Stats: 32 ACT (11 essay) 1490 SAT (24 in essay) (planning to retake both in Sept and October)
SAT subject (taking math 2 and chem this Saturday)
GPA: 4.75 (out of 5.0)
Rank: 1
Award: my weakest part–just 2. One from school (GPA 4.0 and higher throughout high school) and AP scholar w distinction
EC: 1. School advanced string orchestra (all 4 yrs)- Concert master (since 10th) Ever since I took leadership, we’ve been getting the highest ranking in local festivals and got ourselves into Carnegie Hall. We are playing there this April!! So excited
2. NHS: president, 3 yrs
3. CSF: Vice president, 3 yrs
4. All county orchestra: 4 yrs, second chair
5. All city Orchestra: 4 yrs, second chair
6. Claremont Youth Symphony: 4 yrs, 3rd chair
7. School beginning orchestra: Advisor since 10th
8. School SAT/world history/calc tutor: since 10th
AP classes: APWH(5), AP Calc AB (5), AP lang (5), APUSH (4), APES (4), Ap music theory (3), AP chem (3)
Currently taking 4 more AP classes
community based org and college access programs: 1. Scripps College Academy; participated in their 6 months science research team and all the regular stuffs for their scholars.
2. Questbridge CPS
Social class: Very very low income (incredibly low, like barely 6K per year)
Special condition: adopted child in the family of 6. Battled scoliosis since 5th grade. Depression since 7th, currently on meds
Please chance me for ivy league schools!!
I think that it is worth sending in an application to at least some of the Ivy League schools. The Ivy League schools been need blind will help you, and your stats are great. You should of course think about which of the 8 schools make the most sense for you. They of course are reaches so you need to consider other schools as well.
For you to have been in the orchestra for the full four years of high school of course must mean that you were playing well before high school. This shows the ability to stick with something that you like but which requires a lot of dedication and practice. The fact that the string orchestra as a whole did well when you were concert master is also very good. Leadership is NOT about bossing people around. Leadership is about helping and making other people better so that the overall team does well.
Depression is very common. The fact that you have been on medications for a long time and have this stable is good.
Good luck and best wishes. I do hope that you can find a good university which will offer you are great financial aid plan.
With regard to awards, I think these may qualify:
- All county orchestra: 4 yrs, second chair
- All city Orchestra: 4 yrs, second chair
- Claremont Youth Symphony: 4 yrs, 3rd chair
Also, stay away from references to depression. Good luck to you!
You have a solid record of achievement, but that class ranking is your ace in the hole. A number of elite schools love to pack their entering classes with valedictorians.
Of course, your chances for admission to an Ivy will increase if you are able to raise your ACT score when you retake. However, don’t let the test prep draw you away from devoting yourself to your ongoing schoolwork. That #1 ranking is worth working hard to maintain!
As an adoptee to a family of six with an income <$6K/year, and battling scoliosis half your life to end up where you are, I already want to read your college essay!!
First, can you post your unweighted GPA (out of 4.0)? Schools like ivies never look at weighted GPA because each school does it differently.
In terms of chances, I think you have a pretty good chance of getting into the ivies through the QuestBridge program. I seen people with inferior stats get into ivy level schools through QuestBridge. I would increase your test scores though.