taught Korean taekwondo (flying kicks).</li>
<li>Hindustani Classical Vocal Music training for 5-6 years. Also participated in group performances at cultural festivals in Singapore.</li>
<li>Learning Chinese outside of school. </li>
<li>I am fluent in 4 languages: English, Hindi, Marathi(Indian dialect) and Chinese </li>
</ol>

<p>Also another question....</p>

<p>Would it be beneficial for me to list Marathi (Indian Dialect) as my first language on the common app/UC app and take the toefl (even though I scored an A* in literature in IGCSE)? Or does it not really make a difference.</p>

<p>I am an admissions consultant so I will give you some free advice. You have a lot of activities that are potentially interesting. I like helping kids with leprosy for several years. Did you do that out of passion or because someone told you to do it? If you can convince the schools you did this at no small sacrifice to yourself that is interesting. Did you sing at any competitive event? Can you really sing well? If you can convey these ideas well in your essay with some fire and passion you have a chance. But Yale and Brown are super hard. Cornell might be more realistic.</p>

<p>You have a really strong application here. The only thing that doesn’t seem to fit is that SAT score; it isn’t good enough for the schools you’re looking at. Study hard for your retake, and maybe try the ACT too.</p>

<p>Also, you might be required to take the TOEFL. Some schools require it for all international applicants. Check the policies of the specific schools.</p>

<p>Brown for sure. That discrimination against indians is definitely false. And you said you like Brown the most, so then choose that school.</p>

<p>NO WAY. Not with those SAT SCORES. Your ECs aren’t too great either.</p>

<p>Your ECs are interesting. If you can come off as “I wanted to do this, this is me” not “I did this to look good” you might have a chance.</p>

<p>However, you <em>have</em> to get those SATs higher. You can’t get into Yale with a 1920, unless you have some other incredible characteristic. You really do need to break 2000, at the MINIMUM.</p>

<p>Wow thank you for the amazing advice everyone:)</p>

<p>Just for the information, in terms of early applicants Yale only accepts students who are predicted 45 IB points and have atleast a 2150 on their SAT.</p>

<p>For regular decision, only 2 people out of 40 applicants have been admitted in the past 5 years. 1 had a 44 with 2080 SAT (no hooks) and the other had an 1860 with 38 IB predicted (no hooks).</p>