This is my first time posting here. I’m currently a junior and I would really appreciate it if you can chance me
SAT: 1510/1600 (720 reading, 790 math)
GPA: 3.95 unweighted; 4.76 weighted (basically will get 1 B this year; rest of this year most likely will be As)
8 AP classes taken so far (got a mix of 3,4,5s on the AP exams)
7 AP classes scheduled for senior year
class rank unknown right now
planning to take 2 SAT subject tests in June
I am an over-represented minority; nothing special about my upbringing (upper-middle class, public school)
Cross country and track team captain
top 10 in state for cross country
1 summer internship program @ NIH
1 summer internship program @ Johns Hopkins Hospital
School list:
Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Columbia
Chicago
Duke
Stanford
Johns Hopkins
UPenn
Dartmouth
Cornell
Brown
Northwestern
safety: my state school
Some questions I have:
Should I need to take the SAT again? I don’t know if a 1510 will cut it for a lot of the schools on my list. I feel like I can get a 1550+ if I take it in August.
I am planning to take only 2 SAT subject tests this June. Should I consider taking 3?
What should I do this summer? I have a good amount of research experience. I feel like I should do something non-research related but I don’t know what to do.
As you can see, all I do for my extracurriculars is run. However, I take it very seriously and am super passionate about it and have achieved at high levels. Will my lack of extracurriculars/honor society membership hinder me from top schools?
What are you looking to do? Based on the summer programs and the schools on the list I’m assuming it’s either BME or
something pre-med (biology, maybe?).
All of these schools take a very holistic approach to college admissions and your lack of ECs is a cause for concern. Additionally, you should probably try to get the SAT score up. Depending on what you’re good at, you could try taking a third (Assuming you’re taking Math II and Biology M? If you’re good at Chemistry, consider adding it to the list).
I’m not really sure on my chancing here as getting into these types of schools ends up as a bit of a toss-up.
Harvard - Reject
Princeton - Reject
Yale - Reject
Columbia - Reject
UChicago - WL/ Reject
Duke - WL/ Reject
Stanford - Reject
JHU - Accept/WL (Depends on if BME)
UPenn - WL/ Reject
Dartmouth - WL/ Reject
Cornell - WL/ Reject
Brown - WL/ Reject
Northwestern- WL/ Reject
State school- accept
***** Add more safeties and matches and maybe tone it down on the reaches *****
Overall your stats are good but your lack in the EC category hinders your chances for top universities. It’s not impossible though and my opinion is roughly based on the experiences of my friends and peers from my high school- very competitive with students getting hosed on college admissions left and right. So take my chances with a grain of salt.
Without ECs, the outlook is bleak; I wouldn’t really be surprised if you got rejected by all what, 14?, of them. Those top schools could easily fill their classes with students who got perfect ACTs and who have perfect grades, yet they obviously don’t. They fill their classes with kids who have depth, who have character. Find some safeties before you get heartbroken.
Disclosure: I am not an adcom. I am not an expert either.
@asianfang, given most of the schools listed are D1, except Chicago and Johns Hopkins, recruitment is needed for support; Chicago and JHU are top-10 D3 so they’ll require same.
OP, if you are not already on their radar reach out to the coaches.
Every school on your list is a reach, many of them “crapshoot reaches”. JHU and Cornell maybe a WL. If I were helping you put together a list, I’d say pick three of these schools, throw the rest out, but assume you will not get into any of those 3. Find another safety and then round out your list with 3-4 match schools. Total applications around 10. For match schools, you might look at BU, Vassar or Wesleyan. For low match/safety depending on finances, University of Scranton.
@NEPatsGirl, Given the increase in applications at Wesleyan over the last two years (increased 25% - thanks to the popularity of the Hamilton play?), I wouldn’t call Wesleyan a Match for anyone. I also think Vassar should be considered a Reach.
Thank you all for your comments! A couple of things: I’m not fast enough, time-wise, to be recruited by D1 schools for sure. For D3, I’d probably fit right into the middle of the pack on the cross country and track at Chicago or JHU. As for my lack of ECs, I really don’t know how to do more. I practice twice a day (wake up at 5am to run and then after school practice) during the school year and during the summer. Like I said, I am really passionate about running and just don’t have enough hours in a day or energy to commit towards other ECs.
I think I’m going to apply to all top 15 schools anyway just because I’ll never know if I had a shot if I didn’t apply. I’m content with going to my state school if all else fails. I’d rather go to my state school (<10k tuition per year) than shell out >40k for an out of state or private school that’s not the top 15.
Can anyone offer some insights into the 4 questions I had in my original post? Thank you!!
@asianfang
Unfortunately, I come from a very small state population-wise. Being top 10 in my state doesn’t really mean I’m good enough for D1 because I can tell you right now that I’m probably slower than the top 200 from a state like California.
Uh your SAT is right around the average for those schools. It’s good enough, but a higher score won’t hurt.
2. Two SAT subjects is enough.
3. Volunteering is always a good option
Chicago and JHU xc/track times are fast - several other top-D3 teams, such as MIT, Middlebury and Williams, are faster than many D1 teams as kids are attracted to the high level student-athlete mix. If you want to run and attend a top-25 LAC, look at the D3 xc and track rankings and then see if you are in the top-7 - that will let you know if the coaches would be interested in using a tip or slot to push you through admissions.
Q1: Yes take it again.
Q2: Yes take 3 - but score 5s
Q3: Take many practice SAT tests - at least 30
Q4: Make sure your passion for running and dedication is really written well in your application essays.
Advice: Save some money for applications by looking at the admitted profile at the schools you are interested in. D has stellar stats. 2350 SAT, 36 ACT, 4.0 gpa, 4.9 wgpa, tons of awards (national, state, local & school), loads of leadership positions. 5 on all 4 AP tests taken junior year. NMF and Presidential Scholar Invitee. Only was able to get into Columbia after applying to Harvard, Yale, & UPenn for IVY. Stanford, Pomona, Rice, USC and Amherst accepted for private out of 9 top private schools applied. UCB, UCLA and UCSD accepted for state schools (only applied to these three for state)
You will need to be in the top 5% in SAT/ACT scores. 5 on the APs you take. Have a written essays that wow AO’s and have recommendation letters that will knock their socks off. Nearly impossible or possible? Don’t want to burst your bubble but it is the new reality after going through this season’s college applications.
Hold up. 30 practice SATs? Honestly, three max. You don’t need to waste your time taking all those tests- two or three will get you acclimated to the types of questions and allow you to see where you need to improve.
There are a lot of good schools between the top 15 and a state flagship in a small population state. But your list is fine if you really are fine with attending that school. Odds are pretty good that is what will happen. And it is a lot of money & time to put into applications that likely won’t pan out. You are probably the top student in your neck of the woods, but there are thousands like you around the country.
Regarding SATs, somewhere between 3 & 30 is probably what you want. My kid with a 2380 (old test) probably did around 10 – but in small chunks of a couple sections with careful follow up on errors.
You should think hard about why ranking is so important to you. You would be a lot better off considering your academic and career goals, and what kind of environment you prefer. Then use that as a basis for your search. Park your ego and don’t worry about the brand name as much.
2 Practice SAT test every Saturday til the actual is a pain but not a problem for the driven. When most top schools drop you after first round if you have lower gpa and SAT/ACT test scores you better be on top of your game. My D took it as a challenge to get all the answers correct and did several times on the practices, she scored 2350 in one sitting. Would you like to take it once for real and know you did well or keep hoping that you will do better many times over? For most of the top schools you have to send in all your test scores. Looks really good if you take it once and is a great score or many times and it is possible you actually do worse.
D also attends a top five large public HS here in CA (550 graduating seniors this year). The school on average sends six kids to the IVY’s and four to Stanford (five this year). If your HS is not competitive and not a know HS to the AO’s at the top schools, does your application keep moving up the chain of acceptance or reject.
Life is hard…this is the first real test of adulthood and taste of real life. Either you have to prove yourself with grades, test scores and essays or you will not be getting into the top schools. Just keep in mind they choose you, you don’t choose them.
