Chances at Harvard/Yale?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello everyone, I was wondering if you guys might give me some suggestions or comments on my current stats for application. I'm interested in applying to Harvard and Yale as my reach schools. All your input will be helpful and appreciated. Thanks.</p>

<p>I'm from a rural town in Wisconsin with less than 10,000 people.</p>

<p>ACT
35 Composite
36 English
34 Math
36 Critical Reading
33 Science</p>

<p>SAT (only taken once, hopefully I can take it again if i do well enough on my SAT IIs the first time around):
2220 Composite
800 CR
690 Math
730 English (11 Essay)</p>

<p>SAT II Math I: 740</p>

<p>Studying for SAT II Math IIC, Chemistry, and Bio.</p>

<p>Schedule: (all filled with classes, no study halls)</p>

<p>Freshman: ( my school is very small so the classes may look unimpressive, but I took all of the hardest courses whenever possible)</p>

<p>English I
Biology
Geometry
World Culture
Phy Ed
Spanish II
Freshman Band
Freshman Choir
Information Processing</p>

<p>Sophomore:</p>

<p>Health
Honors American Literature
Honors Chemistry
Advanced Algebra
Honors American History
Drivers Ed
Spanish III
Concert Band
Concert Choir
Swing Choir</p>

<p>Junior:
Honors World Literature
Honors Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
Honors Advanced Organic Chemistry
Honors Advanced Biology
Precalculus
Advanced Grammar
AP Government (taking ap test senior year, will this hurt me? i didn't take because of schedule conflict)
AP Comparative government (taking AP test senior year)
Honors Spanish IV
Phy Ed
Jazz Band
Concert Band
Concert Choir
Honors Advanced Biology Student Assistant</p>

<p>Senior:</p>

<p>College English
College Speech
AP Biology
AP Spanish V
Honors Physics
Honors Anatomy and Physiology
College Calculus
Concert Band
Jazz Band
AP Psych ( if schedule allows)</p>

<p>Reagrding AP's, if my schedule absolutely does not allow enough time for me to take all the APs available, will this work against me and how do i let the colleges know this? for example, AP US history conflicts with my AP Spanish; both are only offered that one period. </p>

<p>ECs: (btw, my years of participation include this upcoming senior year, sorry if the list is kinda convlouted, i'm typing them as I think of them)</p>

<p>2 years of Wisconsin State Honors Band (1 of 18 clarinetists picked out of over 300)</p>

<p>7 1st Places at State solo and Ensemble (over past 3 years)</p>

<p>AWANA Member(Community church outreach and volunteer organization) - 12 years (2 hours a week, 40 weeks a year)</p>

<p>AWANA Leader in training - 7 years (2 hours a week, 40 weeks a year)</p>

<p>Mexico Youth Mission (10 days, 9 hours a day spent in Mexico doing humanitarian work, building and painting houses, organizing community outreaches, etc.)</p>

<p>NYLC</p>

<p>National Merit Commended, have yet to be notified if I am a semifinalist</p>

<p>2 years JV cross country (2 years Most improved JV runner)</p>

<p>4 years varsity swimming (Athlete of the month, most improved swimmer)</p>

<p>4 years varsity tennis (2nd place conference individual, conference champions as a team)</p>

<p>Assistant Organizer for the Lakeland community tennis league (6 hours a week this summer)</p>

<p>Red Cross Certified Lifeguard and Swimming Instructor (3 years)</p>

<p>National Honor Society - 2 years</p>

<p>Highway cleanup with NHS - 2 years</p>

<p>3 years Youth Districts Leadership Conference</p>

<p>Community Concert Band - 7 years (3 hours a week, 40 weeks a year)</p>

<p>Piano with state and ditrict awards - 11 years</p>

<p>Clarinet with all-state, state and district awards - 7 years</p>

<p>Shadowing in the local clinic with different doctors (40 hours a year, getting 40 more in 2008)</p>

<p>Concert band - 4 years</p>

<p>Concert choir - 3 years</p>

<p>Choir accompanist - 6 years</p>

<p>Piano offertories in church - 2 years</p>

<p>Church infant/toddler care during services - 6 years</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Lifeguarding (year round)- 4 years
Swimming Instructor (year round) - 3 years</p>

<p>Thanks for taking all the time to read through my long list. If you have any suggestions or comments, it would be very much appreciated. Thanks again for all your helpful advice.</p>

2

<p>^I hope you trim down your EC's list a little when applying.</p>

<p>Because the first thing I think is, "It's so long, how does she have time for all of it? Is she just dabbling in some things?".</p>

<p>Hopefully your essay will be on music, since you seem to be passionate about it.</p>

3

<p>What is your GPA?</p>

<p>And, if you're commended, then you are not a semifinalist.</p>

4

<p>lol are you joking you have NYLC with your ecs? I know retarded kids that got invited to that</p>

5

<p>Regarding my ecs, i realize its a bit long, but I was pretty much writing down whatever came to mind, so it's not the most streamlined or organized, sorry.</p>

<p>@ eternity goddess: which ones do you think I should take off? Many of the ones I have on there I have had many years of participation in them. THanks for your help.</p>

<p>@ses: i thought you first get notified of commended status, and then in september you get notified if you're semifinalist or not? btw my gpa is 4.0 UW, Rank 1 of 232</p>

<p>@dudemanimcool: lol, perhaps.. But i was just writing any ec that came to mind</p>

<p>Thanks for your help. Chances, anyone?</p>

6

<p>lifeguarding year round in WISC? Must have some thick skin or an indoor pool... some ECs are BS might want to take them off (NYLC, Mission Trip) you might get some points for being from rural Wisc, would've helped if you were from S. Dakota though...... too bad. Right now I would say........ hmmm, close but no cigar. maybe in at Brown or others... but no Harvard or Yale</p>

7

<p>^lol yeah its all indoor for swimming</p>

<p>"no Harvard or Yale"
which parts of my profile would you say take away my chances for harvard/yale?</p>

8

<p>Er, you NEED safeties here. I'd be worried.</p>

<p>I hate saying this, because I know you haven't gotten many opportunities at your school, but there's nothing really interesting here... >_<</p>

9

<p>Yeah i have several safeties, thanks for your concern :)</p>

10

<p>Your chances aren't bad IMO. I mean you can't really tell.</p>

11

<p>You're valedictorian, hardest courses, great test scores, great music passion</p>

<p>I'd say in everywhere honestly man.</p>

12

<p>^^ agreeee</p>

13

<p>IN at any school where your about the 75th percentile for SAT, but there's really notihng that sticks out as a "Wow" factor. Every kid who applies to harvard or yale has about a 2200 SAT and does some activities, I mean your a toss-up but certainly don't have any advantage</p>

14

<p>I feel that CC can be harsh sometimes, but it can be the truth in many cases. I had a lot of people tell me I wouldn't get into my top choice and I did. For top schools, it really is a toss up though. Especially concerning Harvard/Yale since they recieve so many top applications with stats very similar to yours. However, I feel you've done all that you can given your circumstances to put yourself in the best position you could to get into those schools. I definitely think that you're as qualified as most others who apply to those schools, but again, you never can really tell. I would just try and get the very best recommendations that you can (which helped me a lot) and try and write some killer essays. I think you have about as good a shot as you can have with admissions around 9%. Good luck!!</p>