Chances for Yale EA/ED

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Also applying to:
Brown
Boston U
Carnegie Mellon
Northwestern
Syracuse
Dartmouth (legacy)</p>

<p>SATI: Math:700, Verbal:790, Writing:800
Have not taken SATII's yet
Rank: 5/242
GPA: My school transitioned from GPA, letter-based grading to numerical this year. I would estimate my GPA at 4.2W, 3.7UW (A=4, A-=3.5)
Junior Year courses:
AP US History (5)
AP Music Theory (5)
English H (4 on Lang/Comp)
Physics H
French H
Pre-Calc H</p>

<p>Senior year classes:
AP Lit
AP Calc AB
AP Euro
AP French
Indep. study AP Gov't/Pol</p>

<p>School-based EC's
Junior class President
French Club President
Choir President
Selected for YMCA Conference on National Affairs at MUN Conference
Writing given State Teen Arts Award 2002 and 2003.
NHS
Student council
Every musical ensemble in school: (Brass quintet, Wind Ensemble, A Cappella Choir, Chamber Choir, Men's Barbershop Quartet, Jazz Band, Pit Orchestra, Jazz Combo, Men's Chorus, etc.)</p>

<p>NON-School based EC's
Student (Trombonist) at Pre-college division of the Juilliard School
Selected as member of honors brass quintet, awarded full scholarship '05-'06
Member of choir, performed at Alice Tully Hall with Chamber Orchestra under direction of Itzhak Perlman, performed as baritone soloist in performance of Faure's Requiem in Morse Hall
Accelerated theory track (Theory 1-6 in four years)
Solfege 1-4
Brass trio '03-'04
1 year of combined orchestra and symphony, one more year of symphony, two years of orchestra
orchestral rep includes: Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe, Stravinsky: Violin Concerto, Mahler: Symphony no. 1, etc.
Weekly study with member of NY Philharmonic
All A's except for 2 B's on transcript
Will get reccomendation from director</p>

<p>Student, Boston University Tanglewood Institute (6 weeks in summer)
Wind Ensemble, '04
Wind Ensemble, '05
Trombone Workshop, '05
A's in all sections, 10 credits total</p>

<p>I hope your replies are awe-inspiring!</p>

2

<p>You have a good shot at Yale if you apply EA, but nothing really stands out so you'll need some luck. However, I'm pretty confident you can get into the other schools</p>

3

<p>1:14, though could go up if they need a trombone.</p>

4

<p>Its Freaking Yale! What Do You Want?</p>

5

<p>Would it help to send a recording with the application, or do you think I should depend solely on Juilliard's reputation?</p>

6

<p>This is just one parent's opinion, but honestly I would not send in a
recording. In fact, I would play up your other (non-music) activities in your essays and interviews. Your 3.7 is a bit low for Yale, but won't put you out of the running if they really want you. My experience with Yalies is that they are, for the most part, a pretty well-rounded group. If you don't get in it won't be because your're not impressive enough musically (therefore the tape won't help). It will be because you don't show enough of what could be seen as intellectual curiosity or well-roundedness. Perhaps you are a passionate student and active in other ways in your school or community, but it doesn't come across in your post.</p>

7

<p>"Your 3.7 is a bit low for Yale, but won't put you out of the running if they really want you. "</p>

<p>But the question is why (based on what is posted), relative to 20 "unhooked" applicants for every place, they would really want him OTHER than the trombone? Well-rounded students, with better GPAs and equivalent SATs, and more exciting ECs, are a dime a dozen (for Yale). I'd push the music for everything it is worth.</p>

8

<p>There you go, kyr - two different takes on the same question, so you have to go with your own instincts.</p>

<p>I think playing up your leadership and verbal skills ( JR. Pres, writing awards and MUN) would round out what is already an impressive musical resume. If you don't think those things ARE strengths of yours, or somehow don't reveal your other important qualities and interests, don't do it.
I think these things make you a much stronger applicant, however, as your musical accomplishements speak for themselves, and will no doubt be reflected in your recommendations, such as your rec from your music director.</p>

9

<p>Talk to the music department. Chances are, they'll want you for at least something. Anyone that knows music knows that your accomplishments are as good a hook as any (though have you competed in any concerto/state competitions?). Your 3.7 is a little low, but if you contact the music department, you'll probably gain someone working for you from the inside.</p>

10

<p>How exactly do colleges calculate GPA? A=4.0, A-=3.5, etc? I've seen different systems for different colleges. Anyhow, I do have a lot more to put on my actual application; this was more of a quick post. I starred in (and developed) a french club performance of a Moliere's le Bourgeois Gentilhomme for an elementary-school educational presentation, I write a monthly column for a local paper, I'm Vice-President of the Gay-Straight Alliance, etc. I do worry about my academics, though, and the fact that, on paper, my school is a rather lackluster institution. (In reality, it's a rather socially divided dual-district school with a byzantine send-recieve relationship that basically throws together poor urban students with rich suburban ones). </p>

<p>Another question: my legacy at Dartmouth is through my grandfather. Does that count for anything at all?</p>