Canadian Student Chances

<p>I'm a Canadian, going to a private school in grade 11.</p>

<p>Academics:
96% average
Ranked 1st in grade
800 math
800 reading
730 writing (only 7 on essay, I don't know how)
Taking fairly rigorous courseload, but my school doesn't allow more than 2 APs at a time.</p>

<p>ECs:
Varsity Squash (not one of the best on the team)
Varsity Rowing (first year, I'm not great but planning on rowing over the summer as well as next year)
Voted Peer Counselor by fellow students
Co-Head of MasterKey admissions program at my school
Tutor for elementary-school kids since grade 9
On the academic stewards committee
Went on exchange to South Africa for 3 months, taught impoverished kids English while I was there (not the main focus though, only once a week)</p>

<p>It's nowhere near what many of you US students have, but seeing as how I'm Canadian do I have a shot at schools like Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, etc.?</p>

<p>Very admirable EC's! I think you have a chance at all those schools. Write good essays and get good, 700+ SAT II scores.</p>

<p>I think you're a shoe-in at Cornell since you have perfect CR + M score. Cornell has above 20% acceptance rate.</p>

<p>I think I can be of help since I am currently a high school student in Canada and will be at Princeton next year (got accepted to Cornell and Princeton, and waitlisted at Yale). Although I am considered South Korean because I only have a Korean citizenship, a friend of mine from my school got into Harvard and Dartmouth (will be attending Harvard) this year, so I know roughly what is expected of Canadians to get into some of the top schools. </p>

<p>Your academics definitely qualify you for those schools. My friend who got into Harvard had about 94% average, 2nd in class, and 800M, 730CR, 800W. Your academics seem a little bit more impressive than my friend's, which is great. However, your extra-curriculars seem to be lacking. I can't see much passion in your EC's, because you don't seem to have any major awards to back you up (unless you forgot to list them). </p>

<p>I'd say match for Cornell and Dartmouth, reach for schools like Princeton. But don't worry. People on CC predicted that Princeton was a reach for me, but I got in with lots of financial aid despite being South Korean. I am pretty sure essays are what saved me. So if you write awesome essays, you have a shot at any university.</p>

<p>What ECs/awards do you think I should aim for in the coming year? I'm hoping for some sort of award in rowing this year (probably keenness and dedication, but we'll see), but yeah, does anyone have any recommendations for the summer/next fall?</p>

<p>Bump for good measure.</p>

<p>Anyone else want to chance me...maybe some other Canadians or people who know Canadians who got in?</p>

<p>C'mon.....</p>

<p>I'm Canadian as well (ORM like coolness_rookie...in fact we know each other). Really all people can say on this forum is whether you have a decent shot or not to get into top schools...which you do. I've seen people with worse stats get into Ivies and people with better stats get rejected across the board, it's very difficult to say.</p>

<p>I'd look for more evidence of leadership if you want to strengthen your application though.</p>