Chances at Ivies/Elite Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Let my first state that I understand that even if I have good enough stats, I can still be rejected from these top schools because of the limited number of spots. I am sort of doing this as a rite of passage and to see if I am a competitive applicant for schools like Yale and Harvard in the first place.

Race: Indian American
School: mostly white middle class, class size roughly 320
Rank: Top 10% ( school does not rank beyond this, but I’m likely in the top 2% of my class),
GPA: unweighted: 98.8 weighted: 101.16 (regular classes out of 100, honors 102, AP 105).
Major: Political Science ( some schools applying for the Philosophy, Politics, Economics program)

Test Scores:
SAT: 1490 (780 English, 710 math, 7-5-7 essay)
ACT: 33 (superscore, 35 reading, 34 writing, 29 math, 32 science, 12 Writing).
Subject Tests: World History (800), US History (800), Math II (640, will retake).
AP:
9th: No APs allowed in school
10th grade: World History (5)
11th Grade: English Lang (5), US History (5), Statistics (4), Chemistry (3), Macroeconomics (4, self studied)
12th Grade: Physics 1, US Gov/Polics, Eng Literature, Spanish and Lang Culture, Calc AB
I’ve pretty much have had among the most rigorous course loads in my high school.

Extracurriculars:
President of Model Congress, elected President at national conference
President of Model UN
Editor in Chief of School Newspaper (focus on political editorials)
Political Economy research project with local professor
Math team( ranked top 20% in County math league)
Wind Ensemble President (also member of jazz band, orchestra, All county jazz band, section leader).
Assistant Field Organizer for local State senator reelection campaign
state senator government office internship
Paid part time job as field organizer for local Democratic Party.
On school safety committee with local DA
Sunday School teacher and Altar Assistant
President of School National Honors Society

President of School Social Studies Honors Society
Varsity Badminton Team

Awards:

Poetry published
First alternate for Boys Nation
Proclamation from the State Senate for service to the community
Silver and bronze medal, National Spanish Exam
GW Book Award.

Thanks in Advance. I’m a bit concerned about my test scores, not sure if extracurriculars are strong enough.

2

Test scores would make Ivies a reach THB.

I would consider George Washington, BU, Rochester, and those types of schools where the chances are better.

3

You are there. In the group of hard working, motivated, high achieving kids. Work on the rest of your application. Pick some safeties, and enjoy the ride.

4

Harvard and Yale are reaches for everyone. For your case, even more so. If you are interested in PPE, have you considered studying in the UK? They don’t care as much about ECs and you might have better luck. Although your scores are within the 25-75th percentile for Yale/Harvard, as a URM you’ll be expected to score near the top.

Your best chance is to apply binding ED. Agree with @hamurtle on schools where you would be very competitive.

5

Is OP an URM ?

Does “Indian American” mean “Native American” ? If not, then OP is not an URM.

6

@Publisher I am not Native American and indeed I am a ORM. Also, I was just named my high school valedictorian, if that makes any difference.

7

OP may not be ORM for poli sci. And, has some nice, related ECs But this will hinge on how you actually put your full app together- and work around some of those lower stats. Make sure you know enough about what your different targets look for.

8

There is enough in your posted data for elite private universities & colleges to accept or reject you. For example, ACT score of 33 is one composite point off of elite status of ACT composite scores of 34, 35 & 36; AP score of 3 in Chemistry along with 4s in Statistics & Microeconomics; SAT score of 1490 is very good, but not outstanding. Math II SAT subject test score of 640 is low.

On the positive side: Class Valedictorian, Editor-in-Chief: published poetry; musical instrument talent; most rigorous courseload.

My best guess is that applying ED to an elite LAC would greatly enhance your chances of admission. In order to be a competitive applicant at Ivies or other elite universities such as Duke, Northwestern, Chicago, you should consider applying under any available early admission (ED or EA or SCEA) option to demonstrate interest & committment.

As a class valedictorian who undertook the most rigorous courses with strong numbers, your best options may be large public university honors colleges.

In short, I think that you have assessed your situation accurately over concern about standardized test scores & ECs. Harvard, Yale, & Princeton are unlikely to offer admission, in my opinion.

9

“OP may not be ORM for poli sci.”

It would depend on the college, if they admit to the overall class without a school or major, OP is an ORM, places like Stanford say. If OP applies to the arts and sciences college to a place like Berkeley, may not be ORM, but I would apply thinking I’m ORM everywhere.

“I am a competitive applicant for schools like Yale and Harvard in the first place.”

OP, I’ve seen many Indian Americans here in the bay area, you’re probably not competitive against them, slightly below. Students with your profile have done better applying ED to an ivy (so not HYP) or places like Georgetown (EA), Northwestern, Chicago, flagships like Michigan as Publisher mentioned.

10

Would retaking the SAT for RD be worth it at this point?

11

Retake and scoring above 1530 would help for some colleges. Especially those who focus on scores (WashU, Vandy, UChicago). But it probably won’t tip you over the edge for Harvard/Yale.

You should be proud of your accomplishments. But getting into Harvard/Yale is difficult. Its impossible to predict how the admissions people will react. But based on what I’ve seen before, I’d say its unlikely. As others point out, you would be a strong candidate for elite LACs and other colleges in the lower half of the T20.

12

Can I just say that unless you have internationally recognized achievements (eg in acting, or athletics) admission is "unlikely " for everyone?

Ok back to the regularly scheduled discussion.

13

“internationally recognized achievements” are neither needed for, nor expected of, admission to Ivies and other Elite Schools in the US. This standard may apply in some degree to international applicants, however.

14

Agreed, @Publisher they are not needed or expected. However, without them admission must be considered “unlikely” for most applicants.

For whom is Ivy admission “likely”? To say admission is likely the applicant must have done something extraordinary.

That said, kids in the " unlikely" group absolutely do get admitted. For them, though it is not possible to predict, in the way it is possible to predict for, say, Nathan Chen.

15

Tippy tops will look at major interests. And what OP does have is field experience in the poli sci arena. It’s not common. Most kids stop at MUN or other school ECs.

And I agree UCB is tough, but the schools which look for diversity in students in majors may like an Indian background applicant.

Yes, the lower scores can hurt. But mostly that’s the math, vis a vis an econ major.

So we can’t predict. Now it hinges on his app, how well he understands his target colleges, in order to present what they want to see. The Why Us, too.

Yes, I think it’s worth trying to bring up the math scores. He may not want to mention the chem score of 3.

No, you don’t need international acclaim.

I’m assuming OP is a US citizen?

16

The obvious “unlikely” kids for a TT are those who don’t pull their apps together well. You can see this on chance threads, when they don’t have balance in ECs over 3.5 years, stretch, etc., emphasize stats and minor things. If they can’t self match, they aren’t selling.

The idea you need national or intl awards or ECs is hierarchical thinking. This is still holistic. Yes, the math is low. Yes, he needs to apply to some of the many fine LACs or other unis.

Note he’s also got EIC.

17

“Tippy tops will look at major interests. And what OP does have is field experience in the poli sci arena. It’s not common. Most kids stop at MUN or other school ECs.”

Agree the ECs are good, but the awards are light for some of the tippy tops. And the 1490/33/640 math 2, would be concerning for an Asian applicant, since these kinds of colleges expect the Asian scores to increase their averages, unless you’re a recruited athlete.

“Would retaking the SAT for RD be worth it at this point?”

This is hard to answer since you have to figure out how important taking it again is vs. focusing on other things. If you’re planning to take the sat 2 math again, then maybe you can the SATs again as well. Let’s just say that you’d be advised to take it again if were an Asian in the bay area.