<p>Hi.
I was wondering if anyone would mind giving their advice as to my chances at the following Colleges;</p>
<p>Yale University
Harvard College
University of California, Davis
Chapman University
Texas Christian University
Westmont College
Point Loma Nazarene University
Stanford University
University of Evansville
Arizona State University - Barrett, The Honors College
Pepperdine University
Southern Methodist University </p>
<p>GPA 4.8 W 4.0 UW
I am ranked #1. Class of 140
SAT 1870 (Re-taking in October)
ACT 30</p>
<p>First Generation College Student</p>
<p>International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Diploma
2008 Harvard University Prize Book Winner
California Scholarship Federation Member
Key Club Member - Officer
Peer Mediator - High School and Middle School
Peer Tutoring - High School 4 Years
Summer 2008 - UCSD Creative Writing Project
Summer 2007 - Brown University, Human Rights
Summer 2006 - Cambridge University, English Literature-major Creative Writing-minor</p>
<p>In everywhere except HYP. Your SAT score isn't bad, but it is far too low for HYP. You have good EC's and a great GPA and ranking. Try and get your SAT up to a 2000 at least. If not, you have a good ACT so I would send that in. Besides HYP, all the schools you are applying to seem like safety. Maybe you should consider looking at schools in between, some more target schools. But you are a great candidate for a lot of places.</p>
<p>I don't see a hook. You're trying to portray writing as your pastime. The awards are nice. You seem like a single aspect student. Your scores are far too low for the Ivies and Stanford.</p>
<p>Were the summer projects selective? I was invited to UCSD by a friend, and I'm not an especially good writer. I don't remember him saying anything about selectivity. If not, it just shows you have money...</p>
<p>2008 Harvard University Prize Book Winner is an award that is basically given to a select few who are chosen from a pool of applicants. Each high school is asked to chose one outstanding student to write an essay and submit it to the Harvard Alumni Assoc. in your area, and they pick the winners. Basically it is a way for Harvard to help attract talented young people to Harvard and the opportunities in Cambridge.</p>
<p>p.s. I DID write a book and I am now working on a sequel....</p>
<p>You don't seem diverse enough for HYS. I'm not saying you have to be well-rounded and do everything your school has to offer, but you need to show a passion for something. Right now, I don't see any ECs and your passion appears to be school. </p>
<p>One thing I see is that your test scores aren't at Harvard, Yale, and Stanford's level. You might be okay in extracurricular activities, but the test scores need to be higher for those three.</p>
<p>I wouldn't know about the other colleges, but you're definitely going to get into a good one.</p>
<p>Well then, that should work to your advantage. Valedictorians often get rejected due to one-dimensionality. If you can think of anyway to get more dimensions before admissions, it would be to your advantage.</p>
<p>the fact that you got involved in harvard through a contest, and in fact WON, is a major plus and your stats are fantastic, but i dont know if a 30 on the ACT will get you in an Ivy League..</p>
<p>thanks for chancing me...
so i'll return the favor although i can't be considered an expert on college admissions at all so dont count on accuracy</p>
<p>GPA and Valedictorian ranking are a plus
however, those test scores probably aren't enough for harvard, yale, stanford
i think they look for 2300s....which is practically impossible for me, but looking at your amazing ECs, you could do it.
ACT 30 is okay, try to get it higher.
Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are high reaches, but everywhere else, match.</p>
<p>Another question...? If the application deadline is Jan.1, should I submit the applications now or should I wait and submit my applications closer to the deadline? Is there an advantage either way? Thanks!</p>
<p>OP - I could have predicted you'd do better on the ACT than SAT. You appear to be a person who is very well organized, and you study systematically for all your classes.</p>
<p>I think if you get your ACT up to around 33, you've got a much better chance at Top 10. Right now it just looks like you are a study hound who's not that natively bright. That's actually not a criticism... we're born with what we've got, and in business other than the Ibanking part of Wall St. and Consulting firms, being kinda smart is just as good as being brilliant... at that point its about how hard you work and how well you work with people.</p>
<p>Keep at it, and try to take that ACT over and over.</p>
<p>Given your obvious discipline, focus, and goal orientation, you'll do great in life regardless of your university. You'll get much farther than most 2400 or 36 scorers who just don't have the discipline.</p>
<p>^^^ Thank you! You have given me much to think about....I am a very hard working study hound.....I have many hopes and dreams...perhaps I should express those in my essays...I don't want to seem (and I really am not) like a boring...studying bookworm. I really appreciate ALL the advice and I am taking it to heart! :)</p>