<p>I am a white male Junior at a public high school of about 1000 kids. My parents are in the top income bracket at ~$250,000/yr and up. I am ranked #2 in my class with a 4.088 GPA (W)/ 3.966 GPA (UW) and a 33 ACT (35 eng 34 math 28 read. 33 sci). I have taken 3 ACT's and have a superscore of 35 (35 eng. 34 math. 34 read. 35 sci.). Academics is my strong suit and my near perfect GPA and high ACT score are what i will heavily rely on in my applications to top colleges. I will be applying to HYPS, possibly MIT, Duke, Vanderbilt, and U of Michigan (in-state shoe in). I have 2 years of Varsity Tennis for EC's. i will have outstanding letters of Recommendation by the school's AP Biology teacher and AP Language teacher. I have gotten 5's on the AP Biology and AP Language exams. i have taken the most advanced courses my school offers and have a near perfect record besides getting a few detentions freshman and sophomore years for being a smart-ass and mocking teachers to their faces. The detentions are not on my record, however, and therefore i think them nearly irrelevant. I will have about 20 hours of tutoring to add to my application by summer's beginning. I will also be visiting Israel this summer on a mission trip (I'm 100% Jewish) and working at my parent's medical practice with patients. My EC's are lacking but i am confident my ACT score, GPA, and class rank with make up for them. As i have calculated, i have about 15-30% chance of getting into each college (HYPS). Is it realistic to believe i will get into one of these top 4 colleges in the country? or should i resign myself to the University of Michigan and not bother with these colleges?</p>
<p>Just a note: most colleges do not superscore the ACT in the way that they do the SAT.</p>
<p>The bottom line is something that is often repeated on here. These colleges get tons of applications with stellar scores, great GPAs, and fantastic recommendations. It’s your extracurricular activities that set you apart. Take this advice a grain of salt, I’m no fortune teller, nor am I an admissions counselor at one of those schools. But I’ve read enough “Chance Me!” threads to have an idea.</p>
<p>So essentially its not guaranteed but likely I will get into one of these universities? I mean I understand your point but cannot believe that all applicants are as academically qualified as me. I am confident I will get into one of them; perhaps I will update this post in a few months but I am not going to take a 15 year old’s word for gospel haha just seeing other CCers’ opinions.</p>
<p>I have to say that if you hit the lottery and end up at one of these schools, you will be amazed at the academic profiles of your classmates. Simply put, you are in the ball park, your application will certainly be reviewed because your stats are high enough to merit consideration.</p>
<p>You need to write some good essays and present yourself well. As well as create a good list of schools that will work for you, reaches to safeties. And remember, love your safety!</p>
<p>Geez, I’m a little taken back by this post. Like others have said, people get turned down with 2200+/32+'s all the time, with a 4.0 GPA and more 5’s than I care to count. That’s just the START. And I have to admit, you sound a little overconfident… and down right cocky, at least try to tone that down for college apps. You are indeed in the ballpark, but if you want a decent chance at top schools, you NEED good EC’s. Volunteer somewhere, do some research over summer, tutor… do something. Unless you have a 2400/36, 4.0, and a 5 in 15+ AP’s… stats alone won’t get you in. That’s just reality, college admission at these schools are cut throat, to say the least. Unless you have some awesome hook (1st Gen, minority, SSP/RSI/TASP), I’d start working hard on essays and EC’s. Just my 2 cents, good luck!</p>
<p>Your scores, SES and GPA mirror my son’s scores . He was # 8 and the 3rd boy. He didn’t even apply to hpys do to his lack of stellar ec’s and he had 7 ap’s -mostly 5’s and a couple of 4’s. He didn’t apply to any because he knew he had no hook. You can apply but I feel like your odds are remote, but you never know…</p>
<p>With GPA 4.0, ACT33+, good EC, and great essay, the acceptance rate to HYPS and MIT may be around 10%. You don’t have 15-30% chance to get into each of these schools. You are match for UMich though (right at the 75% admission stat). You may pick a couple of those reach schools to apply. Make sure you pick one or 2 safety schools too. Even UMich is not quite a safety for you yet.</p>
<p>I think i have reason to be confident lady haha my stats are not simply adequate but exceptional. I don’t NEED anything other than what I have EC’s would help. HYPS do not get thousands upon thousands of applicants as qualified as me, they get thousands and thousands of applicants. And your son should have applied because we have a good shot. He should not let others tell him he shouldn’t even apply because they have no idea they are simply mimicking what they have heard. DenisRS is a perfect example: no idea what is required just throwing out a worthless opinion</p>
<p>billcsho you are inaccurate simply pit. I am into U of M i am in state, a legacy, more than adequate stats, and they have a 50% admissions rating. I could get all C’s my senior year and get into U of M. Onto HYPS, nonono i have talked to admissions officers and researched online my chances. 15-30% is accurate to each of these schools. Sorry bud pulling 10% out of your assss doesnt work here</p>
<p>If you are so over-confident, you don’t need to post here for chance. LOL. Stop trolling. Go ahead and apply to all these schools and you will learn the reality. The average ACT scores for students admitted into ivy leagues are ~33. The middle 50% ACT score for H is 31-35 and for Y is 32-35. These are just the average numbers. Even at these average score, the acceptance rate is around 10%. By the way, no super scoring for most schools, so your score is practically 33. Go figure your chance.</p>
<p>ill be sure to update you ya *****h i bet i get into Yale and Princeton well see soon enough</p>
<p>I do know that teacher recommendation quality and college essay quality tend to be positively correlated with good character. So I don’t see this going well for you and I don’t feel inclined to wish you luck. :/</p>
<p>Wow msabbagh i dont have a place in this “fight” but you are being incredibly rude. If you think you have a good shot at HYPS then dont ASK this board. These people are trying to give you their honest opinions, not trying to spite you. Shape up, NO college will want you if you keep up this attitude.</p>
<p>Stop feeding the youngster! He’ll get his come-uppance!</p>
<p>You asked for the opinions. If you deem them worthless, then you have no reason to ask for them. Apply to where you want, you have a shot at all of these schools. But in no way are you guaranteed a spot in one of the aforementioned universities. With these colleges receiving upwards of 30,000 applicants, I hope that you DO believe there are thousands upon thousands of applicants with your stats. </p>
<p>My personal anecdote is this: I have a white, middle-class friend who applied to every Ivy League, MIT, Stanford, and other various prestigious institutions such as Georgetown. He had a 2360 SAT, a 4.0 UW, and he was highly respected by the math and science departments at my school. His essay was superb. I read it personally. It deeply moved our English department. He was rejected from every school he applied to, except for Cornell, Emory, and Northwestern. He was by no means weak academically. Yet his only extracurriculars consisted of Mu Alpha Theta and Science Club. He also had one research experience, I believe. Albeit, it was a minor one. </p>
<p>But as you can see, academic achievement is NOT the deciding factor. Otherwise, my friend would have been picked up in a minute by at least some of the Ivy Leagues. I suggest you undergo a reality check, and I hope you realize you will not be entitled throughout your entire life. These institutions have not obligated to accept every ostentatious student with a high score. Also, I must mention that not all of the Ivy Leagues superscore the ACT composite. Currently, your composite sits at 33 for a lot of them. This is hardly “exemplary” for a white male hoping to be admitted to the top universities in the country. It is fitting. I do not believe there is such a word as exemplary in the consideration of scores. Not at these universities, at least. </p>
<p>Is it impossible that you will be admitted to those elite institutions? No. You are within the range for accepted applicants. Is it guaranteed? No. Is it likely? No one on here can tell you for sure. Apply, and I hope you achieve the best. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>For your sake I hope you’re just a ■■■■■. You clearly haven’t done your research, and from your character, I highly doubt you will receive admission to any high end school. I’ll withdraw from this thread now, and I’ll withdraw my goodluck as well. With any luck your local community college may be generous enough to offer you admission.</p>
<p>Thirty percent chance of admission at each of four schools, assuming each school’s decision is independent of each other school’s decision, still gives you a 24% chance of no admits at all. Fifteen percent gives you a 52% chance of no admission.</p>
<p>If the OP has been reading this forum for a while, he would not call his stat “exceptional”. LOL.</p>
<p>Your stats are great! … Just like a zillion other kids with wealthy parents… So, what makes you any different ?</p>