Comparing 2 Students: Who has a better shot at the Ivy League?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm really curious to see how you guys chance these two. They are both overachievers, and they are both really good friends of mine. (Sorry this is sooo long.) Both are aiming for the Ivies as well as NYU and Wellesley. They have both attended the same public, new school for the past two years in Las Vegas, NV and are huge CC fans.</p>

<p>Person 1: GPA: 4.8 (weighted), 4.0 (unweighted) (we have a 4.8 cap)
Person 2: GPA: 4.8 (weighted), 3.9 (unweighted)</p>

<p>Person 1: Class Rank: 1 out of 447
Person 2: Class Rank: 2 out of 447 (based on all classes taken)</p>

<p>Person 1:
Courses: By the end of her high school career- 13 APs, 12 Honors
Languages: fluent in English as well as Farsi; Took AP Spanish and is learning Conversational French
Background: Lower class family, Caucasian female- parents moved to the U.S from Afghanistan, and was born in Seattle
Major: looking into mainly journalism, also English, economics, and international relations
- PSAT (Junior year) : 193
- AP exams: World History: 4
- 3 time academic letter recipient
- 3 years in Key Club
2 years as Secretary
1 year as Vice President
- 2 years in NHS
1 year as Secretary
- 2 years on the newspaper staff
Online Editor for 1 year
Online and Copy Editor for next year
Won Las Vegas Review-Journal Awards Honorable Mention
- 1 year Internship with Las Vegas Review Journal
She wrote for the R-Generation section
- 2 years Forensics
Various State and Local Awards Won
- Part of Stage Crew in 2 school plays
- Steady part-time job at Barnes and Noble for 1 year
- Steady Volunteer Work since the 7th grade
- 1 Summer spent in a 'Trial By Peers' workshop
- Spending this summer working, volunteering at local library, and checking out colleges</p>

<p>Person 2:
Courses: 11 Aps, 10 Honors
Languages: Fluent in English; Knows German and is taking German AP
Background: Upper Middle Class family, Caucasian female- family history includes mainly German, Italian, English blood and she was born in New York
Major: looking into Law, possibly International Relations or International Law
PSAT (junior year) : 184
- AP exams: World History: 3
- 3 time academic letter recipient
- 2 years in Key Club
1 year as Sergeant at Arms
- 1 years in NHS
- Dance Team for 2 years
- Ski Club for 3 years
- She has been playing violin for 7 years
Has been in Orchestra for the past 5 years and has been in first chair for the past 2
- Has entered and won many beauty pageants (she used to model)
Placed in the finals at a statewide pageant in Reno
- People to People Student Ambassador
Went to Fiji and Australia, lived with local tribes, and went to school with locals
- Spent 1 summer at Princeton University taking an AP government class
- Spending this summer in Germany with our schoolmates and German teacher</p>

<hr>

<p>As you can probably tell, the second is much more outgoing and travels a lot more. The first person is a huge pop culture freak. The second girl has lacked continuity in her ECs (she was in Key Club in 10th and 12th grade; Dance team 9th and 10th, NHS only 12th), but she is involved in many more activities. Both are sweet girls, and I wanna know what ya'll think.</p>

2

<p>They seem very comparable, but the 2nd one is slightly more unique.</p>

3

<p>This is a pretty hard question to answer. They both seem like great students. It may just come down to the admission committee's idea of what is more importat for their student body. </p>

<p>And who's to say that both can't wind up in the Ivies?</p>

<p>BTW, are these girls sophomores, juniors?</p>

4

<p>They are Juniors. I agree with both of you that they are really similar. However, I did forget to mention that the first girl is most likely going to be a Commended student in the National Merit Competition thingy.</p>

5

<p>does their school offer only 1 ap?</p>

6

<p>Their PSATs are both low-really low for having all those APs and Honors classes while maintaining such high unweighted GPAs. If I were an admissions person, I'd begin to wonder about grade inflation.</p>

7

<p>Wow, so many replies! No, that is the only ap they have gotten their score for (it was sophomore year). 1st girl took 5 AP exams this year, 2nd took 3.</p>

<p>Edit: Jbruner17- You have to remember that they go to school in Nevada which is ranked as one of the lowest states for education, but I agree that they should both have had higher PSAT scores. Girl one just took her SATs on Sat., but the 2nd took her SAT, didn't study, and got only a 1730. Weird huh?</p>

<p>OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION*** ALL OF THESE ARE BASED ON STATISTICS INCLUDING NEXT YEAR! The clubs and GPA both. Currently Girl one has a 4.707 GPA, and the second girl has a 4.5 GPA.</p>

8

<p>it looks to me that the first girl has better ECs and more passionate about them-- 2nd girl IS more interesting but i think first girl is better for college admis process</p>

<p>really theyre basically very similar and its a crapshoot but id take girl 1 if i were the admissions director</p>

9

<p>I don't know if there's really a difference. At this point, you need to see recommendations and essays for personal qualities and fit for the particular university.</p>

10

<p>hmm.... read A for Admission... he talks about something... coming from higher class and lower class... i think the lower class student has more chances</p>

11

<p>A 1730? That's really painful for the Ivy League. Someone would have to be exceptional, more execeptional than these girls already are, to beat that.</p>

<p>If they get good AP exam scores, it'll help out a lot because their grades won't look inflated with regards to their AP classes.</p>

12

<p>No offense, but I really think both your friends have little to no shot at the Ivy league. Both just seem really average to me with there scores so low. </p>

<p>--- XTREMEPLATO</p>

13

<p>yeah i agree with XtremePlato..</p>

<ul>
<li>SOna</li>
</ul>

14

<p>yeah sorry to break it to you im not really confident ever but if they have strong essays that show hard work i think they have a chance.</p>

<p>just my cent.</p>

15

<p>btw its no all about test scores xtreme plato its about hard work and striving and passion for learning. if you display this through interiews/essays the admissions counselors be more likely to consider you over just good test scores.</p>

16

<p>1st person, forget psats. what are their sats?</p>

17

<p>Ok, "Socrates Norris" that would be all nice and well in your DREAM WORLD. But Im here talking about the REAL WORLD where SAT SCORES are BIG. And andovergoat's friends just arent UP TO SNUFF! OK!</p>

<p>"The overman...Who has organized the chaos of his passions, given style to his character, and become creative. Aware of life's terrors, he affirms life without resentment."
Friedrich Nietzsche</p>

<p>XTREME PLATO HAS SPOKEN</p>

18

<p>Okay, I don't know when this became a debate about the importance of SAT scores, but guys, seriously, relax!
GAclassof2008- She took her SATs this Saturday, so she doesn't get her scores for another few weeks. I would post them, but I'm afraid it would start another round of bashing.
I started this thread to get people's opinions- not rude commentary from perfectionists who believe a 2400 is the only thing you need to get into an IVY along with a laundry list of clubs that you probably don't even enjoy. So please, everyone, don't say anything if it's not constructive! (Socrates Norris, thank you for your opinion. Honestly, I wish admissions were all about passion. Maybe some people would stop coming on cc then. After all, the majority are in it for the title of the school- not the characteristics.)</p>

19

<p>andoverchick - Socrates and Plato are the same person (look at the names...), someone who obviously wants to just mess around on these forums.</p>

<p>The SATs are low, yes, but not necessarily the end-all. definitely try to get the highest score possible or take the ACT, but seriously, not everyone is a perfect test-taker. Let the IL decide.</p>

20

<p>Why do vals and sals at public high schools get 192 and 184, respectively, on their PSAT?</p>