<p>Hello. I am a rising senior and i really want to go to either of these schools. i am first in my class with a weighted gpa of 4.625 and unweighted gpa of 4.0...I have a 2090 sat with a 1400 core. I got an 800 on my math 2 sat 2. I try to be as involved in many clubs like: math team, academic club, ping pong team, beta club, national junior honor society, national honor society, latin club, debate team, amnesty international, sunday scholars, interact club. Also, i will have taken 17 ap's by the time i graduation and will be an ap scholar with distinction. What are my chances of making either of these schools?</p>
<p>Assuming your white or asian, you unfortunately have pretty much no chance with Harvard with your current SAT score, and minimal chance at Duke, but if you fix those scores you will be in a good position.</p>
<p>^ What are you talking about? He certainly has a shot. A 2090 is still a decent score for Harvard or Duke.</p>
<p>SAT’s aren’t everything though right? and im only 60 points under the average duke sat and with my above average sat 2 i wouldnt consider that minimal…based purely off sat. and im at the lower 25% mark for harvard. which also isnt “no chance”</p>
<p>jesus christ thank you franticpizza…he just scared me half to death.</p>
<p>Your chances at Harvard, though not as extreme MCMLXXXIV put it, are still minimal. Your SAT score really hurts, but you should worry even more about ECs. You are competing with people with absolutely insane leadership records and unique volunteering/work experience. Clubs are not that important when you’re applying for top schools. In fact, I think you made a mistake by joining too much clubs. Top schools like to see that you participate in depth in your extracurricular activities; joining many clubs make yourself look too thin.</p>
<p>I agree with MCMLXXXIV. A 2090 is way too low for Harvard or Duke.
Also, it’s not about joining as many clubs as you can; it’s about your commitment and role in these clubs. Are you president for any of them? Do you hold any special positions in any of those clubs? Colleges are looking for leadership and dedication, not the number of clubs you’ve joined.
You should also have other good SAT II scores. An 800 in math IIc is great, but you need to have solid 750+s on an English/history test and a science test.
If I were you, I’d definitely take the SAT again. A 2090 eliminates your chances at getting in.</p>
<p>EDIT: lol, don’t “get scared”! You still have time to take the SAT. Just nail it, make sure all your SAT II scores are great, and try to get at least one solid position in a club/sport.</p>
<p>LukeBuff, what are your grades? What is your GPA and what is your rank? If you have a stellar GPA then the 2090 SAT won’t hurt that bad. Harvard knows that the SAT isn’t a student’s favorite thing. They too think that it’s just a Stupid Annoying Test (SAT) and that it’s not an accurate measure for determining your knowledge.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, franticpizze is not basing his opinions on fact.</p>
<p>You need to take a look at who makes up the bottom half of a top school: recruited athletes, URMs, legacies, the rich, powerful and connected.</p>
<p>Harvard and Duke are pretty far apart in who they accept. For Harvard you need to be a total standout in everything including rank, scores and ECs. For Duke, a 2200 plus would put someone with a good rank in the running without great ECs.</p>
<p>i appreciate the concern and help. i didnt think it mattered to put positions im prez of a few and in the leadership position of a few others. Also i dont know if this matters but i went to Georgia Governors Honors Program for math major and science minor. </p>
<p>I am currently number 1 in class rankings with an unweighted gpa of 4.0 and a weighted gpa of 4.625…with what will be 17 ap’s.</p>
<p>i agree you have a shot as long as you play your cards right. certainly whitewishes has a point saying that the bottom half of a class sat score wise usually is comprised of urms, athletes, and legacies, but i know a few asians whove gotten into harvard/duke/similarschools with less than a 2000. it certainly isnt easy and the odds are against you, but if you work hard and have super good recs/essays i give you a shot dude.</p>
<p>2090 is quite low for Harvard.</p>
<p>raise your SAT score to 2200+ and you have a chance.</p>
<p>You should apply, but they’re both high reaches.</p>
<p>I, too, think that franticpizza is not looking at the facts.</p>
<p>The fact is, unless you are an URM or someone with a huge hook, 2090 is a low score, and is by no means decent, to schools like harvard or duke. </p>
<p>Of course, there are some asians and caucasians who get in with such scores, but the cases are very rare and such applicants almost always have a huge hook.</p>
<p>SAT of course isn’t everything in the admission process but it is pretty much the first thing that the admission officers look at, and it still is one of the most important part of your application</p>
<p>With your current SAT score, you have minimal chance at both colleges, and that is a fact.</p>
<p>Presidents of few clubs means VERY LITTLE if you don’t show your passion and dedication. By roughly glancing at the amount of clubs you are involved in, I doubt you would even commit some substantial time into two of them. All the clubs just look like a shopping list to me, and trust me adcoms will NOT like that. </p>
<p>2090 has a chance, a low one but not minimal as above people said since I know a friend who got into yale with no hook (asian too) with a barely higher SAT score than you have. What my friend has but you don’t is she has stellar ECs (not national/international level, but by stellar I mean she pours herself into the few ECs that she has absolute passion for, and she is able to show it through her essays and supplementals). You on the other hand, lacks passion from what you have given us. I would even venture to say that if you raise your SAT score to 2200+, you’d still have a minimal chance for Harvard, sorry.</p>
<p>Also, one thing to clarify is that even tho an 800 in SAT II math is good, it by no means would makeup for other things. In fact SAT II is not a very heavy part of the application, coupled to that fact that 800 in Math II is at the 89% percentile.</p>
<p>According to collegeboard.com, i am within the range or even on the upper end of the middle 50% accepted to duke(for each score). So i have no idea why you guys are saying thats a deal breaker.</p>
<p>And it seems like when idont do clubs yall say “you need clubs”, when ido clubs you say “you need to be more involved in them”, and when i get more involved in them yall say “it means very little.”</p>
<p>what can i do to improve my EC’s because i attend every meeting, go to every competition, and have passion for some aka math team and latin club.</p>
<p>anyone applying has a low chance of getting in. A score of 2090 might just disqualify you from making the first cut–in which they eliminate people who just wouldn’t have a chance.</p>
<p>you really need to get that score up if you want any shot, seriously.</p>
<p>On CC, we agree that to have a reasonable shot at a HYP school you need to at or above the 75th percentile in score categories. It’s possible to get in by being in the middle 50 or even the bottom 25, but it’s rarer. </p>
<p>You’re misunderstanding their advice. “Being involved” will be meaningful to you but it’s not going to get you into HYP. They have tons of “involved” kids. What you need in EC’s is distinction. National level awards. Something that shows you’re the best or one of the best in the field. </p>
<p>A lot of students don’t have national level awards and still get in. I didn’t have any national awards but my stats were above the 75th percentile, and I had activities that were unique. My recs were superb and I thought my essays were solid. </p>
<p>At this point, you can’t just develop super awesome ec’s - you have average ones so stick with those. You CAN get your SAT score up so start working on that. Make sure you pick good teachers who write superb recs. Also, most students consider “good” recs as superb so you really want to make sure there there’s stuff like “best student I’ve had in my 15 year career” or something that’s truly different. Your recs need to reflect you as a person and not just your achievements - your application already lists achievements.</p>
<p>Lastly, work on your essays. If you want any shot, you need an amazing essay. It’s the one factor you can control and do your best in writing a great one. Make sure it establishes you as someone with potential/a leader, and meets up with the schools goals.</p>
<p>Good luck. Remember to “shoot for the moon. you’ll land among the stars.” Apply to several good schools and consider yourself lucky to get into any. This advice applies to everyone, not just you.</p>
<p>sorry mate, but I must concur with the majority above me. Your SAT scores are simply not up to par. I understand that it within the given range of average SAT scores, but the applicants who get accepted on the 25% end are hooked. There are other really great schools out there, but Harvard just doesn’t seem to be that viable of an option for you. Listen to An0maly.</p>