I’m a H.S. junior right now trying to build a portfolio for an Ivy, preferably Penn or Brown. My grandfather went to Brown, making me a loose legacy.
Here’s my basic rundown, if anyone has any advice–please share it!
34 ACT (Math II, U.S.H., and Chem Subject Tests are planned for may)
4.1 gpa weighted, roughly 3.9 unweighted (my school has a strange conversion system and does not offer many AP’s)
A.P. Chem, A.P. Lang & Comp., A.P. U.S. History (senior year I plan on A.P. Bio, A.P. M.E.H., and A.P. Physics)
JV fencing & tennis as a hobby
Clubs: mock trial, president of french club, president of G.S.A., president of student council, improv, mentoring for underclassmen, career day leader, international cultures day leader, science bowl
Awards/Accomplishments: representative to the board of education (this is a very prestigious role–I was chosen for it by the headmaster), member of my town’s youth council, a piece of mine was chosen for the town beautification program and hung on banners throughout, Headmaster’s List Sophomore + Junior year, french and science honor societies
Work: I’ve been a local museum docent, a local magazine editorial intern, and most recently am holding a job at an ophthalmologist pre-testing patients before they see the doctor.
Extra: Chosen to study in France (language) and Germany (sciences) by the french and science departments, taking summer college + high school classes in French, physics, calc., critical writing, and chem.
Expected: Essays: 9/10, Why Penn/Brown: 9/10, Interview: 8/10, Letters of Rec. 9/10 (One of them will be from my boss, the doctor, who attended Penn for undergrad)
I go to a CT public school with a fairly good budget, I am white, and I am a girl. My dad went to an ivy (Columbia) and my mom went to Smith College. We have a steady income and I will not be applying for financial aid.
Other schools I am applying to/considering: Swarthmore, Smith, Barnard, Tufts, UChicago, U.V.A., and Georgetown.
Thank you so much! I am grateful for all the help I can get.
You have a great chance. Better than average I would say. But as you surely know, there are many, many qualified applicants that do not get admitted to the type of top tier schools that include Penn. It is no reflection on you or your accomplishments. Rest assured you’ve done all that you can do and you should be very proud. With those stats you will end up somewhere wonderful! Best of luck!
Your stats and EC will make you a competitive applicant at any of these schools but admission rates are low so have safeties on your list as well. UVA is not a safety since you are in CT. I would also suggest that if you have a clear favorite, apply ED to that school as it can significantly increase the acceptance rate.
UVA is definitely a reach for me, so Smith is my safety. It’s a wonderful institution and I’d be a fourth-gen legacy. In terms of a favorite though, it will likely be Penn, and I’ll definitely make that distinction when it comes time to draw up applications. Thank you so much!
@momofsenior1@suzy100 My family donated a modest amount, and my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother went there–not to name some more aunts, great-aunts, and great-great aunts. I have attended several alumni events and have been invited to personal seminars with the dean. Although Smith is my safety, I think very highly of it.
I would recommend George Washington University or BU as safeties. I am a current senior, and I have similar stats to yours and I am appling to those two as my safeties. My admissions counselor says that those are definite likely schools for me. If not those, I would try NYU, but it depends on what you want to study. GWU could be good if you want to do foreign affairs as it is in DC, but it is not Georgetown. American could work as well. Do some research on their programs, or look at similar schools. That’s my recommendation for backups.
Also, Michigan, UNC, USC, Wake Forest, and UVA are all possible schools for me, and I am also from CT. I go to a private school, but you can use me as a rough rubric for your possible/likely schools. I hope this helps! But you are a junior, and you shouldn’t be too fixated on this now. I would say wait until the spring to start compiling your list, and use the first two terms (or if you are on semesters, then the entire first semester and the first half of the second semester) to focus on your schoolwork, your extracurriculars, and creating awesome summer plans that can supplement your essays and give you great content.
@ctgirl2019 Ooh, thank you! I’ll have to explore G.W.–I’ve already looked at NYU, and I have to say that’s a pretty fantastic school. I wish you the best of luck in the college process!!
@TheMoreYouKow I am just going by what my college advisor said. Simply trying to provide some more info for this student, granted we have similar stats and are from the same state.
@ctgirl2019 and you may well have a good chance of getting in, if your stats are similar to OP’s. But you may also not get in, if adcom senses that you’re treating BU as your safety. A safety is usually a school with over 50% acceptance rate, which BU is definitely not.
I agree with other comments that your chances are decent at the schools that you listed, but you do not have a safety.
To me the most obvious safety would be your in-state public flagship. U.Mass Amherst and/or UVM also come to mind. You probably have a shot at a merit scholarship at UVM which might help a bit with finances.
@TheMoreYouKow my school also has a great connection with BU, which could also be why it’s a likely school for me. I guess I should have added that you should take that into consideration too.
