<p>I'm considering applying early to Yale; I am positive I'm going to apply, I'm just not sure if I should apply early.</p>
<p>I have a 30 ACT (35E, 32M, 26R, 27S, 8W).</p>
<p>I am a member of 3 community service clubs (Key Club, Beta Club, and National Honor Society); I was secretary of Key Club and VP of Beta last year, and I will be president of Beta and treasurer of NHS this year. As VP of Beta, I organized our participation in the local Komen Race for the Cure, and I am doing the same this year as president. I am also a member of Future Business Leaders of America, where I've been successful at the regional level my sophomore and junior years and at the state level my sophomore year. I joined FBLA as a sophomore and I was treasurer; I was VP my junior year and I'm president my senior year. I also have to care for my brother every day after school and during the summer.</p>
<p>I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA (my school doesn't weight GPA's). My school only offers 4 AP classes, and I am taking 3 of those 4-1 my junior year, 2 my senior year. I am also taking 4 college classes (9 weeks each) my senior year. The fact that our school is on the block schedule (which has negatively impacted me) is something I and my counselor will talk about on the application. I have definitely taken advantage of the most difficult courseload offered to me.</p>
<p>I am not a great writer, but I'm going to work hard to make my essays and statements stand out, so I would rank my writing, if I try my absolute hardest, which I will, a 4 out of 5. I know for sure one of my teacher recs will be a 5 out of 5 (she says colleges have actually sent her thank-you letters for her amazing recs). The other maybe 3 or 4 out of 5.</p>
<p>Also, I am a low-income student, so that's a small plus for me. And I'm from a rural area. </p>
<p>What do you guys think? What are my chances, and should I apply early? </p>
<p>See Page 9 of Yale’s Common Data Set for 2011-2012. Your ACT score is below Yale’s 25th percentile, which means 75% of Yale’s admitted students had a better score than you. If you are not a URM, legacy applicant, developmental case or recruited athlete, Yale is definitely a ‘reach’ school for you. My suggestion would be for you to apply to a broad range of non-binding EA ‘target’ schools and then apply to Yale RD. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Well it’s not all about test scores, and the fact that you keep posting the same thing to everybody is a bit annoying. Anybody can look at stats and see how their GPA and test scores compare.</p>
<p>True, but in the CDS Y lists Standardized test scores as Very Important.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If you come here to ask for Chances, you need to be able to accept the input that members give you, whether it’s what you want to hear, whether you think it’s useful, or not. It’s up to you to use it or leave it, but you should be gracious rather than complaining.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is spot on as in the EA round, Y only accepts exceptional candidates who they would take from any applicant pool:</p>
<p>If possible retake ACT. It’s a lead weight to your application right now. Especially so for EA. Frankly, you can keep Yale as a super reach school but you should consider using your EA/ED at another, more likely school.</p>
<p>“Anybody can look at stats and see how their GPA and test scores compare.”</p>
<p>Let’s see if I can be more specific to your situation. </p>
<p>You’re correct; test scores ARE NOT everything. But in your case, your 30 ACT raises a ‘red flag’ in the admissions process – and not just at Yale. All selective colleges use a student’s ACT/SAT score as a great equalizer. With one glance, an Admissions Directors can compare your score with another student’s in Connecticut, California and China and everywhere else in the world. They also can compare (and judge) a high school’s curriculum with a student’s GPA and their ACT/SAT test score.</p>
<p>Any student with a 4.0 unweighted GPA should have a 32, 33, 34, 35, or 36 ACT. You don’t.</p>
<p>Your 30 ACT is currently out-of-sync with your 4.0 unweighted GPA. That is going to make an Admissions Director question why that is so. They might come up with three possible scenarios, none of which bode well for you: (1) will00 had a bad day when s/he took the test. (2) will00’s high school must have a really easy curriculum, as will00 has such an ultra high GPA with a 30 ACT. (3) To achieve such a high GPA, will00 must have taken the easiest curriculum possible at their high school because their ACT is a 30.</p>
<p>Applying to Yale with an out of sync GPA and ACT will most probably not result in an acceptance. So, as T26E4 said, you should try taking the ACT again, or apply to colleges in the early round where a 30 ACT is in that college’s middle fifty percent.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, you should talk to your high school’s guidance counselor or college advisor and get their opinion of your chances at all the schools you are applying to. After all, s/he knows you best.</p>
<p>I agree with gibby’s assessment. If your scores are not up to par, and your ECs are not so incredibly stellar it would be a shame for a school not to admit you, then your ACT will negatively affect you greatly. It’s one of the first things admission officers look at, and believe me, it really does count. I have rarely, if ever, met a student who isn’t URM score below 33 on the ACT or 2200 on the SAT and get into HYPS. </p>
<p>Any other kind of advice pertaining to your ECs and essays are highly subjective, and at this stage it is difficult to tell a candidate what or what not to do. All you can do is try your best, display yourself in the best way on your application, and hope that luck is with you all the way.</p>