Chance Me RD (I'll chance back!)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>I realize that this is all very theoretical, but I’d love to know what you think--- VERY MUCH SO. Will return the favor. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>I'm not really sure if I have the numbers to apply, and I really like other schools, so, we will see. Additionally, if you can think of any schools that would be a good fit for me, please share. </p>

<p>Academic Interests: History and International Law. Writing/debating/activism/publications are my hobbies. Applying with first choice majors as History and East Asian Studies. Intended career in international law.</p>

<p>SAT: 2110 (730 crit. reading, 580 math, 800 writing). Definitely retaking, looking for around 2250-2330 (took it in October, am 95% sure I got 700+ in math and a higher score on reading)
SAT II’s: 800 US History, 730 World History, 730 Biology. May also take Literature and Latin
ACT: Am not taking
GPA: 97/100
Rank: 1st decile
Essays: Should be very good. Writing is probably my strongest ability.</p>

<p>AP’s: Art History (5), US Gov (5), US History (5), Biology (5), Environmental Science (5), European History, English Literature, Statistics, Comp Gov, Calculus AB. (Note: took US gov class summer before 10th grade at JSA, independent study environmental science, taking calc AB online course summer before senior year, will independent study comp gov). Am taking college-credit courses in Spanish and Latin.</p>

<p>EC’s/Service (Do my interests/commitment to public service come across here? Should I attach a resume or student activity profile to go along with the common app because I know I can’t list all of these?):
-Student Government (9-12)- Class Secretary (9-11), Site-Based Council Rep (12)</p>

<h2>-Student Activities Council (12)- Founder and President (12)</h2>

<p>-Representative to a school anti-bullying task force (11, 12)
-Representative on publicity committee and pilot student for my school’s senior options program (doing a project on international affairs second semester)
-Superintendent’s Board (12)
-Student Ambassador (12)
-I coordinate my school’s blood drives (11-12)
-I started a used school supply drive (10-12)
-Model UN (9-12)- Undersecretary (10), Fundraising Coordinator (11,12), Won a few awards
-Literary Magazine (9-12)- Business Editor (10), Layout Editor (11), Editor-In-Chief (12)
-Young Democrats (9-12)- Chief of Staff (10-12)
-STAND (anti-genocide) (9-12)- Education Coordinator (10, 11), President (12). Held a national educational coordinator position this past year within the organization (created materials for and educated thousands of university and high school students), Currently am a national blogger for the organization’s Web Site
-Newspaper (11-12)- News Editor (12)
-Congressional Debate (10-12)- Captain of Speech and Debate team (12), Founder of Congressional Debate at my school, 2x state qualifier with regional awards
-Theater Troupe (9-12)- Worked on playbills, set design, and directed a short play
-Second Theater Troupe (9-12)- Work to create productions for elementary school kids (it’s community service, I suppose). I also did the playbill for this.
-Intern (Summer2010- Winter 2010/Summer 2011)- Organization called WE (NGO focused on creating global partnerships between organizations. My function was student outreach)
-NY State Science Honor Society (10-12)
-National Honor Society (11-12)
-National Spanish Honor Society (11-12)
-National Latin Honor Society (12)</p>

<p>Awards:
-High Honor Roll for all of high school
-National Latin exam gold (11), silver (9,10)
-National Spanish exam bronze (11)
-Honor Diploma JSA Summer School
-Model UN/Debate Awards
-St. Michael College Book Award (for extracurricular achievement)
-National Merit Commended Student
-National Forensic League Degree of Honor
-AP Scholar with Distinction</p>

<p>Teacher Recs: Great. English teacher (9th and 11th grade, advisor to the literary magazine), Latin teacher (10th, 11th, and 12th grade), Principal (who adores me) will be quoted in my counselor's letter</p>

<p>Hook (if any): None</p>

<p>Concerns: Mediocre math student (trying to make up with it taking 2 math AP tests, doing very well in those classes), Senior schedule is less challenging than it could be because of scheduling (explained in my letter), Received a few B+ grades, I work incredibly hard in EC’s even when it isn’t my “job” to do so (ie: I’m in a “lower position”); is there a way to convey the high level of effort/initiative without sounding cocky?) </p>

<p>State or Country: New Jersey (just outside of NYC)
School Type: Highly rated/affluent public; Class size ~220
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female</p>

2

<p>I wish I was more qualified to give you advice or an accurate chances of getting in. Your SAT is pretty low for Yale. Obviously the good news is that you can retake it,as you plan on doing. Also you scored high in two of the three components, scoring low in an area likely to be outside of the majority of your studies at Yale. Simply put your aptitudes seem coincide with your field of interest. The extracurricular activities you listed, while quiet large, are focused to a degree. At the end of the day, you are a human. It is my belief that Yale understands this and does not require everyone to score very high on every area, nor have active involvement in every single academic discipline. I highly suggest putting adequate time into studying for your revenge on the math portion of the SAT, which seems to be the only real weakness in your application. If you can improve your math up to 700+, I think your chances of getting into Yale is certainly feasible. I wouldn’t attempt to give you a mathematical percentage, which is inherently flawed because students with perfect scores have been rejected and students with 2200s have been accepted. I wish I could help out more, but I am simply unqualified. I posted a “chance me” on this Yale forum. If you wish to read and comment, by all means do so. At the very least it will raise and eyebrow or two in astonishment.</p>