Chances at an Ivy?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm about to be a senior and I'm looking for where to apply with my credentials. I'd love an Ivy, but Im not sure how possible that is.. so here we go: </p>

<p>SAT -- 720/720/710 m/v/w (Im gonna take 'em again in October, but who knows how well that will turn out..)</p>

<p>SAT II -- US hist 790 </p>

<p>-- Literature 770 (Im gonna take math level 2, also)</p>

<p>ACT - 32 </p>

<p>1st in an unknown public school class of ~550. </p>

<p>4.0 unweighted, 5.84 weighted.
all A's in the most demanding courseload offered.</p>

<p>ECs- </p>

<p>Class Treasurer (9-12) </p>

<p>NHS 11, 12(VP) </p>

<p>Beta 11, 12(Sec) </p>

<p>Mu Alpha Theta 9,10, (11-12VP) </p>

<p>Future Tailgaters of America (the best club ever!) 11,12(Serg. Arms) </p>

<p>Interact 10,11(Treas)12(Pres) </p>

<p>Softball 9,10,11,12(Cap) </p>

<p>JV Volleyball 9,10-11(Cap) </p>

<p>Var Volley 12 </p>

<p>about 175 hrs of community service. </p>

<p>3 passing AP's so far with 4 next year (block schelduling) </p>

<p>Id have kickass rec's from everyone, including our principal, cause hes in love with me. I'd probably be the best interview ever, cause Im so friggin fun and I'm National Merit Commended right now, but I should be Finalist (225, florida). Im Portuguese and Cape Verdean (which should count as african, but somehow doesnt!) if those mean anything. and i'm undecided on everything, which i know sucks, but i just cant figure my life out! </p>

<p>so, gimme some ideas here.. and how far of a reach is harvard on Early Action?</p>

2

<p>I've always held that otherwise good applicants shoot themselves in the foot and don't get admitted, rather than admissions offices rejecting them (the applicants) because lack of qualitifications. With your stats, you should be competitive in most of the schools of the top schools. It's also really cool that your from Cape Verde, of all places! But a potential problem might very well be all the leadership positions that you hold. Don't get me wrong, if there is ONE thing the best schools look far, it's future leaders of America. But how one manages to hold eight simultaneous leadership positions at once is beyond me. In my experiences (and very likely the admissions officials you will be attempting to woo), students who have held HALF that amount of high level positions have done a half-assed job in each and every one of them. It's not a matter of quantity, but quality. I think it's nice that your principal is willing to write a recommendation for you, but it'd be EXTREMELY more helpful to get double-extracurricular advisor recommendations than, say, a principal&teacher recommendation. Why? Because principals and teachers probably know a lot about you inside and outside the classroom, but unless you work closely with them beyond the curriculum, then they are susceptible to hype (for lack of a better word) that other students, other teachers have bestowed upon you. The extracurriculars may very well work to your benefit if you have several of your advisors comment on how dedicated you are to the club, devoting more time than any other board member. If, at this point, you think this is unfeasible, then my theory about "too many leaderships positions=no good" is correct, and your chances at the schools that you've mentioned drastically falls. I wish you all the best.</p>

<p>TTG</p>

3

<p>I actually had planned on doing that...
My AP Physics and Physics Honors teacher is the NHS sponsor.
And my Mu Alpha Theta sponsor has taught me in about 4 classes, one of them AP...so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. Or 4 with two..</p>

<p>..and I don't do a half-assed job, I swear...I just don't have a life.. And the beautiful thing about all my clubs is that they revolve around my schedule..every club meets on a different day so none of them really conflict.</p>

<p>And Im really looking for a way to organize my EC's (if i even can organize them differently!) so that it looks like Im dedicated to something...even though I don't have a passion.</p>

4

<p>That's great news! I hope everything works out for ya, you seem to be a very strong candidate. I think Harvard Early Action would be a great idea, because you're the type of person that they can either (1) extremely love; (2) leave a lukewarm feeling (let's hope it the former). If you become a Crimson, you're realistic chance would be through EA when applicants with "lower statistics" (yikes!) get through. You should look into a lot of other colleges besides the brand-name universities; there's plenty of time, yet. I'm sure there are a ton of quality colleges out there who'd be dying to have an applicant like yourself. Best of luck,</p>

<p>TTG</p>

5

<p>I know my stats aren't great, but I'll make 'em love me, don't worry.
Thanks for your help and luck!</p>

6

<p>Your stats are great, don't worry</p>

7

<p>They're pretty much at the bottom of the harvard range, if they even make it at all. And my SAT I's are pretty crappy.
All my other stuff is the best I could do, but SATs are pretty important.</p>

8

<p>While SAT's do play a role in your admissions, remember that it's just a score, displaying how you performed at this one snapshot of a time. Like you're EC's, grades, and recommendations/essays, it's simply another part of your application.</p>

<p>I would say you have great stats, but I must agree with what TTG says, which is a common mistake by students. You get a LOT of EC's under your belt, thinking its a good thing, while it actually tends to be looked at negatively. One or two things that you go really in-depth in, and let me tell you RIGHT NOW, that by no means is a leadership position an "in-depth." It shows you came to meetings and did what they asked for a lengthy amount of time, made friends, got voted, and boom, you're the president/captain/EIC. That's simply a title. You have to DO something to uphold that title, do something with it. It's like saying, you have power, now use it! Leave a legacy behind in your school.</p>

<p>Good Luck, and stop worrying so much about test scores. Work on those essays!</p>

9

<p>WOW Not are you only qualified you are also black AND hispanic LOL Don't take that badly, I'm saying you can use it to your advantage</p>

10

<p>I don't think they actually count it... I put it under "other", but Im not sure if i qualify for African American scholarships and whatnot..but Im working on it. Im trying to play the "rare breed" angle..cause then colleges will just have to take me. :-)</p>

11

<p>Moni,
the thing that comes through in your post is a high level of energy - which is good for the insanely competitive schools. Have you thought about Brown?</p>

12

<p>I think there's too many genius Asians there... not that there aren't at Harvard, but Harvard just always seemed the right amount of snob for me.
For some reason, I think Brown is more of a definite "No" than Harvard...</p>

<p>...and I love you for picking up on my energy!</p>

13

<p>Have you visited both H and B?</p>

14

<p>I visited Harvard because a couple of my mom's friends work there..they are rocket scientists or some such nonsense. But I haven't seen Brown.. I probably should, huh?</p>

15

<p>Yes! Please visit. Its really hard to judge a school on (virtual) paper.</p>

16

<p>Any other suggestions on where to visit... My family is taking one last Moni College visit Trip and we want to hit a couple.. So, Brown, probably Georgetown, columbia, NYU...and anywhere else?</p>

17

<p>I like Columbia/Barnard and NYU. If you visit G'tn, also check out GWU so that you are looking at match/reaches and match/safeties at the same time. I don't know if you like LAC's, but Vasser, Bowdoin and Smith might be lively enough for you, or maybe the west coast LAC's (if you can squeeze in two trips).</p>

18

<p>Hmmm..I dont really like liberal things. So that might be a no-go.
but Thanks!</p>

19

<p>Hum, if you prefer more politically conservative schools, Dartmouth might suite you better than Brown.</p>

20

<p>You're hispanic/black? I would've said you won't get into Harvard but your race puts this into a whole new perspective. I'd say that's your strongest advantage because you're grade is nothing special at Harvard and your SAT score is below average.</p>