Chance a Sophomore?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>Forget the username, spelled it wrong accidentally </p>

<p>GPA (unweighted): 86
Weighted: 90.1 (plan to raise it a lot next year)</p>

<p>PSAT Score: 1650 (without studying, plan to study for it this summer)</p>

<p>Volunteer Service: ADHC Walk, Autism Walk, Beep Baseball (for the blind), Ronald McDonald House, painted a community center</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities: Student council, Model United Nations (MUN), Junior Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars, KEY club, Jazz Choir, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Chamber Orchestra, Colorguard, Class of 2014</p>

<p>Awards: Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures (1st place in the State of New York) Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures (1st place in my District), Promoting Kindness During Martin Luther King Jr. Week, Basic Decision Making (3rd place out of my district), Outstanding New Member Award (FBLA, 3rd place out of the state of New York), Introduction to business communications (4th place out of the State of New York), Certificate of Merit FBLA competition team, National Youth Leadership Forum (field of medicine), Outstanding Delegation (MUN), Superintendent's Achievement Award ( outstanding delegation award Weimar Republic National Assembly: Walter Schucking German Democratic party committee NAIMUN 2012 Georgetown University MUN)</p>

<p>Music: All State Musician (score of 96), Performed at Carnegie Hall, Performed at Lincoln Center, All County Orchestra (6,8,10), All District Orchestra (7,8,9,10), Long Island string Festival Association (6,8,10), NYSSMA level 4 (Vocalist 26/28), NYSSMA Level 6 (Score of 99 New York State School Music Association), Queens College chamber Orchestra</p>

<p>Leadership: Attendance monitor at KEY Club, Secretary in Student council, applied for Vice President in school FBLA, Running for either State Parliamentarian or State President for FBLA at State Leadership Conference next year.</p>

<p>APs: World History, Human Geography (only two offered at my school in 10th grade) Next year taking Bio, Lit, and U.S. history, Senior year taking at least Stats and Physics</p>

<p>Worked as a secretary at Cadwell Air Conditioning Services</p>

<p>State: NY
Age: 15
Ethnicity/Race: Black/African American</p>

2

<p>Without an ACT/SAT score, it’s way too early to ask for chances.</p>

3

<p>Let’s say my SAT score is at least a 2000 and my ACT is at least 33?</p>

4

<p>A 33 would bring you more in line but the odds are still extremely extremely stacked against you. It’s fine to shoot for Yale but like poster 2 said, you’d be doing yourself a monstrous disservice if you begin to fetishize a school that has a 7% accept rate and the overwhelming majority of 34s, 35s and 36s are rejected. </p>

<p>Those are the simple numbers with a place like Yale. Read the “results” threads and see the metrics of those who are both accepted and rejected. Good luck to you.</p>

5

<p>A 2000 SAT and 33 ACT are two very different animals:</p>

<p><a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/act-sat-concordance-tables.pdf[/url]”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/act-sat-concordance-tables.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>A 33 ACT is approx. 2190.</p>

6

<p>If you scored a 33 ACT, my first reaction would be “Well then, what’s up with the 86 GPA?” Honestly, it would be a “red flag” as your tests scores would be out of sync with your grades.</p>

<p>What matters most in the college application process is your transcript and that cannot be overridden by scoring high on an ACT/SAT test! Here’s my suggestion: If Yale is your dream school, by all means apply, but . . . please also apply to some of these schools: [A+</a> Options for B Students | Top National Universities | US News Best Colleges](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/a-plus]A+”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/a-plus)</p>

7

<p>Your GPA is low</p>

8

<p>I’m raising it to at least a 95 next year. was focused on too many clubs this year, that’s the only reason it dropped.</p>

9

<p>GPA is because of all the clubs I did this year, focused on that too much and didn’t have the time to do everything the way I normally do. raising it to at least a 95 next year</p>

10

<p>I’m raising it to at least a 95 next year; it dropped because of clubs. With all my clubs and the fact that I’m a minority and a first generation and all my awards in 10th grade, you don’t think that raises my chances at all?</p>

11

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<p>Check out the AA Students forum and past Y Results threads for other AA applicants (you can find links on the Resources sticky thread).</p>

12

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<p>That is not a valid reason on why your GPA dropped and you would look foolish trying to explain that to Yale.</p>

13

<p>By all means apply to Yale IF you can bring up your GPA, but consider it a high reach. On the one hand, Yale may forgive your sophomore grades if they see a significant improvement over time. On the other, they have enough applicants that if your overall GPA isn’t high enough they may use that as a reason not even to give your application a good look. I have the impression that they will accept a somewhat lower SAT or ACT score from URM and first generation applicants, but that they are less tolerant of low grades --most successful applicants have pretty close to a 4.0 unweighted. And finally there is a lottery aspect to admissions that makes the Ivies a reach for almost everyone. Whatever you do, make sure that you pick a range of schools with different degrees of selectivity, including some true safeties. Have your guidance counselor or some adults from College Confidential look over your list next year to make sure it’s not too heavy on reaches – every year there are kids whose lists consisted mainly or entirely of super-selective schools who do not get in anywhere. Make sure you would be happy to go to any school you apply to. Good luck!</p>

14

<p>I know, but it’s kind of hard trying to balance 11 clubs that I have to rigorously study for/practice for while keeping good scores. Not using that as an excuse, just saying. Everyone told me as a freshman that clubs were the most important thing</p>

15

<p>Unfortunately you need grades AND activities. You don’t have to be everything to everyone – you don’t have to have music AND tons of school clubs AND tons of volunteer hours AND a job. Pick the things that are most important to you and don’t spread yourself so thin. (With the caveat that you should do some volunteer work – 25 hours a year is fine – and some activity that contributes to the community of your school.). Also keep your eye on the big picture – if an Ivy doesn’t work out for you, that doesn’t mean you have lost the chance to succeed. If you are as ambitious and motivated as you seem to be, you will be able to succeed wherever you go.</p>

16

<p>“With the caveat that you should do some volunteer work – 25 hours a year is fine – and some activity that contributes to the community of your school.).”</p>

<p>Neither of my kids had any volunteer hours on their college applications – zero, zilch, none! Colleges understand that most students volunteer because it looks good on an application, so I think volunteering is really discounted in the entire application process. If your heart is calling out to you to volunteer, by all means do it, but it is not necessary or required.</p>

17

<p>“I know, but it’s kind of hard trying to balance 11 clubs that I have to rigorously study for/practice for while keeping good scores. Not using that as an excuse, just saying. Everyone told me as a freshman that clubs were the most important thing.”</p>

<p>HopefulSophmore,
I think think you were given erroneous information. I don’t believe Ivy’s (or other top colleges) are impressed by students who are in lots of clubs. You need to focus yourself to find something (cause, activity, whatever) that you are passionate about, and look for ways to excel in that passion. You also need to look at ways to develop and show your leadership capabilities. At my daughter’s school her class valadictorian did not get into any Ivy’s, while she was accepted at both Yale, Penn, and several other great schools. He is very active in tons of clubs on campus, while she only belonged to 1. But she is very active in several youth organizations outside of her school, held important leadership positions, got herself an internship, and is also an active youth leader in our community (political organizations, womens organizations – that’s her thing). </p>

<p>Find your passion. Get involved, and look beyond your school into your community. What do you want to do after high school? Don’t just confine your thinking to what’s available at your high school. Think outside the box.</p>

18

<p>Hope this doesn’t come off as shameless self advertising, but please check out my thread “Attention all future applicants” if you haven’t. It tells the story of a successful applicant.</p>