Chance for Ivies?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I'm a high school junior this year. I want to go to an Ivy (Princeton first choice!) Help me out? Also safeties? </p>

<p>SAT I (breakdown): 2300 (770 CR 760 M 770 W) Will retake.
SAT II: 780 math II (taking chem and latin in June...retake MII?)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0/4.8W (max is 5, not possible in my school system because of required courses)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 3 (prob. number 1) out of about 350
AP (place score in parenthesis): Comp. Sci (5) US Gov (5) Calc AB (5) Calc C, World, English Lang. Physics Mech. Chem this year</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Model UN-First year (not many Juniors left, should have position next year:
Math Team
It's Academic (Quiz Bowl...alternate for TV team this year, captain next year guaranteed) Ping-pong club
NHS (should be some sort of exec. next year)
Science NHS (exec. almost guaranteed next year)
Mu Alpha Theta,
Latin Club (co-founder and board member this year, co-pres. next),
Tech Honor Society (Founder, pres. when it officially starts next year),
Leadership U (Kickass service and leadership program)
Hopefully Youth on Board (get on board of local organization)</p>

<p>Job/Work Experience: NSA High School Work Study (CS Research, not too much more info that I can give), basketball referee, internship at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab next school year</p>

<p>Volunteer/Community service: Altar Server at Church, Hospitality Minister at Church, sort food donations at church, and NHS/SNHS (will also be Mu Alpha Theta and Tech HS). I prob. have about 100 hrs right now.
Summer Activities: NSA (considering Vanderbilt PAVE...any thoughts?)
State (if domestic applicant): MD
School Type: Public (3 Ivies SCEA this year, two princeton (though with legacy and/or URM))
Ethnicity: White (1/16 Native American...if only that helped)
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: I actually don't know...def. pretty high though (prob. 200+)
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): LOL I wish</p>

<p>What do I need to do to take the next steps? Thank you!</p>

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<p>As I’m sure you’ve heard, Ivies are reaches for everyone. You will definitely be a competitive applicant for all the schools you’re applying to, stats-wise at least. In the next year, I think you should try to develop your ECs a little more–focus on one or two, gain some leadership experiences. The internship with JHU sounds cool–maybe some science fair project could come out of that. </p>

<p>Being a white male from MD is probably not gonna help you, but what can you do? Try to write an awesome essay. And good luck on the Latin SAT, it’s not too hard :)</p>

<p>Chance me back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1278710-chance-rural-michigan-kid-top-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1278710-chance-rural-michigan-kid-top-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Oh: also considering some Ivy equivalents (Duke, Stanford, UChicago) and then Carnegie Mellon (comp sci), Hopkins, Vanderbilt</p>

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<p>thanks for your post…</p>

<p>Well, i feel your SAT score is a very good score, I dont think you should retake the SAT…the adcoms will be happy to see that in the first attempt (though not all scores, they can see how many times you gave the test) you scored a 2300… but to add a plus point, i would advise you to take the ACT, which is a lot easier than the SAT. They will be delighted to see that you have aced all the standardized tests… I would also advise you to work hard at the physics lab in JHU, it is a + point… Add more ECs and internships (remember to be focused and show them ur interests thru them)</p>

<p>You are in most of your prefs, colleges will be delighted to have you my friend, but I cannot say much abt the ivies, they are unpredictable, to improve your chances there, you must have amazing essays and LORs… ( and for your interest in princeton, a SUPER AMAZING essay will help you loads, they can make or break an application…)</p>

<p>All the best mate!</p>

<p>(:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1266957-chance-me-harvard-penn-cornell-brown.html#post13774106[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1266957-chance-me-harvard-penn-cornell-brown.html#post13774106&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>You are definitely on the right track. You should definitely take the ACT as well and SAT if you want to try to get a higher score on that as it would help out since you are a white Male. Work on your ECs for sure to make you really stand out and keep at it.</p>

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<p>10charbump</p>

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<p>Point of interest one: You want to retake your near-perfect SATs. </p>

<p>I understand perfectionism, but wanting to retake a 2300 or a 780 is a little over the top. The average accepted score that Princeton reports is a “2225” (2220-2230). You are a good 75 points above the average applicant. Being a couple of steps up and sticking with it shows confidence; being a couple of steps up and trying again and again to achieve a better score shows obsession. You pick which one is better. </p>

<p>To be honest, i’m really liking the way your stats are sounding. Near perfect. NEVER hurts to have stats like those. keep the 5s goin this year. </p>

<p>Your extracurriculars seem pretty good. One thing that’s only very slightly concerning to me is they’re scattered all over the place - you’ve got anywhere from ping-pong to NHS to math team. My main problem is that i can’t really tell what your concentration is from your ECs alone, and it’s always good to be able to do that. It speaks volumes to have ECs pertinent to your major and they really show interest in what you’re doing. That being said, your ECs across the board show that you’re an involved student, which is fantastic. </p>

<p>You need make the most out of the APL internship, it is an absolutely fantastic opportunity. NASA’s, i believe? grats on getting in. But remember - colleges want to see what you make of the opportunities you are given, not just “i did apl”. Make the most of it. </p>

<p>I feel like PAVE would be a little far-fetched…I mean, make the most of your summer, but PAVE is super expensive and honestly, it’s a bit unecessary. I was considering it at some point too, until I saw the price tag. Maybe at APL, make friends with a couple of profs at JHU and perhaps pull a summer internship out of that. That would be a much better use of your summer - you might actually MAKE money out of that. </p>

<p>From a fellow quizbowler and princeton-top-choice-er, you have a solid, solid shot at any ivy you choose. your next steps would be learning to make our case on paper. even a beautiful painting cannot be appreciated fully if it’s turned on its side. Basically, make sure you’re giving colleges the full picture, the FULL you. Show that you’re more than your stats, but show that your stats are awesome, too. You have a decent shot at any college you choose to apply to. As a safety, seeing as you’re from MD, try college park - it should be a pretty cheap option and you can pull scholarships from it as well.</p>

<p>Good luck :)</p>

<p>PS, check out my chance/advice thread. thanks!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1280113-chances-junior.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1280113-chances-junior.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thanks. The problem is APL doesn’t start until next school year (otherwise I really like your idea). College Park is NOT on the list. I don’t want a 26,000 kid school. I’m thinking Lehigh and Rochester as my main safeties. And with double legacy at Duke, that’s a borderline safety haha.</p>

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<p>mmm, i see. lehigh and rochester are legit safeties. with double legacy at duke, and YOUR stats, i think you could count that as safety too - but i mean, it is a pretty up-there college too, so don’t be TOO confident, even if you have a right to</p>

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<p>Thanks…that’s why it’s borderline :)</p>

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<p>10charbump</p>

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<p>bumpbumpbump</p>

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<p>10charbump</p>

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<p>Don’t retake SAT as others have said, once you pass 2250+ colleges don’t really care what score you have (as far as I’ve heard, at least). Then it’s all about what you bring to the school-- so make sure you develop your ECs to show a clear passion in an area, and you’ll be totally fine.</p>

<p>I think you’ll get into one ivy at least, easily. Will it be Princeton? None of us know-- all the ivies are crapshoots, so just apply and wait it out!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1281952-chance-nervous-junior-i-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1281952-chance-nervous-junior-i-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Those Ivies and near Ivies be reaches for almost everyone, including you</p>

<p>Ivies typcially say no to ~80% of those with an 800 SAT or 800 SAT CR
Brown said “no” to 87% with your SAT Math score
and no to 90% of those in top 10% of their class</p>

<p>Just the reality of the widespread, intense and misbegotten interest in brand names like “Ivies”</p>

<p>although your 2300 (or above) was only achieved by 6925 students in 2010, so doing well in both will help
Bottom line: apply!!! Go For It!!! And Love Thy Safeties (means be sure to include schools that you would be thrilled to go to AND for which you have a really good chance of acceptance)</p>

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<p>I feel like a 2300 compared to a 2350 does not matter, but if you were to get a 2400 that would help probably. If you feel like taking it again, then do so. But it is definitely not a necessity. The 780 in Math could could easily be raised to a 800 since it only demands 2 more right answers next time. Almost 10 percent of the students taking math II get an 800, so a 780 is not as perfect as a 780 on a single part of the SAT I.</p>

<p>The only tips I have for you (which are pretty obvious) is to keep getting A’s, write as good essays you can and try to emphasize your most valued extra curricular activities. Thanks again for reading my essay. Here are the colleges I applied to: Amherst, Dartmouth, Colgate, Vassar, Colorado and Middlebury.</p>

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<p>Alright. That is why I am retaking Math II! I need that to be an 800 for my self-satisfaction (and to impress the engineering school I will be applying to).</p>

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<p>I really think you have an exceptional shot at any Ivy - if you can plan your summer properly (I see you’re into Vandy’s program?) and get that internship at JHU, I think you’ve got an amazing shot. </p>

<p>Good luck man!</p>

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<p>Yeah I’m looking at PAVE at Vanderbilt. It’s fairly selective (30% are incoming Vandy freshmen), and apparently the head of it writes kickass recs for any student who does it. And JHUAPL looks almost set at this point. Thanks so much! Best of luck to you too!</p>

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<p>bump10char</p>