Chances at Yale, UPenn, Dartmouth, Brown

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I know I'm a reach for Yale, but I think I have a chance at the University of Pennsylvania, and I'd be over the moon if I got in. </p>

<p>White female, public school in New York</p>

<p>Rank: 1/578 for all four years of high school
**GPA<a href="unweighted">/b</a>:
9th - 99 (5 honors classes)
10th - 98 (5 honors classes -I skipped ahead a year in French this year and took the state exam early)
11th - 97 (4 AP classes, 3 honors classes)
12 - not sure, 7 AP classes, I have an A in all of them except Calc BC, where I have a B- (eep)</p>

<p>**SAT I<a href="I%20took%20this%20once">/b</a> 2260
**SAT IIs<a href="I%20know%20these%20suck,%20I%20took%20them%20long%20after%20I%20took%20the%20classes%20and%20had%20forgotten%20everything,%20are%20they%20terribly%20important?%20I%20just%20think%20it's%20a%20waste%20of%20time%20to%20study%20for%20standardized%20tests.">/b</a>
French 590
Matt II 670
Physics 660
US History 680</p>

<p>AP Exams
Psych 5
US History 5
English Comp 5
Physics B 3</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars
Varsity Winter Track & Field for two years
Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, staff member for 4 years
Secretary of the Tri-M Music Honors Society for two years
Member of the Brookhaven Youth Court for four years (community service kind of thing)
Leadership board for Brookhaven Youth Court for two years
Select Chorus for two years
All-County Choir
Science summer research at Stony Brook University- Simons Fellowship (I didn't enter my work in any competitions, though)
Brain Bee (neuroscience competition) for two years, never placed, though
There's a lot more, but I think those are the important (and most time consuming) ones.</p>

<p>Other stuff
National Merit Semifinalist (probably a finalist, I got a 2310 on my PSAT).
I've won tons of awards at my high school- do they care about those, or only awards on a larger level?
My essays are pretty kick ass, if I do say so myself. I wouldn't really change them even if someone asked me to.
My teacher recommendation letters (from an english teacher and a physics teacher) are very good as well.</p>

<p>So yeah, this is my list of schools, I'm mostly concerned with the top 3:
1. Yale
2. University of Pennsylvania
3. Dartmouth
4. Brown
5. Tufts
6. Georgetown (I applied to their school of foreign service, not expecting to get in)
7. Boston University
8. Amherst College
9. Boston College
10. Middlebury
11. Binghamton (safety)</p>

<p>I had two interviews for Yale, which is pretty cool- a student interview and an alumni interview. The alumni actually went to my high school- I have no idea how he got in, we haven't sent anyone to a HPY school (as you guys call 'em) in a long while. I had a Georgetown interview, too, but I'm not even sure I want to go there, I'd just be impressed with myself if I did.</p>

2

<p>Yale is a huge reach, but I think you have a good shot for Penn and Dartmouth. Brown are Georgetown decent chance. Good chance at Tufts, Middlebury, Amherst, definitely In at the rest.</p>

<p>You have a great shot at all of them, and I would love to be picking from the colleges you'll be picking from come April.</p>

<p>If you get a chance, maybe respond to my thread? :D it's on the first page, and a little lonely reply-wise.</p>

<p>One more thing, be sure to report that 5 on the USH test to colleges. It will help your SAT II score.</p>

3

<p>Yeah, I self-reported all my AP scores- there's no other way to report them, right?</p>

4

<p>Honestly, the Sat IIs were huge. I think if you had done a tiny bit better on each, like 720 on each, and that one AP, you would have had a solid shot at Yale. But IMO its half luck, Yale is my top choice too, but im a soph. Good Luck, I hope I see you in Yale in a few years lol</p>

5

<p>Why is Yale a huge stretch for her? I think she has a decent shot. The SAT IIs are weaker than her other stuff, yeah, but she can take them again.</p>

<p>I think you're a competitive applicant for all of them. After all, Yale is pretty much just luck.</p>

6

<p>I never said it was a stretch for her. Id say like 60% Yale, which is much better than the % i think i have. Id say i have 30%. But hey, this is life, just take a chance and you could come out the winner. You think about it, lots of stuff gives you fewer odds than 60%... id take those percentages anyday. And anyone is a cometetive applicant if they excel at something. Best of Luck</p>

7

<p>Oh, and my parents didn't go to college. Will that help or hurt me (aside from the obvious fact that I'm not a legacy)?</p>

<p>Even I know Yale is a huge stretch, based on what else I've read on this site. But I'm really, really hoping for UPenn. They have this incredible dept that I've read a ton about and all the professors there seem so personable and interesting. I cannot wait these fifty-something days!</p>

8

<p>Bump!</p>

<p>I'm still curious about whether my parents not attenting college would help or hurt me, if anyone could answer that.</p>

9

<ol>
<li>Yale - Big reach</li>
<li>University of Pennsylvania - Reach</li>
<li>Dartmouth - Reach</li>
<li>Brown - Reach</li>
<li>Tufts - Slight Reach</li>
<li>Georgetown (I applied to their school of foreign service, not expecting to get in) - Reach</li>
<li>Boston University - Low Match</li>
<li>Amherst College - Reach</li>
<li>Boston College - Match</li>
<li>Middlebury - Slight Reach</li>
<li><p>Binghamton (safety) - Safety</p></li>
<li><p>The fact that your parents didn't go to college will be a bit of a help, but not that much.</p></li>
<li><p>The SAT 2 scores are going to hurt you at all the Ivies. </p></li>
<li><p>Of the Ivies, UPenn is your best shot. They love Valedictorians there. But, your SAT2 scores, as I said above, are going to hurt you. On the other hand, being a National Merit Semi-Finalist should help. Put your chance there at around 35%. Better than average, but not a sure shot. At all the other Ivies, figure a 10% chance at best.</p></li>
</ol>

10

<p>You seem like a smart guy--retake those SAT II's even if you think it is a waste of time.</p>

11

<p>Aw, thanks (I'm a girl, by the way). Unfortunately, it's too late for me to retake them- the last scores they'll accept are January ones, right? I probably should've retaken them. Humbug.</p>

12

<p>Bump!</p>

<p>I'm now a National Merit Finalist, but my senior year grades suck (as in, mostly As, A-, and a B- in Calc, but I'm taking the hardest possible course schedule- 7 AP classes).</p>

<p>I had two interviews for Yale, one for Georgetown and one for Brown. My high school doesn't send a whole lot of people to Ivies, except Cornell (we're in NY).</p>

<p>So what do you think?... I'm so tired of waiting.</p>

13

<p>I loved BU and you will too. </p>

<p>Just kiddding, but I did love BU. Good luck with the others; you're going to be fine at any of those schools and i'm guessing that there is no chance that you won't get into 3 or more of them. so enjoy what you get!</p>

14

<p>I wouldn't put any school out of the running for you with that class rank. I still think unofficially 5's on AP's might mitigate lower SAT2's, no one knows for sure.</p>

<p>The problem with a school like Yale, and you know this, is if you're an average applicant (meaning top everything) you still have less than a 10% chance. If your essay was amazing maybe that'll put you over the top. Being 1 of 576 is pretty amazing. Even if Yale doesn't work I think you'll do fine overall, and you'll know in just a couple weeks.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

15

<p>1 of 576, that's freakin awesome!</p>

<p>I'm from Long Island too.</p>

<p>Just keeping it real, Yale seems like a reach, although I definitely think you deserve to apply to a top Ivy (Yale), plus a bunch of other amazing schools.</p>

<p>Good luckkk.</p>

16

<p>ive never known any kids who got over 750 on more than 2 sat 2's and ive known lots who've gone on to ivy leagues, and most admissions counselors dont care except maybe those 5 top schools this board was basically made for, i think ur assessment of yale is good, not necessarily bc of ur sat 2's, but bc they look for hs superstars whose applications are a step above the rest of the world, but upenn, dartmouth, and brown admit students like u at a high rate, so id say in at 2 out of those 3 and at the least 1.</p>

17

<p>Aw. You made my day. I hope the admissions officers at Brown or Penn agree with you (I still kinda think Dartmouth is a little out of my league).</p>

<p>About two weeks left, still with my Ivy dreams. Oy vey. I got into my safety, anyway! So at least I'm going somewhere.</p>

18

<p>12 more days! Freaking out! Praying for Penn!</p>