I’m just here to see what yall think. I shall take what you guys say with mild consideration. Right now, I’m trying to decide between Duke, Princeton, and Stanford for early decision/action.
Colleges I attend to apply to (in order of “prestige IMO”): Stanford, Princeton, Duke, Brown, Vandy, Berkely, Tufts, Cornell, Pomona, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Uni. of Wyoming, Uni. of Hawaii, Uni. of Tampa
SAT 1: (1540) (790 Math/750 R/W) (Took two times, got 1500 twice)
ACT: Not taking
Sat II: Math II: (likely 800) Physics (hopefully 800) I’m taking them this August.
GPA: (96.3 UW) (98.42 W)
Class Rank: 2/75
Curriculum: My school only has one ap that I take this year. But we have college course through our local CC. As a Junior, I took College Chinese 101&102, College Calculus 1, College U.S. History 101&102. I’ve taken all the hard classes at my school and even caused our school to add a new course…College Calc 2. I will continue to take all the hardest available classes.
Extracurriculars:
1 Jv/ 2 Varsity years of baseball
3 varsity years wrestling (came in 4th/hopefully ill do better this year)
3 Jv years of soccer
Vocal Ensemble(our schools’ select choir) and Whistling(really good at it)
Boys State
NHS (Chaired the schools’ blood drive)
Volunteered with Autistic Children for most my 9th and 10th grade summers
Visit my grandmother for 5 hours every weekend
(Going to intern at chiropractics and should I include that I will be working out a lot)
I have a strong voice, but my writing isn’t the most beautiful but it still works.
Want to be a physics major or something involving the environment.
I believe my grades can still improve following this year.
Thanks for your time!!
Your stats are fine, but your ECs are sorta lacking because they are spread out across many fields. The most selective schools, like Stanford, tend to favor applicants with a clear focus and theme running through the application. However, that’s not to say that it is impossible. There are ways to package your application that’ll increase your chances drastically if you can convince the reader that all your activities tie in around a common theme.
It depends on which college YOU want to be at. ED is almost always a binding process, so if you get into a school ED you have to go to that specific school. So, it’s not solely a matter of prestige but also where you want to be. Want to go to Stanford? Apply ED.
And I would say otherwise your chances are the same as any other qualified applicant for any uni with low acceptance rate. Although you can get in, these schools say they reject perfectly qualified applicants all the time.
“Well, she’s 102 years old and its a long family commitment every weekend. Does that change the perspective a little bit?”
My personal opinion is that listing that you visit your elderly relative as an EC on a college app makes you look like a bit of an entitled jerk because visiting family is generally viewed as part of the family social contract. Ie - your family raised you and if that means you spend some time visiting with the people who put in the work to raise you, that’s just something you do, not something special or “extra”. If you were spending 20-30 hours a week with caregiving - bathing, feeding, dressing - or on taking over heavy duty house or business maintenance - milking the cows on the family farm, re-roofing her house - then that might be noteworthy because of the level of effort or time involved. But simply visiting with your grandma makes you a decent human being and good grandson, it’s not an EC.
Again, just my personal opinion and reaction to it, though. Others may feel it’s special and noteworthy.
Your creds are solid but I agree with the others - visiting with family shouldn’t be listed as an EC. You might weave it into your essay - commitment to family, what you have learned from your grandmother, etc.
Your list of colleges to apply to is long - 14? Do you have any safeties? I would recommend ranking them and make sure you have some reach schools along with some safety schools.
Working out a lot and visiting families are not ECs.
I agree with the others that your ECs are your weak link. I’m also confused about your comment about you took the SAT twice and got a 1500 both times. Is the 1540 a super score? If so, some of the schools on your list don’t super score.
You have a very reach heavy list. Be sure that you like your match and safeties as the odds aren’t great for anyone at your top choices.
Of your three possible ED schools, Duke has the highest ED acceptance rate at 24%. Although, I don’t believe Standford releases ED acceptance rates but their overall acceptance rate is much lower. Be sure you know for sure it’s where you would be happiest attending!
Well, as to EC’s. I’m in a rather poor region of upstate NY where there aren’t many available activities and such. I’m sure the admission officers will account for my region.
The most important factors are 1. Are you academically qualified to go (depends on school (3.8+/32+ for most top schools, but the higher the GPA/scores the better) 2. Are you hooked (athlete/URM/FG/legacy in that order, multiples would be super hooked) 3. If not 2 then do you have anything that sets you apart (National competition placed/won, unique abilities/EC). If you don’t have 2 or 3 than forget about SCEA/REA at HYPS, give yourself the best shot by EDing somewhere.
I do know one person who didn’t have 2 or 3 above but made it in. She was deferred SCEA, admitted RD. Stats 35/4.0UW/4.5W/state champion in her sport although not a recruited athlete, plus numerous other ECs. You can see that just with this sample size of one how difficult it is to get in on the SCEA round.
