Chance an Australian for YALE?

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>okay, I already posted this in the chances forum, but thought maybe you guys might know more. (btw I realise what a long shot these schools are...)</p>

<p>Hi. Hate to take advantage but I'm in australia and now that I have sat results, any help is appreciated. I'm somewhat unfamiliar with the system, so I hope that you guys will chance me.</p>

<p>yale (top choice, early action)
harvard
uPenn
uc berkeley
Boston</p>

<p>(will DEFINITELY apply to safeties, can anyone suggest a school that might be a match for me?) </p>

<p>caucasian female
large public school, somewhat competitive (I'm the first to apply to the US)</p>

<p>literature/ english major (hopefully)</p>

<p>SAT 1: 2300 (cr 800, w 800, m 700)
SAT II: biology m 780
literature 800
maths is not my strong point.</p>

<p>rank- we don't rank but I would be in the top 5 out of 150</p>

<p>subjects:
english A+ (we don't have AP)
literature A+
chemistry C+
biology A+
History (revolutions) A+</p>

<p>pretty much perfect transcript except for some mediocre math results before I dropped the subject, will this hurt?</p>

<p>ec's:
Japanese exchange program (yr nine)
Qualified dressmaker (completed training this year)
Costumes for school musical
Two rock eistedfodds (dance competitions)- our school was state finalist
Year twelve student representative council
Year twelve student leader
volunteer for red cross (helping the homeless)
violin seven years- organised concerts to raise money for children with cancer
was featured in four art shows last year
debating team</p>

<p>awards:
academic awards- 6 years
art awards- four years
show champion at three state shows for oil painting and textiles
theatre studies award (costumes and direction)
will receive english, literature, history awards for graduating class</p>

<p>work experience:
customer service- optical superstore (1 year)
sales assistant- spotlight (fabrics and sewing advice) last three years
internship- fashion incubator</p>

<p>teacher references and counsellor references will be excellent.</p>

<p>essays will also be excellent. (a LOT of work has gone into them.)</p>

<p>I am expecting extremely good VCE results (in the top 95%.)</p>

<p>I hope the fact that my ec's and awards are not academic will not hurt. I'm submitting supplementary art materials as well. And my teachers have known and taught me for years, so will be very explicit. also, I have not done extra work over the summers (just worked at jobs, volunteering and self study)- will this hurt? we get six week summer breaks.</p>

<p>Any help is GREATLY appreciated!!</p>

2

<p>Honestly, Yale and Harvard are a reach for you -- because they are a reach for everybody. But you do have excellent stats and interesting ecs and I would encourage you to apply anyway. I would say you have a good shot at Berkeley and Penn (I'd choose Berkeley of the two) and I'd say you're in at BostonU.</p>

3

<p>Your stats are well within the range for the top women's colleges such as Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mt. Holyoke, Wellesley, and Smith. For a full list visit:</p>

<p>Women's</a> College Coalition Homepage</p>

<p>But, what do you want to major in? Your notes indicate interest and experience in theater and design. Maybe you need to think about Rhode Island School of Design, or the Fashion Institute of Technology instead of a conventional university.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

4

<p>a major in english or literature. thanks for all your help! I like Wellesly.</p>

<p>i totally forgot on my EC list that i'm student representative council and senior student leader. i know that Yale likes leadership, so...</p>

<p>anyone else?</p>

5

<p>I don't know much about chances as I'm aiming high myself but your academic stuff is definitely in the right place... though I think Harvard wants 3 SAT subject tests, no?</p>

<p>I think you have more of a shot at Yale than Harvard, but I don't have anything to back that up. Just a feeling I get from reading both of their websites and other admitted students' criteria.</p>

<p>So basically this is a pointless reply.</p>

<p>Buuut I'm wishing you all the best!</p>

<p>Can I ask, what study guide did you use for the SATs and subject tests?</p>

6

<p>haha thanks. yeah, stupid but i'd prefer to go to yale anyway. it's like my DREAM school, on account of the fantastic humanities program.</p>

<p>third SATII, i'm taking us history... although encouraged to take math.</p>

<p>when i booked my SAT's, i ordered the prep books from collegeboard. i took them to teachers at my school and did afternoon sessions for math, and just practiced the critical and writing and got english teachers to mark it. i didn't know what else to do because i couldn't find any classes or anything in aus. i just studied really really hard. and i'm taking bio and lit at my own school so that prepared me a bit.</p>