Chance for Ivy/UC schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I had posted on here about 6 months ago, if some of you remember me. I'm going to make a new post because I have updated test scores and some other little information now.</p>

<p>I'll be a senior in high school this year, and I'll be applying for the class of 2014.
Sex, race - White, Male</p>

<p>PSAT - 207</p>

<p>GPA - 4.45 9-11 weighted, 3.9 unweighted, 4.625 10-11 weighted</p>

<p>SAT - 2090. CR 610, W 720, M 760. Retaking in a couple months</p>

<p>ACT - 32. English 31, Math 34, Reading 32, Science 29. Not planning on taking again.
SAT II - Chemistry: 720, Math II: 750, taking US this year</p>

<p>Class rank - 2 of over 700, not tied with anyone.</p>

<p>AP classes - European History, Statistics, Chemistry, Calculus AB/BC, Psychology, Computer Science A, US History, Environmental Science (Next year I'll also have Government, Economics, and Calculus D, which is not an AP course, and a second year of Computer Science)
Extras -
- Cofounded a Lacrosse Club that has morphed into a team recognized by both the school and the state
- CSF member for three years, will be president this year. Largest club on campus, with around 250 members. Service club.
- NHS member
- Men's choir, 4 years, president 2 years
- 1 year mock trial
- 3 years Youth & Government, received an appointed position on the governor's staff
- 4 years swim team - 2 JV 2 Varsity
- 2nd degree black belt, Taekwondo, 1st degree black belt, Hapkido. Spent about 20 hours volunteering teaching martial arts per week for a couple of years
- 4 years voluteering at YMCA Camp Oakes, serving as a leader in training
- 3 years School Site Council student representative, elected
- 2 years Peer Leaders
- Job working at a yogurt shop about 20 hours a week</p>

<p>Any extra info you need just let me know and I can post it. As of now, the colleges I strongly desire from highest to lowest are as follows:
Yale (ED)
Princeton
Stanford
Harvard
PENN
Dartmouth
UCLA
UC Berkely
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara (Safety)</p>

<p>Oh, and I AM a California resident, as that should impact decisions on the UC schools. Anyone who could post, chance me, and maybe give me some feedback/advice for applications would be helpful. I have a moderately good grip on what to do for apps, but any expertise would be helpful. :) Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>Forgot AP scores. European History 3, Statistics 4, Chemistry 4, Calculus AB/BC 5/5, Psychology 5, Computer Science A 5, US History 4</p>

3

<p>You’ll need to pull up your SATs for a chance at the Ivies… unsure about the uc’s tho</p>

4

<p>Yeah, I know my CR score was kinda bogus. I think it was partly just a fluke in that section on that day. I’ll be retaking the SATs in… October, I believe? I’m sure that score will pull up, hopefully at least into the 700s. Thanks for the response :)</p>

5

<p>nice stats…u would definitely have a chance, i’d say you should apply and see what happens</p>

6

<p>FYI, yale offers SCEA, not ED.</p>

7

<p>give it a go, ur ec’s are pretty good, stats could be improved a bit…uc’s for sure i can see happening…ivies are, for anyone, a gamble. Good luck</p>

8

<p>Mathkid95: Thanks :slight_smile: The positive words really help drive me.</p>

<p>Noreally: You’re right. I was under the impression previously that Dartmouth was SCEA and Yale was ED, but apparently Yale is SCEA. No worries; it was my only early action school anyway. Thanks for the help.</p>

9

<p>Thanks Masterchief1. Hopefully the SATs will shoot up a bit with this studying and improve my chances :)</p>

10

<p>Also, I know there are certain months that are better to take the SAT because the scores are more standardized. Is that month October?</p>

11

<p>It be October. </p>

<p>Your standardized testing scores (SAT, ACT, AP, etc) are definitely your greatest disadvantage. Your grades are definitely solid, but your ECs may be weak, considering the schools you are looking at are the most competitive in the world.</p>

12

<p>Thanks so much for the tips, sam. What should I be aiming for on my SAT? My goal was to try and shoot the CR up a hundred points or so, bringing me up to around a 2200. Hopefully that would make me competitive at Dartmouth, at least. Any more tips you have for me?</p>

13

<p>I would strongly suggest narrowing down your ECs. You only get 7 slots on the Common Apps, and it will do you good if you show focus.</p>

14

<p>For my ECs I ended up putting Peer Leaders, Citizens Scholarship Foundation, Men’s Choir, Taekwondo, Youth & Government, and Swim. Does that look like a good representation of me? Also, if anyone has any good essay tips for the Common App or any of these supplements let me know!</p>

15

<p>Dartmouth’s median SAT score is 2200. Since you’re from an overrepresented state and don’t have a hook, you want to be higher than that to be competitive. </p>

<p>Honestly, I would use the ED/SCEA at a school less competitive than Yale. Without a hook, a national level EC or a 2350, chances are remote. If you can get the 2200, I think a good strategy would be to apply to Penn ED.</p>

<p>You look good for all but the top UCs. A 2150 would make you strong at all UCs.</p>

16

<p>Thanks for the help. I’m definitely still thinking about where I want to apply early. It might end up being at UPenn. My mindset right now is to see how I feel about the CR on the SAT. If I feel like I can bump that up to equal with my writing (720) I’ll have a 2200. That will probably determine where I apply early. I THINK I can rock a 2200 at least, but we’ll see. My ACT is a little more competitive than my SAT. Will that give me any edge?</p>

17

<p>Honestly? A 720 CR will not make you competitive at any ivy except maybe some schools at Cornell. A 32 ACT for an unhooked candidate from an overrepresented state will make them very unlikely too. Determine which one you can raise the most and go for it.</p>

<p>Penn is the only ivy on your list where ED is an advantage. I would not apply ED to any of the others without higher scores because chances are you’ll be outright rejected and not have the shot RD you would have with higher scores.</p>

18

<p>Would 800/720/720 M/CR/W be at all competitive at Dartmouth/Penn?</p>

19

<p>Honestly, I think you’re pretty good for all the UCs as long as you get a higher SAT score (the higher SAT score pertains mainly to Berkeley and UCLA).
What was your UW gpa for 10-11 grade by the way?</p>

<p>As far as the ivies go you really never know, but you definitely have a shot if you raise your score to at least 2200.</p>

20

<p>lol hmom really focuses on SATs (like in all her chance posts). But i also think you have a chance if you increase your SATs. Make sure your essays are outstanding.</p>