Looking for advice on applications next year!
Want to apply to Yale Early Decision.
NAME: Rebecca
Ranking/Desire:
Yale
Upenn
Dartmouth
Desired Major: Biology/Health Sci with minor in art history
CURRENT
TYPE OF SCHOOL: private, canada
GPA: 4.0 (no weighting here in Canada), 96+ average every year of highschool; current grade: 97.5 average
SAT SCORE: took it once so far, 1590
EXTRACURRICULARS:
Academic
NBC (national biology competition): top 20 in country last year, hoping for top 5 this year and to move on to Olympiad level internationally.
NCF Envirothon (international environmental sciences competition, last year placed 7th internationally as an individual and 1st provincially and regionally; this summer high chance of placing 1st as I have more experience.)
Classics (Latin & classical provincial competition- every year since Grade 8 have placed 1st academically in the province with a 1st place award for all 3 categories, and won creative design / artwork awards as well.)
Artistic
Fashion Design & Modelling (also applying to fashion design program because this is alternate career interest; very wide ranging portfolio of 50+ design pieces I’ve self cut, sew, crafted over the years based on couture & high fashion pieces, featured in Fashion Art Toronto and right now looking at a contract with a boutique chain for provincial distribution
Competitive Dance (more of a hobby and done for fun for 3+ years)
INTERNSHIPS:
Currently ongoing Political Science internship for now 3 years at an MP’s Office, just got promoted to paid position.
Cardiology, Surgery, and radiology internships completed every summer so far
RECOMMENDATIONS: strong relationships with biology & chemistry teacher, Latin teacher, MP, & hospital chief of surgery, can get recommendations of all
IMHO this is what is going to make you stand out at Yale, or any other non-design school. When my son attended Yale, a friend of his submitted a website of her fashion creations to Admissions and was accepted. I recommend you do the same thing.
Yes, a couple teachers & counsellors told me that as well… which was a pleasant surprise! A lot of my peers & friends personally told me because it wasn’t the standard “academic” achievement and didn’t pertain specifically to med, nobody in admissions would care and I was wasting my time on a hobby…
Personally it started with no intention pertaining to a specific resume goal or anything like that,just became a huge portfolio type thing because I was super into creating clothing and it was always relaxed me. Now that I see, I’m really glad I invested in so much effort- it always makes me quite happy and I guess the best things aren’t motivated solely by “uni admissions” in the first place.
Are there any other tips in terms of marks, SAT scores, etc. you think I could improve upon for the application?
Thank you for replying, really appreciate it
You can find the percentage of admitted students who were ranked in top 10% of their graduating class, along with the 25th Percentile and 75th Percentile SAT and ACT scores on Yale’s most recent Common Data set: https://oir.yale.edu/sites/default/files/cds2016-2017.pdf.
You are a competitive candidate. Honestly nobody can tell you anything more than that. With acceptance rate of well under 10% Yale (as well as the other two schools on your list) has to turn down many many extremely well qualified candidates.
Your academic competitions are strong, especially if you can pull off IBO. I know plenty of IMO/IBO/IChO/IPhO prizewinners who were rejected by Yale, but it’s definitely good to have and does make you stand out.
Yeah, I know a couple too who were rejected and I was incredibly surprised! Just shows that it’s quite hard to get in, more and more each year
RE: IBO, I’m aiming for that as well since I’m currently only in grade 11 so I still have an year left before my application to pull it off. I was pretty close last year and my school has a tendency to be the top school for CBO & IBO qualifiers so I’m really hoping it works out
