I’m going to be a high school senior in about a month and I’ve been receiving college mail from top schools like Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and Yale for quite a bit now and I’d like to know if you guys think I have a shot. First off, I am a Mexican born non US-citizen coming from a low income household (<$30,000). All of these schools are obviously dream schools for anyone, including myself, but they could be my only options, as they (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, not sure about others) offer grants for low income students regardless of immigration status. So here are my stats, tell me what you think.
School Type: Suburban (mostly low-income and middle class)
Rank: 3/986
Unweighted GPA: 3.9574
Weighted GPA: 5.14
AP Classes Taken: 6 (11 by graduation)
AP Test Scores: 4,4,3,5
SAT Score: 1360 (new, equivalent to a 1920 on old SAT)
Extracurriculars:
-Student Council
-Engineering Design Course
-Advanced Architecture Course and Practicum in Architecture Course (working closely with an architecture firm, instructed by a licensed architect and graded by a jury of professional architects)
-Course in computer programming
And planning to do the following during my senior year:
-National Honor Society
-Math Club (includes tutoring students)
-Latino Club (possibly, if time allows)
As said before, I’ve been getting mail from these and other top schools for a while, so I’m assuming they see potential in me as a student. However, I don’t feel like my portfolio is strong enough to be admitted in these schools. Other than my rank and GPA, I feel like the rest could use massive improvement. With that said, what chances would you give me to make these schools? What schools should I be looking at? Should I give the ACT a shot? How could I make my extracurriculars stand out without an important position in a certain club?
Any help with these questions is highly appreciated. Thanks!
Getting mail from these schools unfortunately means nothing. It is just marketing and a way to get you to apply with a fee, of course. You have a competitive GPA but you need test scores in the 1450+ range to be a qualified applicant. All these schools are lottery schools, so a Reach for even the top applicants. If affordable, no reason not to apply, but find some schools that match your stats and that would be more realistic.
We don’t want to discourage you but please be realistic. They are sending you this info but it really means very little in terms of your particular chances. Do not personalize it. Do not think that these schools may be your only options for an affordable education- you hinted at that in your comment.
You could definitely apply to these colleges and see what happens but I would recommend that you start researching now so that you cast a wide net when applying.
My S (a high test scoring URM) also received a lot of stuff (including a thick blue magazine/catalog from Yale) from some of the Ivies- no way in heck he could have gotten in. A girl that we know (URM with average test scores) received info from Ivies too and there was absolutely no way she would have gotten in- she applied to some and it was heartbreaking for her parents see her go through so many rejections. The good thing is that these kids did fine at other schools- my S at a school that had one of the top programs in his major and the girl got accepted to a small LAC that offered her merit.
So, go ahead and look at the nice stuff then do your research.
so for your ec’s you need leadership roles so don’t do a club if you’re not in a leadership position and i would recommend taking the act again. That would make you a competitive candidate
so for your ec’s you need leadership roles so don’t do a club if you’re not in a leadership position and i would recommend taking the act again. That would make you a competitive candidate
Thanks. I am definitely not discouraged to read any of this and that’s exactly why I asked. As mentioned above, I don’t see me as a strong candidate for these, at least yet. I will do some more SAT/ACT testing and try to improve my scores. With that said, any suggestions of schools I should be looking at that could provide me grants as a non-US citizen? Also, I’m planning to do Questbridge National College Match. I already made their College Prep Scholars program, do I look like a strong candidate for a finalist?
SAT is not competitive -- try to get it up to 1450+
ECs are OK, nothing spectacular -- really try to show how they are important to you.
URM will be a bump
Your chances now are probably slim, but they are for pretty much everyone else too – these are all Reach schools. It’s impossible to know exactly how important test scores are, but a 1450+ will look better than a 1360. Or, if you want to try the ACT, shoot for a 33+.
My children were high-achieving Mexican american students who all received the same pamphlets. It’s not a sure thing since every student gets these.
If you are a non-US citizen, I would also be concerned about how you will pay for your college? You can’t fill out the FAFSA since that is for citizens and permanent residents. You are low income. The dream act covers some students but you are not in California. You’re not competitive for those elite ivies so how will you pay?
Exactly, paying for college is my biggest concern. Not eligible for federal aid, I am really trying to find colleges that will provide institutional financial aid to non-citizens. That is why Ivy League schools seem like an extremely attractive choice. Here in Texas, legislation would allow me to pay in-state tuition and I believe I could also receive financial aid from the state, so staying in-state seems like a very attractive choice. My only concern would be finding enough money, other than state aid, to attend. Based on my family’s income, a full ride is the only thing that would get me to college, so I’m currently looking for schools that could get me need-based aid and scholarships that I can apply to.
Being Mexican ,poor, and illegal will help you in today’s uber PC affirmative action reaping climate. But I’d personally feel safer with higher scores. Frankly, your ECs are trite and unremarkable. And yeah, everybody gets letters. they want you to apply to drive acceptance rates down. good luck!
OP, I think you should also consider some (relatively) less selective private schools – there are plenty of outstanding schools outside the Ivy League that give strong financial aid and that aren’t quite as hard to get into:
^ To answer the above- his magnet high school was extremely competitive and his rank was very low actually. His GPA was solid but also average. He did not take the most rigorous curriculum available also. The kids that were heading for the Ivies and Stanford/MIT from the magnet school were much better academic students. His strong points were his test scores (800CR, 700 M, 740W single sitting no prep) and his EC’s and essays (excellent writer). He had no interest in any of the Ivies. He applied to 4 schools- got into all of them and attended Carnegie Mellon Univ and had a job lined up before he graduated. It was exactly what he wanted from his education. Find the right fit- academic, social, financial.
You should add Cooper Union, They offer both engineering and Architecture, Its a very small school in NY, it is a fairly old school and they are need blind. Additionally, their tuition is currently 21k although, the school used to be free, and the administration says that they are a year or two for making the school free again. its not easy getting in they have an 8% acceptance rate though.