Chances for Ivy League schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey, I am a junior who wants to study pre-Med and French literature. I just wanted to know what my chances of getting into an Ivy League school were. I moved to the US from Ethiopia 5 months ago so my case might be somewhat different. I went to a French School (lycee) so that kind of sets me apart. So, here are my stats:
SAT: 1480
SATII: French with listening (800)
ACT:32
GPA (unweighted): 4.0
No APs this year, but next year I will take calculus AB, AP Chemistry, AP gov, AP Human Geography and AP French. (I didn’t really know how the AP program worked when I first moved here that’s why I didn’t take any AP classes)
I have some awards like the international French language dictation competition (4th in east Africa and 12th in Africa), 2nd in Eastern Africa in an international French mathlete competition and a regional chess champion. I am also participating in the American national French contest (I hope I will win).
For ECs : I was class president, founder and president of a charitable club, president and founder of the chess club, vice-president of the astronomy club and other small stuff at my previous school. Now, I managed to be part of the science Olympiad team , quiz bowl team, 6 honor societies and president of the history honor society. The only sport I play is soccer.
For summer programs, I did lots of volunteering back home and even an internship at a hospital and this year I am attending the Virginia Governor’s school medical program at VCU.
Oh yes and I was top of my class back home and now I think I am at least in the top ten percent because you don’t get to go the Virginia governor’s school program unless you are at least in the top ten percent of the class.

Sorry for the long post guys! Thanks

2

The French Listening with a 800 is very good. The other french related activities are also very good. However, unless you are majoring in French, I don’t think its going to boost you to ivy league.

now I think I am at least in the top ten percent

Unless you are top 1-2%, you will have no chance at ivies. You SAT is pretty average for Ivy and ACT is a tad bit low, so you will need to make it up with GPA.

3

Yes, I am thinking of doing a double major and for the SAT, I am will take it again next month, but I think that if I get into the 1500s, that would suffice. Yes you are right I know that I need to get into the top 1-2% but I think it’s kind of hard seeing that I only have this year to do so. Besides I think they will understand, wouldn’t they? I mean I can’t not be fully considered as an American student.
P.S: I also did a three month research project with an expert entomologist and played with an international chess master( if that helps)

4

“Unless you are top 1-2%, you will have no chance at ivies.”

I completely disagree with that. Of course, you do need to have a competitive GPA to get into an Ivy. But, you stated that your UW GPA is a 4.0 which is already impressive in itself. Also, you say that you were #1 in your class in Ethiopia, which is an incredible hook considering that you chose to come to America and were obviously very successful back home (everyone who applies to Ivies is a near-perfect student – you have something unique about you which will help as long as you expand on it).

This year, I would suggest talking to your teachers about AP exams in a few courses and asking if you can still take them despite not being in the class. If you can take them and do well, that would be an excellent way to demonstrate your situation as well as your intelligence (even if you don’t take them, I am sure that schools would understand as long as, once again, you explain your situation). Next year, certainly take rigorous courses like the ones you mentioned.

Your EC’s are pretty impressive. Think about how you can improve them in America, and how you can have a different impact because you have a very different background. That said, they are already excellent, and they show how you took advantage of your limited opportunities. (It would be helpful to know your situation in Ethiopia – were you in a poor community, were options very limited, did teachers not care, etc.)

If you can improve your ACT score just slightly (you still have time), that would help. Otherwise, I’d say you are in a pretty good situation for getting into top schools. No matter what do not get your eyes set on solely Ivies. You should look at a bunch of other great schools, too, despite their ranking, and find schools which work for you and which are more likely going to accept you. That said, you do have a chance at some Ivies (HYP is unlikely in my opinion, but you can never know), and I, personally, would focus on three that have the programs you want and that appeal most to you.

5

Thank you so much cc8912 and RMNiMiTZ. Well, like you mentioned I had very little opportunities back home. I do come from a well to do family(in Ethiopian standards) however now my situation is kind of different (changing countries is pretty tough). And for the AP exams, I am certainty going to take AP French and maybe AP US History. Like you said, I am also hoping to get into Johns Hopkins and schools like UCLA and UC Berkeley. However my dream school is Columbia. So, can you please tell me why I cannot get into schools like Columbia. I mean, I know it is VERY VERY competitive but if I can increase my ACT score by two or three points, wouldn’t that be enough. I am saying this because I know some students who got into schools like the ones you mentioned with SAT scores that are around 1500 and no considerable achievements. I know that I haven’t won the intel or Siemens award but I am still quite different (Ethiopian with an extensive background in French and chess). Please give me any advice on how to have a better application.
Thank you so much for your help!!!

6

You certainly have an excellent chance at many of the Ivies. The reason why I said what I did is simply because you shouldn’t get set on attending an Ivy. No matter what your stats are, it is always difficult to say. I think you have a good chance of getting into Columbia, especially if you apply ED, but also consider other schools and realize that getting into an Ivy isn’t the only option. I am still convincing myself of this (I am a junior and in the same situation as you), but you can always be hopeful :). I wish you the best of luck!

7

Thanks again, I wish you the best of luck too.