I’m going to enter my junior year in a month, and I’m curious about where I stand when it comes to top schools. I’m a domestic applicant.
GPA:
9th- 10/10
10th- 10/10
I took the SAT as a practice, and got 2240/2400 (will retake in Oct). I got 219/240 in the PSAT as a sophomore, but will try harder this year.
Subject tests: Math 1- 780/800
Math 2: 800/800
Physics- 800/800
Will take literature and chemistry later.
Awards/ECs
- Won 4 international essay awards (1st prize and 2nd prize in all, many cash prizes)
- Won 2 national essay awards (came in press and everything)
- Winner of several other international creative writing contests
- Published in 12 international literary journals (such as Adroit Journal, etc.). Will send to highly ranked ones later.
- Writing for a national parenting magazine, few other internships pertaining to social issues and article writing
- Keep a poetry website, been writing for the last 4 years
- Various state awards for English and writing Olympiads
- Piano and singing for 11+ years, many awards, concerts and performances
- Organized a fundraiser, raised lots of funds for the cause I’m working on
- State and national spelling bee awards in freshman and sophomore year
- MUN club (2 years)
So… can you please tell me a little about my chances? And if possible, could you give me some advice about where I can improve?
Thanks for your time!
I think you have solid chances, just like everyone who applies to an ivy with an SAT score above the 2200 range.
your EC’s are really interesting so that will always be a plus. I think that you should add a few more schools as safeties just in case
You have quite a solid chance. Make sure to put yourself out there and beef up your list of colleges, because with top schools, it tends to be luck of the draw for very qualified applicants.
If possible, may you give a link of one of the int’l or nat’l writing contests you placed in (without giving away your identity)?
I’m not sure about the Adroit Journal’s reputation(the “About” page lists quite a few things that I’m not too aware of either) and to be honest am not sure too much about the significance of literary publications, but once I see the kind of essay competition that you have placed in, I’ll know if you have a boost or a huge boost on your app :), since there are more renown and less renown int’l/nat’l writing contests.
If even one of them is a well known contest and you keep your GPA/SAT scores high, I’d say you have a nice (but of course not certain) chance of getting into Princeton.
Most importantly, keep that love for writing up! It’ll serve you very well in many future endeavors 
@tenderp I can assure you that the competitions I took part in were very competitive. For the literary journals, I’m thinking of sending to Stanford Review or other well-known ones. Do you think that getting published in these would really help?
That’ll be extremely helpful in your admissions then, and seeing that you’re only going into your junior year, I’d say just do well on your PSAT (and SAT), continue doing what you’re doing, and look at schools that you would like to apply to during your senior year. Maintain as high a rigor as you can for your courses too, as colleges like to see you’ve taken the hardest classes (and done well on them) at your school.
Publications (ESPECIALLY those that have to go through peer-review) are definitely a plus to your app. Quality comes first, but keep getting those writings published (good luck with the Standford Review!).
You’ve had great success with your writing, and it seems you’re taking all the right classes and getting the scores you need. My suggestion? Do you. Maintain a positive attitude, be kind, go forward with what you have already been committed to (and if you find another activity you like, by all means participate in it), and keep working hard.
What interests you career-wise (even though you’re still a sophomore and more than half of kids in college change their majors anyways) will lead you to what colleges you should apply to and what activities to participate in.
P.S. I’m assuming 10/10 is straight A’s/4.0 UW GPA?
Edit: Agreed with @whuff24, and make sure to leave a good impression on the student body as a whole (including your teachers), as someone’s gotta write those rec letters…
Maybe you could increase your extracurricular involvement at your school bc you have a lot of awards and things going on but it doesn’t seem like you are very involved specially at school
I see… thanks @tenderp and @whuff24 ! I will be taking the full IB Diploma for junior and senior year. My previous school had very few activities and chances to prove yourself, which is why I had to resort to activities and awards outside school. But I’m going to get as involved as I can next year
I think your ECs are great, and they don’t have to be school-related.
Thanks @creedbratton !
I actually have a doubt- will taking the literature subject test and doing well make a huge difference on my app? Chem is confirmed, but I keep oscillating when it comes to lit.
Taking lit would definitely go along with your writing awards.
It’s also the test with the lowest SAT subject test average (a 680 still puts you in the 70th percentile+). It’ll reaffirm your passion for literature (as it is designed to reward those who like to read a lot and truly understand how poetry, etc. are meant to be interpreted) and if you score a 750+ put you in a really good position. Proof: https://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-subject/scores/average
You are in the range, definitely. But many applicants with your stats don’t make it in to either school. The challenge for you is to find some slightly less selective schools that you really, really like and apply there as well, for back-up. Have you considered Kenyon, for example?
Thanks @creedbratton and @tenderp ! @MidwestDad3 - I haven’t started my junior year yet, so I haven’t officially started my college search… I just know about my top choices. But yes, I do have quite a few safeties in mind.
But although the competitions are open to everyone, not many people actually participate… so I’m afraid I hyped up my achievements a little too much…
PassionatePoet, you look like a very “strong” applicant - by which I specifically mean that not only do you have the qualifications to be competitive, but you have a clear focus and record of achievement that will distinguish you from other applicants and make you stand out. That tends to get schools’ attention. Beyond that, as others have noted, there is no guarantee. Congratulations on a fine record.
A couple of thoughts:
- You have very strong SAT II subject tests in math and physics, especially for a sophomore. Are you accomplished in this area, and how does it relate to your poetry and music interests? It could make for a very interesting combination.
- Is you music important to you? It got only 1 line, but it seems like something you have put a lot of time into.
- You mention having written for a parenting magazine and also organized a community fundraiser and participated in the MUN. Do you have public/community service interests? If you do, you could potentially take your poetry/writing background and try and take it in a community service direction - maybe something like literacy - to give it yet another dimension. I would only do this if it genuinely interests and excites you, NOT just because it might look good.
- You might apply to some writing programs. Bread Loaf in Vermont (Middleburg) as a Young Writer's conference in the spring that you would be eligible for as a Junior. It's 5 days, and not incredibly expensive, depending on travel costs from your area:
http://sites.middlebury.edu/neywc/
There are strong summer writing programs as well at places like Iowa, Kenyon College, Sewanee and Reed College (Tin House), many with scholarship potential.
You have some time, and you’ve made a great start.
Thanks so much @renaissancedad ! I will definitely look into what you have recommended. About the magazine I write for- it is not exactly parenting (mostly about conveying personal views… )but one of my articles sort of related to parenting. All the same, it’s something I’ve invested a lot of time in.
I’ll look into the programs you’ve listed. I appreciate your help!