Chances at Yale, Brown, Dartmouth??

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! I’m a rising senior and looking at applying to top colleges (alongside targets and safeties) and wanted to know what my chances are at Yale, Brown, and Dartmouth. I want to do SCEA to Yale, but I’m really not sure if I have a shot, and if I would be wasting the ED advantage to Brown or Dartmouth.

Background:

Hispanic (Mexican) but I put my race as white because I’m not necessarily native, Male, First-generation student
Currently living in Southern California

Stats:

GPA: 3.95 UW, 4.45 W (also my middle school grades (4 B’s) are included since I took high school level math and spanish)
Class rank: 10/563 (top 2%)
Courseload/Exam Scores: IB Diploma Candidate. IB Econ SL: 5, IB Environmental Systems and Societies: 7, AP World History: 4, AP Spanish Lang: 5, AP Chem and AP Human Geography: 3 (should I submit my 3’s??) Senior year I will be testing HL Spanish, HL Bio, HL English, HL Math, and AP US History. All 7 classes junior year were IB/AP.
SAT Subject tests: none
SAT/ACT: haven’t taken it yet, but my practice tests are around 1480, hoping to get it up.

Extracurriculars:

Speech and Debate: (4 years)
Historian, Treasurer (fund raised $5,000), Secretary (officer for 3 years), qualified to the California State Champ tournament in Policy Debate. Organize after-school practices, am in charge of around 5 mentees every year and help them write speeches and cases. Went to a debate camp for Parliamentary debate and won the tournament undefeated, I have a few other titles but probably wouldn’t include them. Around 15 hours a week (although sometimes like 40 because of travel tournaments).

Varsity/Club Swim: (4 / 11 years?)
No leadership position, but I’ve been swimming for around 11 years. I quit club swim my freshman year to focus on speech and debate, but stayed in Varsity at my school. In club swim, I competed at the Junior Olympics in 100 breaststroke in 2016. (Also, I need help here. How do I tell colleges that I competed in club swim? Do I put it on my activity section as a different activity?) 10 Hours a week, around 12 weeks a year

Sharp Chula Vista Hospital Volunteer: (3 years)
Volunteer weekly at the gift shop. I am also a Junior Leader, so I conduct new volunteer interviews, train new accepted volunteers, and organize orientations. Around 4-5 hours every week.

TEDX Club: (3 years)
Prepare a yearly official TEDX conference at our school. Was a founding member (started sophomore year), Vice President and finance coordinator 10th/11th. President 12th. Around 2 hours a week

Aquarium Club: (2 years)
Founder, President 11th/12th. I raise money and purchase aquariums for the elementary school I went to, teachers on our campus, and lecture club members on the science and art behind how aquariums work. I also talk about environmental conservation with elementary school students and club members.

Summer Program: Junior Lifeguards (4 years)
4 Summers - the first year, I was a participant, and 9th/10th/11th I was a lifeguard Aide. I taught kids from ages 8-16 about ocean currents, a lot about the beach, guided and encouraged them through intense workouts, and helped set up mock rescues. I also shadowed and worked with a real lifeguard, doing real rescues alongside other lifeguards and aides. 40 Hours a week for 4 weeks.

Summer Program: Youth4Climate (1 year)
I did this free camp this summer, and we basically raised awareness on social media about environmental issues, grew plants in our backyard, and had conversations about social, political, and economic factors in environmental issues.

Awards: I’m not really sure what to put here, but I won the best student in Integrated Math 2 and Spanish Speakers 3/4 at my school across all classes 10th grade. Probably won’t include. DEFINITELY will include though: Al Gore’s Salk Institute of Arts and Sciences climate crisis conference question contest winner (the conference was really fun!). Does IB diploma candidate go here?

Essay:
My common app is about my aquariums. I LOVE fish, and describe my experience moving from Tijuana, Mexico to California. I explain that I spent a lot of time inside because it was an entirely new culture, language, and environment and my mom was always really scared to let us out of her sight. So I took many English classes, and on my free time researched EVERYTHING there is to know about aquarium fish. We were low income, so I had to improvise on ways to get aquariums for really cheap - and ended up on craigslist viewing used aquariums or going to pet stores and asking if they had any used or old equipment they could give me. I ended up with 4 tanks almost entirely for free. Then talk about spreading my love of fish to my community at school and elementary schools, and transition into my environmental activism. After attending al gore’s climate crisis conference, I was inspired to make changes in my community. I live a more sustainable life, encourage others to do so, use my voice in speech and debate to advocate for but also criticize environmental policy, and spread awareness of these issues. I like my essay, and there’s definitely room for improvement, but I think I can get it hammered down pretty good in the next few weeks.

Letters of rec:
Environmental Systems and Societies Teacher (who was the only other person allowed to go with me to Al Gore’s Conference), I got a 7 on the IB test, an A+, and really enjoyed it.
English/Speech and Debate Advisor: known him for 4 years now as my debate advisor, and working with him closely as an officer on the team. He’s also my english teacher this upcoming year. But, he’s worked with SO many amazing students (he has like 6 Harvard pennants in his class, and many other top schools - he literally ran out of wall space, he’s pinning the pennants down on the ceiling now), so I’m not sure if I’l be in his “top 5% or 1% of students he’s ever worked with”. Heard he write really good letters though.
Counselor: I know her well, but not as closely as my two teachers. Our district is ridiculously corrupt and underfunded, 60 million dollars in debt. They recently fired 200+ staff across the district to “balance their budget”. She has 500+ students instead of the recommended 200 per counselor, so I’m just hoping for the best and giving her all the information I want on the letter. (anyone have any advice on what to tell her?)

Given all of that, should I apply to Yale SCEA, or should I not risk it and apply ED to Brown? I would say my order of favorites is 1) Yale, 2) Brown, 3) Dartmouth. Thank you so much if you got through all of this!!

2

I would say your chances are on the low side. Expand your college search.

3

Ouch :frowning: So do you think I should just apply to Brown ED?

4

All three schools are very competitive and reaches for everyone. You should ED to your first choice. If that’s Yale, go for it. You are in the ballpark with your stats and ECs and they are test optional this year.

Not sure why you wouldn’t say you are Hispanic if that’s how you identify.

5

Well, scores are optional this year, which is good because you are on the lower side. I don’t see anything that makes me go “You have a strong chance”, but I’ve had more than one counselor tell me that sometimes strange things can get you into colleges. I’d apply, choose the one you like most or think you have the best chance at for ED, but don’t count on anything. Always worth a shot, though. I’m wondering why these schools though, becauses there might be better options for you and your ED.

6

They are all going to be reaches for you and most people. Without a SAT score it will be hard to chance you. I say work on your essay and make it more unique, the theme of the essay sounds fine but try to focus more on the topic than being “low income” etc… If Yale is your first choice then apply there EA.

7

momofsenior1, thanks for your reply! I definitely will be applying to matches and safeties. I also am putting Hispanic, but hispanic isn’t a race on the common app so I have to put white as my race even though I really don’t identify as white, and not native american because I’m not in an enrolled tribe. I appreciate your optimism of “being in the ballpark” after getting a little beat up by other comments! But I realize that I really do have only a small shot at getting into any of them… Thanks everyone!

8

You dont include ms grades in gpa. If they show on the transcript, ok. But check that calculation for 9-12 and let us know.

At any rate, you’re nearly a 4.0. No idea why posters dismiss that, your rank, and IB You’re also nicely activated. That essay could work. You took isolation, turned it to some subject specialty, and now share that.

Look at the application. Hispanic is a separate issue from first gen. If that’s your legit background and identity, go for it.

What major? Enviro? I would not advise reporting the 3 scores.

You can diplomatically ask your LoR writers how they may portray you, your strengths. Emphasis on hard work, dogged problem solving and other good things, as well as likeability, top the bland “good guy, comes to class with homework done” and/or some rehash of ECs.

9

There is a prompt for Hispanic in the Common App which then leads to a further drop down to indicate the geography of origin. This is in the Demographics section. This will be to your advantage. First Gen (meaning parents did not go to college) is also a hook these days. I’d say go for Yale SCEA if that is your first choice. Just make sure you have match and safeties.

10

lookingforward and BKSquared thank you! Yes, neither of my parents went to college and are from Mexico. I also would be planning on environmental science and/or international relations (I talk about the Tijuana River that extends across into the US, and how that’s an issue that affects both countries, but isn’t being solved for because of various political/economic reasons, and am already heavily acquainted with international relations through my policy, lincoln-douglass, and parliamentary debate experience). Thank you for the advice on the 3s and letters of rec. Will definitely take that advice. My GPA 9-12 is 4.6 W and 3.97 UW, so hopefully they wont count my 2 classes from middle school that were for high school credit, although maybe it shows somewhat of an upward trend since I started with a lot of B’s? I’ll just hope for the best :slight_smile:

11

Don’t worry about ms. They won’t fault you at that young age. You have a lot going for you. Now the challenge is just to pull it together in the app. The more you understand what makes each of those colleges tick, their self identities, the better you can make app decisions. Look at their unique programs or approaches, the ability to combine studies or branch out.

These schools can like depth and breadth. You seem to show that in the activities.

They’ll all be rigorous, once there, and peers will generally be high level, raise the classroom bar somewhat. So teacher LoRs that show your abilities/their confidence are helpful. I think it’s appropriate to try for all 3, in whatever ED/RD choice. Just a feeling that comes through from your words here.

Never any guarantees. Have the right safeties. But have fun with this, go for it.

And try to stay within the fed student loan debt limits. Trust us, that 27k is tough enough to pay back. Best to you.

12

Honestly your ECs look great and consistent (the theme of aquatic life) and you seem really passionate about what you want to study. You definitely have a chance at top schools but might be better to put your race as Hispanic (statistically)!

13

It would be foolish not to put your race down as Mexican if you are legally allowed to. I don’t mean to be harsh but it’s unlikely you will get into these schools otherwise given your stats and extracurriculars.

14

I would focus on in-state universities, and make sure you expand out to a good variety of affordable target and safety schools. Aside from the ivy leagues on the list, even students with near perfect grades routinely get rejected from Berkeley and UCLA, as well as several other UCs.

15

You have a great story. Yale is always quite unpredictable. But being at the top 2% of your class is not too shabby. You would definitely get a serious look by Brown. The ED application will also give you some added boost.

Whatever you choose for the early round, make sure you have a solid plan for ED2.

16

I’m actually shocked at some of these responses OR students at my D21 school are VERY VERY lucky!! We live in California. Consistently we have girls getting into most of the Ivy’s plus UCLA (10 one year) and Cal (6 same year) and these are students who actually matriculate so probably more was accepted. So obviously they were NOT all in the top 2% and not all rock stars. I highly suggest just being realistic for one, and no matter what go for it if that is what YOU want. You don’t apply, answer WILL be no. The only thing I will agree with is that they are all reaches for EVERYONE and not because of your profile from what I’m seeing.