Can I get into an Ivy League school like Yale or Brown?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I am a high school senior trying, primarily, to decide between Early Action at Yale and ED at Brown. I also would like to determine if I am a strong enough applicant to get into either, particularly Yale.

Test Scores:
ACT: 35
SAT Lit: 800
SAT Math 2: 790
AP Bio, Calc AB, Lang, Music Theory: 5s

My weighted GPA is 4.64, and I will have taken 9 AP courses by the end of high school, as well as 9 honors courses. I have gotten mostly A+s throughout high school, with some As, one A - (in gym).

As for extracurriculars, I have played piano for 10 years and received silver or bronze rankings in competitions, one of which gave me the opportunity to perform in Carnegie Hall. I plan on submitting a music supplement. Through my music school, I have participated in a salsa band for two years, and we perform at community events like street fairs, etc. We have also recorded an album professionally. I also have participated in pep band since junior year, and pit crew since sophomore year, in which I play keyboard for the school musicals.
I have been involved in Model UN since freshman year and have received Best Delegate award at a 1-day conference.
I was involved in class government for two years; this year, I am co-president of a volunteer organization.

I have volunteered 50-60 hours at a Spanish Immersion program in Nicaragua; that same summer I volunteered as a teaching assistant at a piano summer camp for young children. I also have volunteered at a citizenship class, speaking Spanish, since junior year (this is the organization I now lead).

Academic Honors: I am one of 3 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists at my high school (I may be a finalist, but I will not find out until later in the year). My school does not assign class rank. FYI, my class size is ~125 students.

I welcome any advice on admissions, as well as insight into what Yale and Brown are like for students (atmosphere, friendliness, professor accessibility, rigor). I would really appreciate some sense of my admissions chances for anyone that is familiar with the process, as well as difference in admissions chances between ED/EA and regular decision.

Thank you!

2

Also, my ethnicity is white, I live in NJ.
My SAT score was 1490, and I do not plan on submitting it anywhere if I don’t have to, but Yale does all-scores. Will that hurt me?

3

It actually wont hurt you. Yale says if you choose to submit a test, you must submit all scores. This means

FROM THE YALE WEBSITE:https://admissions.yale.edu/faq/standardized-testing

4

Yale only requires all scores of the test you choose to submit, so you can just choose to send your ACT scores (you will need to send all of them).

Your test scores and high school record make you competitive for both schools (am assuming the 4.64 gpa/course rigor puts you at the top of your class even if there is no formal ranking). It will come down to your essays, LoR’s and EC’s and whether they portray you in the minds of the AO’s as someone they want to fill out the class of 2022.

ED probably gives you more of a boost for Brown, but if you get in then you are done, including FA. If Brown is your clear first choice, I’d strongly consider ED there. SCEA at Yale leaves all of your options open. If you are confident of the subjective parts of your app (essays, LoR’s, EC’s), and Brown isn’t your clear favorite, with your objectives, I’d go the Yale route and give yourself more time to evaluate the 2 schools in case you get in one or both.

5

To be clear, Yale does require only all tests scores from the SAT or ACT, whichever one you choose to submit. So there is no score choice for the main SAT test.

However, there is score choice for the SAT Subject tests.

Thus, you can send in just the ACT tests you took, and then using score choice for the SAT Subject tests, submit only those SAT Subject tests you would like Yale to consider.

Hope this his helpful.

6

Thank you for the advice! I have already submitted my SAT score in order to submit my SAT II scores, so I can’t go back on that. Will them having see my lower SAT score impact my scores drastically?
Thanks.

7

Your other test scores are great. 1490 is not a bad score. It won’t be the reason for you to be deferred or rejected.

8

1490 could be 740+ each. Want to tell us the individual?

You’ve got to know more about what each is like, opportunities, and life there, before choosing any college for an early app. And, what they look for. I’d also suggest you show balance in ECs. The music is good. But what major? Do you have activities related to that (assuming it’s not music?)

And make sure they’re affordable.

9

I would apply to Yale and Brown. It seems like a strong application, and you should get into some top 20 schools.

10

On the SAT, my math score was 730 and reading was 760.
My major interests are English, music and history.

11

Good. Now you want to dig into what both schools want and look for. Learn what you can about life at each. Understand what the Common App essay should convey. Be sure they are affordable.
Go for it. Now those ECs make more sense.

And do send the music supp.

12

Thank you all for the advice!