<p>just finished junoir year at a small private school in MA. ok so first test scores
PSAT
CR:78
M:72
W:71
221 total and the NMSQT sent me a letter to choose 2 colleges to send this to.</p>
<p>APs
Spanish Lang: 4 (soph year, rest are junior year)
Calc AB: 5
Eng Lit: 5
Chem: 5
USH: 4
so I will be an AP Scholar with Distinction</p>
<p>Freshman year was pass/fail, sophmore year As and Bs at a small rigorous private school and junior year one A- three B+ and one B all in the hardest possible classes (they don;t really give As). the B was in chemistry, and I showed that I've pretty much mastered it (5 AP 770 sat II). the school has a reputaion of grading hard, plus my headmaster will send a letter to colleges and the headmaster goes to colleges and explains that the teachers grad hard. there is no class ranking (only 30 something kids in my grade), but they send graphs of what grade you got and what everyone else in that class got.</p>
<p>I have a double legacy to harvard, no other real hook. my ecs are ok, science clubs and things, did science olympiad, took the AMC, sports all 3 years, will be a captain next year. I went to JHU summer program summer of freshman year. taught ESL to latin american immigrants for 3 years and i've worked the same lab for 3 years and i'm going to do an intel science porject and hopefully finish as a semifinalist. </p>
<p>so what are my chances at:
harvard
MIT
standford
columbia
cornell
upenn
princeton
brown
duke
emory
uchicago
wash u in stl
amherst
haverford
carleton
nyu</p>
<p>I realize that I have quite a few top schools there, but I was wondering what kind of chances you guys thought I would have at some of the good schools. could someone suggest some safety schools for me that are good in sciences? research university preferred for the sciences. I realize that nyu is the only semireach there, but I'm trying to think of reaches now.</p>
<p>Without a hook, it is difficuly, if not impossible, to predict the outcome of any applicant in the nations finest universities. I know this is the answer that any CCer hates to hear, but it is true. </p>
<p>But a 2280 is above the sat average at most of those schools, although not sky-high for any. </p>
<p>I have a similar GPA problem. My school grades first of all on a number system, so it is difficult to calculate my exact GPA, and some teachers r extremely tought. But one way to tacke this problem is to write about your victory in your struggle with your school's rigorous academic system.</p>
<p>I dont know if a double legacy will ensure your acceptance to even the nation's finest schools, although it will definately help if
1. You were put on the waiting list (they'd accept you over other people)
2. It's between accepting you and your statistical twin who doesnt have a double legacy.</p>
<p>So dont try to get your hopes up with this "double legacy." Ignore it, and try to get in without it.</p>
<p>yeah when I visited harvard I asked the admissions person about what legacy really means there and she said that the dean of admissions personally reads all legacy candidates' essays. I'm pretty sure mathwiz is right about the other parts too.</p>
<p>"Without a hook, it is difficuly, if not impossible, to predict the outcome of any applicant in the nations finest universities."</p>
<p>Did you read his post?</p>
<ol>
<li>Double legacy</li>
<li>Teaches English to Latin American immigrants</li>
<li>Works in some sort of science lab.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you are into the sciences, and focus on that in your application...and if you are doing well compared to the other kids in your class (since they grade hard or whatnot)...I'd say you have a good chance at Harvard if you apply EA.</p>
<p>This doesn't garuantee anything, but you definitely have some major characteristics that make you stand out -- like having attended this prep school in the first place.</p>
<p>Just out of curiousity...what are the matriculations like at your school?</p>
<p>most people in my school get into good colleges and universities. I think quite a few could get into ivies and such, but some people at my school choose LACs over larger universities.</p>
<p>also, does the labwork count as a hook? I'm certainly planning on writing an essay about it because it has been a great experience and the labwork has been at a very high level. I was also included in an author on one of the papers because I contributed research to one of the projects and that paper might be published in nature. we'll see.</p>
<p>to mathwiz, I'm jewish, but I don't think that counts lol. does anybody know or have a link to a website that talks about what different colleges do with AP scores in the admissions process, ie. do they care if I'm an ap scholar w/distinction etc.?</p>
<p>confused_post
I did read that part of the post. But at the ivy league level, that isnt really considered a "hook." A hook is like writing a book in high school, winning a national compitition or scoring high on an international compitition, or raising $1,000,000 for medical research.</p>
<p>
[quote]
What exactly is "the hook"? Well, it's a unique characteristic that sets you apart from the other applicants. The hook is what makes your application jump off the pile. It could be a personal attribute, like your ethnic heritage, or it might be an unusual hobby or job. The key to the hook is that it's a little different, something that makes the admissions committee remember your application. Some examples of possible hooks include:</p>
<pre><code>* personal achievements: Did you start a radio station at your school?
* special talent: Are you a chef?
* geographical diversity: Did you grow up in Alaska?
* extra-curricular activities: Do you play the bassoon?
* ethnic heritage & socio- economic background: Are you a Pacific Islander, or the first person in your family to go to college?
* leadership qualities: Did you run your school's chapter of Amnesty International?
* athletic talent: Are you a champion speed skater?
* legacy: Did your parents or grandparents attend the school?
</code></pre>
<p>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The topic creator has several hooks and has a much higher chance than the normal applicant.</p>
<p>what does urm mean? and I'm definitely going to get a letter from my lab supervisor, but what about a letter from my supervisor at the ESL place? I will write essays about both.</p>
<p>While many definitions of a hook exist, the one I am talking about is not the one that can just spice up your application process, but rather one that seperates you from the crowd of applicants - why you are in some sense "better" than them. Playing an instrument, for example, is barely a hook unless you are like the youngest in a professional orchestra. And a legacy, in at least my opinion, never is a hook because it can never singlehandedly accept a slightly below average applicant. First you need superb stats. But with an amazing hook, you can get in an ivy with a 2050 on your sats or taking no aps.</p>
<p>so could someone give me chances on other schools? I was more curious about how I am as a candidate w/out the legacy at schools like stanford, columbia, upenn, emory, amherst and bowdoin?</p>
<p>I put my grades in a gpa calculator and I have
3.32 uw/ 4.12 w junior year
sophmore year was worse,
3.08 uw/ 3.88 w
but there is an upwards trend. like I said, this is at a rigorous small private high school and colleges realize that the classes are extremely tough. teachers don't give As for full year grades.</p>