Chance me for Ivy League schools?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello!

I’m a Canadian student applying to the following schools in the US: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, UPenn, Cornell, and Brown. I’m applying mainly to the Engineering and Maths.

Academics:
ranked 1/444 (tied with another student) at my school
GPA unweighted 4.0

Other Education:
WISE program at Western University (the local university) allows students to take one university course from them, I’m taking Psychology 1000, with a mark of 96%
I attempted a course from MIT (Computational Structures) and Harvard (CS50) but didn’t finish because of school workload (I left the courses with a 96% and a 100%)
94.5% Community Change in Public Health from John Hopkins (online non-credit course) (took in Grade 11)
75% Introductory Human Physiology from Duke (online non-credit course) (took in Grade 10)
Passport to Safety Diploma (nationally certified workplace safety test)

Testing:
AP Statistics 5 (we don’t offer AP tutorials at my school) and taking AP Chemistry this year as well
SAT Subject Tests Math Level II 800 and Biology M 800
SAT 2180 (Math 770, Reading 700, Writing 710) — I’m taking the test again in a few days

Employment:
Founded a tutoring agency that ultimately failed :frowning: because of competition and lack of resources
Lifeguard for private pool party
Flyer Carrier for around a year and a half

Extracurriculars:
North-East London Community Conversations Committee Applicant (I’ve participated in their Poverty Forum, which hosted guests such as Senator Art Eggleton and MPP Deb Matthews and their “Inside Scoop on East Africa” event)
Stem Cell Drive Organizer (getting volunteers, training them, working with Canadian Blood Services and Western nurses, undergrad, grad, and doctors)
Math and Science Help Organizer (been here 3 years and have 16 tutors under me) and SAT Study Group Organizer (2 years) at my school
London Swim Meet Finals Volunteer
Volunteered at Hospital for One Year
JDRF Fundraising Bookkeeper
Western Heads East Fundraising Organizer
SARI Therapeutic Riding Leader and Sidewalker
YMCA Assistant Instructor for 1–2 years
Hockey Banquet Volunteer (2–3 years)
Babysat for 2 years at local community church

Clubs:
Math Challenge at Western University
Creative Writing Club
Art Club
Science Club
Monthly Math Contests
Swim Team (2 years)

Awards/Scholarships, etc:
School-sponsored U of T Book Award and National Scholarship applicant
$2000 Entrance Scholarship University of Calgary
Grade 9, 10, and 11 Honor Roll
Highest Standing Grade 9 Geography of Canada
Highest Standing Grade 9 Principles of Mathematics (Gifted)
Highest Standing Grade 9 Science (Gifted)
Highest Standing Grade 10 Principles of Mathematics (Gifted)
Highest Standing Grade 10 Science (Gifted)
Highest Standing Grade 11 Biology
Highest Standing in Grade 11 Chemistry
Top 7% in the 2015 national Avogadro Chemistry Contest
Top 25% in the 2015 national Fermat Mathematics Contest
Top 25% in the 2014 national Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest
Top 25% in the 2014 national Cayley Math Contest
Performance with Honors in the 2014 national Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge
Top 25% and School Champion in the 2013 national Canadian Intermediate Mathematics Contest
Hamilton Health Sciences High School Bursary Award ($1500) and opportunity to work with cardiologist and researcher at PHRI for 1.5 months (helped with a bunch of clinical trials)
Shad Valley Admission and $2000 bursary that I turned down
First place London Brain Bee and Second Place 2014 Canadian National Brain Bee (test on knowledge of brain anatomy and function, research contributions, and clinical presentations of neurological disorders)
Second Place Intermediate Physics in the 2013 London District Science Fair

Others:
NLS Lifeguard Certification

Me and my family are wondering what kind of schools are my “reach” schools, and what kind I have more of a short at. I know the essays and recommendations are very important as well. However, I’d appreciate any sort of feedback. Thank you so much!

2

Other than your SAT you’re a very credible candidate at all these schools, more so at the low end. Your SAT is a little on the low side for the top schools, but not too much. Another 50 or 100 points puts you into a pretty good position.

That being said, even of very credible candidates, the overwhelming majormajority are rejected.

You will also need superlative essays and stellar letters of recommendation.

Even then, the problem becomes not having as many freshmen beds as optimally qualified candidates, especially at HYP.

But.these schools all have to admit someone, and based on what you’ve presented, that could be you.

Good luck!

3

Cut the awards and extracurriculars down to the essentials. Having taken part in a few of the same competitions (Fermat, Cayley) I can see that some of your awards are of the variety that a lot of strong students will have. Other things - like the Brain Bee - are considerably more significant, and by listing every major or minor award you’ve won since grade 9 you risk failing to highlight the ones that matter.

The same is true of extracurriculars: volunteering at the hockey banquet once a year for 3 years won’t carry the same weight as your tutoring or the Conversations Committee. Don’t dilute your strong points (and you have quite a few) with fluff.

4

Your SAT score will make these Ivies more of a reach than otherwise. I assume that you are applying to some Canadian safeties.

5

Yes, I am applying to some Canadian ones :). And yeah, my SAT score is a big weak point in my application. Thank you for all your advice so far!