Could I Get Into Stanford University?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey you guys, I am in a serious dilemma! I am wondering if I have a good shot at receiving admission to Stanford University... I can't decide between Stanford's restrictive early action program or Yale's. I prefer Stanford University so I am leaning towards them but I'm not sure...</p>

<p>My school offers a Gifted Education Program which is ranked above Honors and AP which you have to test into through an IQ test, so I took all Gifted. We do not weigh GPA's in our schools, which sucks, so everything is raw. </p>

<p>GPA: 3.8125 Unweighted (All Gifted Classes)
Class Rank: Top 20%
ACT: 32 (9 in writing)
PSAT: 217
(National Merit Semi-Finalist)
(National Achievement Semi-Finalist) </p>

<p>Extra-Curricular(s):
State President of FBLA
President of FBLA (school)
President of the Youth Ambassadors of America
Senator on Ex. Board Student Council
Graduate of the Jr. Leadership Academy
Freshman Mentoring Program
Captain Flag-Football
Captain Softball Team
Historian Latin Club
Big Brother Big Sister
Beta Club
Nat'l Honor Society
Nat'l English Honor Society
Vectors Scholar
Admitted to Duke University's LEAD Business Program
Scholarship recipient to the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts
All State Speech Team (2011 - 2012)
Speech & Debate
NFL (Nat'l Speech) Qualified (2012)
CFL (Nat'l Speech) Qualified (2011)
4th in State Speech (2011) [I have a bunch in different little placings like this, don't really feel like writing them all out, but have about 6 of them ranging from 1 - 4th]
Superior in State Spanish Extemp. Speaking (2011)
Excellent in State Spanish Interp. Reading (2012)
4th in State Impromtu Speaking (FBLA - Nat'l Qualified 2012) </p>

<p>Letters of recommendation to come form from my English (Gifted) and Spanish IV teachers, both know me very well and can write really good letter of recommendations. My third will probably come from my FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) sponsor, who helped me get elected as state president.</p>

<p>My Senior Load: Creative Writing (Gifted), Western Civics (Gifted), Statistics (AP), English IV (Gifted) and I am Dual Enrolling Principles of Econ. 201 at my local University. </p>

<p>Currently have:
English 1 - 3 (All Gifted)
World History, US History, Civics/Free Enterprise (All Gifted)
Spanish I - IV
Latin I
Alg I, II, Geom, Pre-Calc, Calc I (All Gifted)
Art I
Theatre III
Bio I, Chem I, II, Physics I (All Gifted) </p>

<p>I'm a prospective Accountant or Finance Major. </p>

<p>I am also the CEO of my own LLC which I founded in 2009. We have been in business for three years and have partnerships in four states (CA, LA, TX, NY). I am from Louisiana and am a African American male.... Do you think I have a shot?</p>

2

<p>Hi guys… I am on the cusp of completing my undergraduate degree in Journalism- 7 weeks away.</p>

<p>I am looking at prospective universities, with a view of a scholarship, as I my family is unable to meet the costs.</p>

<p>With a current GPA of 3.67 out of 4, I am hoping to get a scholarship to study MA in Journalism.</p>

<p>I have credible experience thus far.</p>

<p>Any help?</p>

3

<p>(^ Hussein, your issues have no bearing on the original poster’s issues. You might want to start your own thread.)</p>

<p>At Stanford, only about 10% of students who submitted class rank graduated outside the top 10% of their HS classes. At Yale, only about 3% of them did. Your ACT score is about average for Stanford. With overall admit rates below 10%, strictly by the numbers I’d estimate your chances at less than 1%. (Are you sure you are only in the top 20% with a 3.8 UW average?)</p>

<p>As an AA male from LA, your chances might be much better than that (though I’d still consider it a real reach). It’s hard to assess the impact of your long list of extracurriculars. Your essays probably will be important in putting together a coherent picture of what you bring to the table. If I were on the admission committee, I’d be looking for evidence of talent, motivation (“passion”) and focus (not just a laundry list of activities).</p>

<p>Stanford, like many very selective schools (including Yale), does not offer undergraduate majors in business, accounting, or finance.</p>

<p>I’d say go ahead and apply, but don’t pin all your hopes on Stanford. You need a realistic list of reach, match and safety schools (taking into account your financial situation as well as admission). You’d have a good shot at many other excellent schools. Georgetown, Notre Dame, Northwestern and Vanderbilt are selective universities that offer business-related majors or minors.</p>