<p>My mom has been going on about how I need AT LEAST a 2300 on the SATs and a 4.0 GPA to even get considered getting into John Hopkins University (My goal). Apparently Asians on average need 140 points higher on the SAT than whites/blacks/hispanics etc. I don't know if this is true at all, but now I'm fearing that I won't stand a chance trying to get into any of my ideal schools. They include JHU, Cornell, Duke, North Carolina, University of Washington in St. Louis and UPenn just to give you an idea of the kinds of schools I hope to get into. I have a 4.03 GPA so far, and I have gotten around a 2120 on practice SATs (keep in mind that I have another 2 months of studying before I take my First real SAT, and then another couple months before I take it again if I need to), I also run track and cross country, and I'm in the Band. So I'm wondering if I get say a 2200-2250 on one of my legit SATs, keep the 4.0 GPA, and stay in the Band and still do sports, will I be able to get into JHU etc? My school has Navience, and it shows the SAT scores and GPAs of students that got into this school or that school, and it shows that the majority got into JHU with a 2200 and 4.0. But seeing as I'm Asian, will I realistically need a 2300 on the SATs? My mom keeps telling me stories about how some Asian got a 4.1 GPA and a 2300+ on the SAT, but got rejected from schools like George Washington University, Georgetown, and other High-mid selective schools and ended up going to Emory, which is a good school, but apparently lower than what he was expecting. </p>
<p>If I do need a 2300, then the next few months are gonna suck and I will have to undergo some really intensive studying which I really don't want to do cause I was hoping to get a relaxing summer before Junior year. Thanks for any replies.</p>
<p>From what I understand, you get your scores to 2250+ and your grades high, then you’re in the maybe pool. From there, they consider essays, ECs, recommendations, etc. to determine their class.</p>
<p>Don’t completely freak out about being Asian.
Remember: Asians are OVERREPRESENTED at these schools, giving you “more” slots.</p>
<p>No score is gonna make you or break you. It takes so much more than a score and it’s silly to say that there is a definitive cutoff. There is a certain level where you have to be, for applicants in general, but then there’s so many other factors. Yes, there is an overabundance of Asian applicants and you need to stand out from the crowd, but there are many ways to do that. </p>
<p>While Asians may be overrepresented at top tier schools, it seems to me that there are also a disproportionately large number of them who apply. Thus, there seem to be many more Asians competing for far fewer slots, proportionally. That’s just how it seems to me.</p>
<p>A close family friend scored 36 ACT with 3.97 Unweighted GPA with outstanding EC’s, and rec letters, and was a winner in Intels. Got rejected from 6 ivies/stanford/mit and ended up going to georgetown</p>
<p>Don’t blame affirmative action. I am reading on this board about a lot of kids from various backgrounds with high accolades getting rejected. When a school accepts less than 90% of their applicants, a lot of great applicants on paper get rejected.</p>
<p>I had a superstar classmate in medical school, 40+ MCAT, elite engineering school, elite MBA, and former executive of a company. Great on paper, horrible person for medical school. Should have never been admitted. Eventually was dismissed. The point I am making is that great scores and backgrounds doesn’t mean qualified to be accepted.</p>