Chance Me: Harvard, Dartmouth, Georgetown

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, I am a senior considering applying to 2 ivies, but my scores are HORRIBLE. Would you please chance me for Harvard (lol), Dartmouth, and Georgetown? Also, I know that all of these schools are pretty much out of my reach, so I would also really appreciate any recommendations for high reaches, mid reaches, and safeties/low reaches.

GPA: UW 4.0 W 4.4 I think: I don’t really know how to calculate weighted on a 5.0 scale. My school does not use 5.0.

Ranking: top 10%, possibly top 5% I think I am 16/~400.

Sat: 1420/1600 M 660 (D: Yikes) W 780 R 720 Essay 6 7 6 Registered and practicing for the October series

Sat 2: Haven’t taken because I hadn’t considered applying to any top schools until last semester! *I plan on taking U.S. History, Physics, and Math 2 in November. I score highest on the practice tests for those subjects. *

AP: Human Geography (4) U.S. History (no score: couldn’t pay and I’d used all fee waivers). Due to family commitments I ONLY take dual enrollment or online AP courses. I am an honors student (full time, sophomore) at my local state school.

Hooks: URM (AA), Low Income >50,000, girl interested in astrophysics?, extenuating circumstances/family commitment?, full-time honors Uni student, almost first gen? (Is this a thing? Will they care?) My parents very recently finished college, but I’ve been first-gen for most of my high school/college (DE-State Uni) experience.

Junior Schedule:

First Semester:
DE American Government
DE Intro to Psychology
DE Intro to World Philosophy
DE English Composition I
DE Survey of U.S. History I
Honors Accelerated Pre-Calc AB (online)

Second Semester:
DE Solar System Astronomy (Honors Contract)
DE History of Modern European Art
DE English Composition II
Honors Accelerated Pre-Calc AB (online)

Senior Schedule:

First Semester:
DE Stellar and Galactic Astronomy (Honors Contract)
DE Stellar and Galactic Astronomy Lab
DE Stellar and Galactic Astronomy Research (Honors Contract)
DE American Literature II
AP Calculus AB A (Online)
AP Physics I (Online)

Second Semester:
DE Topics in Astrophysics
DE Intro to Discrete Math
DE Linear Algebra (Possibly, I am awaiting approval :D)
DE British Literature I
DE Computing for Engineers
AP Calculus AB B (Online)

Awards: Questbridge College Prep Scholar, Competed in philosophy for MIT Inspire last year will compete again this year in philosophy of physics (proposing a very theoretical idea for virtual time travel), Various school wide awards (Uni’s Deans List, A honor roll, science fair, etc.)

Extracurricular:
-Family Commitment: I am the eldest of 4, and my youngest sister has severe non-verbal autism. As my parents recently graduated college (last year) and are now starting their first careers, I take on most of the responsibility of caring for my sister. I am writing my first essay on the various initiatives/sacrifices I have (happily) had to make for her. Most of my time goes here. This is why decided to do early college and online. Only having two lectures a week, I am able to remain at home the other 3.
-Currently researching a high energy X-ray binary system: Cygnus X1 (may be published)
-Assisted 2 profs from the Harvard CFA write a Hubble Space Telescope proposal to view Cygnus X2
-Minor research in psych: Behavior correction for children with severe non-verbal autism. (will not published)
-HOSA (only 9,10)
-Drama Club/Courses (10 to current)
-NHS
-State Uni’s Honors Program
-Astronomy Club
-Rotaract Club
-Assisting 2 autistic twins research in astronomy
-Graphic and web design: Small school/uni-wide projects, one state wide, and I’ve designed a few info graphics for the NASA JPL. I would like to add these to my application under supplementary material.

Community Service:
-Alot through my University’s Honors Program
-Initiative: Register new voters on my Uni’s campus and the surrounding community. Generally Speaking, the community is low income, young, and African American. So, unfortunately, many voices here do not reach a ballot. I visited political science classes in the spring and gave short presentations about the importance of voting and then registered
the interested to vote.
-Summer volunteer at a local primary school and their community library.
-Rotaract Club: Organizes several leadership conferences each year. Last year we helped make hundreds of WAPIs (Water Pasteurization Indicators) for donation to a somewhat well known charity.

Thanks in advance!

2

I am sorry, I just realized how unnecessarily long this is!

3

If you get your SAT score up, you will be the most qualified person I have ever seen, your ECs are amazing.

4

Reading other threads, I pretty much get the gist for Harvard chances: nearly impossible for everyone. So, perhaps just Dartmouth and Georgetown.

5

Really? Thank you so much for the reply! I will definitely getting them up, I am practicing 3 hours a day! :slight_smile:

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Also, If I got in, I would be the first person from my high school (public) to get in to Harvard. Two people have went to the ivy league though.

7

When did you take your SAT?

8

June 4 sorry!

9

Harvard is a reach for everyone except the daughter of POTUS. A 1420 on the new SAT is low for elite schools.

10

I took the act the summer after 9th grade for early college, but I only got a 21.

11

Confused as new SAT started in March and you seem to have provided old SAT scores (which also don’t add to the score you provided). Thought perhaps you tested young?

12

Thank you for your response! Yes, I am trying to raise it.

13

ClarinetDad16: I was given these scores, but I see many people average reading and writing. For me that would be a 760.

14

So, 760 W 660 M

15

@studyingtosave How ???
How were you given 3 scores on the new SAT ?

16

I don’t want to post my screenshot for privacy, but there are 3 test scores: reading, writing, and math and 2 section scores (this is what it seems like everyone on cc uses). Originally, I gave the three test scores not the two section scores. Here is the link: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/understanding-scores/structure

17

I wasn’t given three sub scores, just three test scores.

18

No, you do not average CR and W. And W matters much less. But the kicker for a tippy top may be the M 660, which may be seen as low for astrophysics. Do you have any grades yet for this semester’s classes? Let’s hope the DE are all A. Maybe you add an LoR from one of those profs, talking abut your industry and intellectual qualities, plus, of course, your good nature.

At some colleges, intentionally, you might be seen as first gen, because your parents’ degrees were recent. That’s going to be a casual conversion of the usual standards and depend on how much they like the rest of your app/supp package. Be careful your family resps don’t come across as hindering a move away to college. You might consider putting those in Addl Info (basically, just explaining why online) and using the main essay to show the attributes the targets want to see.

You’ll be an interesting applicant. A lot will hinge on the pool of others from your area and just how you come across in the app/supp. So, know your targets well, what they like.

19

Thank you for your response! Yes, I know it’s really low, this was my first time taking the SAT I wasn’t at all familiar with the test. Sorry, for the confusion with the test scores everyone. Yes, I have received all As I college with the exception of an 87 in World Philosophy, but I receive 10 points weight for those courses so it is a 97 on my transcript.