<p>Hello,
I am a student from quebec currently finishing my second semester in cegep in the sciences, and in one year from now I need to apply to university. I've been particularly interested in the US schools, especially schools like Princeton, Yale, Harvard, brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, Stanford, etc. I want to know my chances because I am NOT a straight A student. In grades 10-11 my overall average in school was around an 85-88, with marks ranging from high 90's to most being in the mid 80's and maybe one or two in the high 70's. Regardless of this, I still graduated in the top 10% of my graduating class. In cegep I have gotten much more serious, all my marks being in the 90's in a competitive program. I am very confused because I don't know how this measures up to the US GPA system and whether or not the fact that the U.S. schools add 5-10% to Canadian marks is true or not. I've used those GPA calculators online and I keep getting an overall GPA of 3.7-3.8 for my 3 years of high school combined with my first semester of cegep. The whole main reason why I want to ask this is because I want to know if my chances are existent because if they are not I will not bother to do the SAT's. On the topic of the SAT's, if I get a really high score on them...will that maybe make up for my marks? In terms of the teacher reference letters, that is not a problem at all. In cegep and high school, none of my teachers would hesitate to reccomend me. </p>
<p>EC's:
-avid participant in the quebec/Canadian/international science fairs for 3 years
-part of my high schools green club for 4 years, taking part in many fundraisers, composting efforts and creation of the community garden.
- piano lessons for 4 years
- cultural dance lessons since I was 10 years old.
- hospital volunteer (starting in a week)
-potentially joining cegep green club and cegep students association sometime this semester or next.</p>
<p>My awards are what I think can help:
- montreal regional science fair bronze winner in 2008
-montreal regional science fair bronze winner in 2009
- montreal regional science fair gold winner in 2011
- recipient of the mcgill faculty of science award and bursary in 2011
- awarded one of 12 best in fair at the montreal regional science fair in 2011, and granted entrance to participate in the quebec final 100 fair, where the 100 best projects in the province compete.
- IRSC SYNAPSE silver medal for second best health related project in fair
- awarded gold medal for one of 40 best in fair and granted permission to represent the province at the Canada wide fair in prince Edward island.
-awarded gold medal and one of 5 top projects in fair and granted participation in the MILSET international science expo in Abu Dhabi.</p>
<p>I am looking for an honest answer. Anyone who can give me an educated decision is welcome, perhaps someone who got into an Ivy league school from quebec or Canada or anyone else who has knowledge on the procedure. I do realize that no one can definitely calculate my chances other than the admissions officers who will see my file, but I'm just looking to see if it's still possible to get in with my grades if I get a really high score on the SAT. </p>
<p>Thank you! </p>