Chance Me on Top College Choices

Hi, I am a 15yr old female who just finished her sophomore year of high school. My mother and father emigrated from Russia and Ukraine, respectively, in the early 90’s. Russian is my first language. Neither one of my parents went to college. I would love it if you guys would rate my chances of getting into my top choice schools: Vanderbilt, Stanford, and Yale.

Test Scores:
ACT: (I have only taken it one time, plan on getting higher) 33
Have not taken SAT/SAT subject tests yet
4.0 GPA - All honors classes, my school only offers 2 AP classes, I will take both senior year.

EC’s:
-Speech and Debate (various placings at tournaments, National Qualifier)
-FBLA (1st place at Regionals, State Qualifier)
-New Student Ambassadors
-Interact Club
-Student Council
-Academic Team
-Spanish Club
-National Honor Society
-Spanish National Honor Society
-Been playing piano for 9 years (have won multiple awards, competitions, State qualifier)
-1st place at State Economic Challenge, 22nd in the nation
-1st place at Optimist Club Oratory Zone competition, 2nd at Regionals
-Will be participating in Theatre next year

Volunteering:
-12ish hours at Nursing Home
Volunteering is definitely a weak spot because a lot of places in my area require you to be 16, which I turn in a month. I plan to rack up the volunteer hours my junior year.

Your grades and test scores are on the right track, Your EC’s are pretty standard. The challenge for you is to find out how you can stand out from the crowd of kids who all have similar profiles to yours. Good luck!

Good GPA and ACT score. Make sure you get 2 good SAT subject scores (schools like Harvard wants 2, some even 3). Yeah, volunteering definitely needs to go up (try a hospital once you turn 16). What will you major in though?

Your ACT gets you in the door, but it could be useful to get a point or two higher. It’ll hurt you with your school not offering many AP classes, so you could look into taking classes at a local college or online

@FireBallsDJ I’m not sure yet. I’m either going to go down the pre-law route or major in something to help me for a future in politics.

Less ECs but achieve more success at State and National level. You already have some success at State and National level, build on this. Consider dual-credit or college classes. I know that all the guides say you will be judged relative to what your school offers but it’s common for students applying to Yale or Stanford to have completed 4 to 6 AP classes by the time they apply and 8 to 10 by the time they graduate. Demonstrating acadmic rigor will be difficult given the limitations of your high school. 33 is a very solid ACT score particularly if you took the writing section. Helps if you begin to form some idea of what you want to study or chosen career field and focus on EC’s or volunteer activities that build in that direction. Use your summers effectively. Take college courses. Volunteer to do something different and beyond what one would normally expect a high school student. It sounds as if you may have some exceptional talent. You are more attractive as a Concert Pianist with a 33 ACT and a 4.0 than you are as a 33 ACT and a 4.0. Exceptional talent is a significant differentiating factor for Stanford or Yale. Am guessing your high school does not have a strong track record of sending students to these schools. You are going to have to overcome that