<p>I work in an ivy admissions office. Posters here give crazy advice. I'm first generation. Sure, it helps a little, but it wont get a 1400 into Harvard. Please people, don't offer advice when you really don't know! You tell people who are at the average in terms of numbers that they will get in. They won't!! To be average in numbers would mean you are extraordinary in some other way. You say that a small State or bad high school makes a big difference. It doesn't! What makes a big difference is if you're a 1600 from a bad high school. You people will cause a lot of hurt! I git in, but was waitlisted at an ivy with a 1510 from a terrible high school, first generation!</p>
<p>Well...
Honestly, I will respond with a story of my own.
My two best buddies got into Princeton, and Penn - both of them graduated in the last two years. </p>
<p>Buddy #1:
1420 SAT: Got into Penn, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, and something else.
Never broke 720 on SATIIs.
Not a first generation college student, though a first generation immigrant.
Chinese.
IB/AP- Valedictorian of my school (school in a typical middle class neighborhood).</p>
<p>Let's move on.
Buddy #2:
1360 SATs- RD Penn
SATIIs: 700 max on all three.
First generation immigrant, non-first generation colllege student.
IB/AP- top 10 last year in a grad class of 400+. </p>
<p>Both were from the same school. Both didn't have "1500+ SATs", both got into every single school they applied to...even if YOU DO WORK IN ADMISSIONS...I really would advise ppl to keep in mind that Ivy Admissions are wild cards. The most HYPOCRITICAL THING YOU DO, is telling ppl not to predict chances while YOU took the liberty of predicting the chances of 95% ppl here.</p>
<p>which ivy admissions office</p>
<p>And reading your other POST...you imply that you are a Canadian...?? We have an Ivy in Canada?=/</p>
<p>I may be wrong, but it sounds to me like he (or she?) is just trying to scare off people from applying. I've heard many stories like yours Catch, many without first-generation anything.</p>
<p>I began my junior year as a trasfer at Yale this year. I am not trying to get anyone not to apply. Do you wonder why so many people get rejected though? Nine out of ten? It is because people believe the crazy stories about all the peeople with low stats who got in. I have not met antony who was not a minority without something going for them that got in with average stats. Stop dreaming and get happy about schools you have a chance at!</p>
<p>Well...you never meeting those kids doesn't mean they don't exist...because two of those kids are my BEST FRIENDS. Maybe you should extend your social circle?</p>
<p>And actually, one of the girls I hate...I ABHOR...is currently enrolled in Yale. Yep, all three, comes from my school from the past three years...the girl was white, upper-middle class, no legacies, no nothin', wasn't even top five... she frickin' got in. Her SATs were..err...less than 1400. </p>
<p>Maybe its the "terribly crappy" middle class public school I go to???</p>
<p>I hate to point this out, but to get the middle 50%ile statistic that many college guides use to indicate whether or not you are comfortably in the pool at a particular college or university, means also that 25% scored lower than the middle 50% as well as that 25% scored above it. Even at Yale where the middle 50% is 1380-1580, it is possible to score 1400 and still get into the school. </p>
<p>Even if an applicant with that score is closer to the low end of the middle 50% as opposed to the top of that range, it is clear that he or she has a chance at Yale. And, if you believe that SCEA acceptance rates are higher than RD rates, it also is of benefit to apply early. National origin, geographic diversity, socioeconomic class, developmental concers, athletic ability, legacy status, state residency, extra curricular edeavors, URM status, major, artistic ability, extra curricular dedication, community service, SAT II scores, etc....are all part of the equation. Again, 25% of the students at Yale scored below 1380 on the SAT. </p>
<p>I have quite a few friends, peers, co-workers and relatives who got into a range of Ivy league schools and Little Ivies that scored below 1400. All are not scores. Most schools look to see whether or not you are comfortably in the middle range, and only those that fall outside the norm (either high or low) are given further attention. The Ivies, and many other highly competative schools, use a holistic approach to putting together a CLASS that is diverse--rather than taking those who are well-rounded but without many distingushing characteristics. That is why 1600 scores sometimes get rejected in large numbers at the better colleges. </p>
<p>Just my humble opinion.</p>
<p>Yup, but here's who the kids that score under 1380 (or 1500 for that matter) are: minorities (30%), athletes, legacies and the otherwise connected, prodegies. Not a normal just plain good student. Also, the only reason EA seems to be an easier admit is because that's when they admit all the athletes and legacies. It's really no advantage for the average applicant.</p>
<p>Canuckeh:</p>
<p>You definately are making assumptions about URMs. It does not necessarily follow that since 30% of students at Yale are minorities, that they ALL scored lower than non-URMs. That is a false assumption. That is that IF A (URM+ Other Categories), then B (<1400), according to you. The truth is that IF A, then sometimes B. Or, to take another tact, If Z (non-URM), then sometimes Y (>1400).</p>
<p>Again, it is the admissions office that determines what a good student is, rather than we. And, Yale's acceptance rate is no advantage to ALL applicants. Again, just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>canuckeh wrote: "EA seems to be an easier admit is because that's when they admit all the athletes and legacies."</p>
<p>canuckeh has made some controversial statements, but the above appears to be true. </p>
<p>Going by our HS results this year, almost all the ED/EA admits were legacies (Princeton, MIT, Bowdoin, Cornell, etc.). One athlete (fencing) was admitted to Stanford way back in early October. I estimate less than 10% of the ED/EA admits to top schools from our HS were not either legacies or athletes (Penn, CMU).</p>
<p>hmm...interesting arguments. i think this "wat are my chances" forum should be erased. instead of being up here trying to ask for "chances" from other a) high school students b) undergrad c) parents d) RARELY others, they can spend time trying to think for themselves and see what will help them.</p>
<p>there is no way in hell this guys works in the admissions office at yale...he would get fired for writing what he has...</p>
<p>One can "work" in an Admissions office -- for example, answering the phone or emptying the garbage -- and not be privy to decisions made by an Admissions Committee. If one were intimately familiar with the decisions made by an Adcom, they certainly would NOT be posting anything on a public forum. Given the writing style of the orginal poster, I sincerely doubt s/he is in college yet much less working in an Admissions office. 'Nuff said.</p>
<p>I agree with Nyugent on this one. The main purpose of this forum now seems to be an assurance thread instead of helping high school students choose colleges according likes and dislikes and helping them not to go for schools which are way above thier league( I am not saying discouraging 1350's apply to ivies).</p>
<p>thank you boxmaker...could not have said it better myself</p>