Do I have a chance of getting into an Ivy League University?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, firstly thanks for reading this! - I was a little disheartened with my SAT 1 results ... as i am not very good at english. I am strong with business/economics subjects that are unfortunately not examined by SAT 2s. I am hoping to come across as a all rounder. Any advice is helpful. Do I have a chance at any Ivy League Schools? And I am a migrant from Korea who have been living in Australia for 9 years. I am currently 18. I do not require Financial Aid. I have no legacy or family or connections in America.</p>

<p>Academics: ranked top 5% from yr 9 to 11 and top 10% in yr 12 (school size 350)
State Ranking - Top 1%
GPA - b/w 3.9 to 4.0 past 4 yrs
SAT 1 - 2080 (640 reading, 640 writing, and 800 math)
SAT 2 - 2400 (800 math1, 800 math2, 800 chinese)</p>

<p>Awards: - just to describe some
3rd state econ comp 09
2nd state science comp 07
state finalist business comp 08
ranked top 75 - math olympiad national 09
a few mathematics national finalist prizes 07-09
service award - (duke of ed bronze/silver/gold) - national 09</p>

<p>Leadership:
President of School Rep Council 09
President of Chess Club 09
President of Charity Org 09
Prefect of Student Government 09
Leader and Translator of China Expedition Group 07</p>

<p>Extra Curricular (school/regional varsity):
Debating/public speaking 05-09
Chess 05-09
Choir 08
Art 05-09
Army Cadets 07
Tennis 07
Table Tennis state 07</p>

<p>Work Exp:
Law Firm - 100 hrs
Travel Firm - 50 hrs</p>

<p>Major Strength:
Charity - national recognition + helped/organised the raising of $75,000 in total for projects ranging from AIDS in africa, China, Vietnam, Australian Bush Fires, Local Disabled Schools (07-09) + 400 hrs of personal service (china, community, retirement village, music for disabled, blood donation, library)</p>

<hr>

<p>I am unsure whether my scores are high enough as it doesn't even fall in the SAT range of 25 -75 percentile of accepted on various Ivy League University's websites. I feel totally insecure. I am better ranked in Australia as a result of my choice to do subjects such as business and economics which contribute significantly to my gpa etc. However, the SAT limits this and makes me look like I am a academically weak applicant. </p>

<p>Any comments would be helpful. Much appreciated!! Should I take SAT 1s again? Ive taken it 3 times already (1700 1900 now 2050)</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Your SATs are very low for Ivies…what is the actual break down…if you have a low WR score, than it will be a different story…i.e. 700CR, 780M, 570WR. if it is 680 straight across the board that is hard to overcome. Unfortunately, your ethnic background works against you as you are a ORM at the Ivies. It can be offset since you are international.</p>

3

<ol>
<li>Do you not see the 640,800,640? :open_mouth:
2.International is HARDER than domestic… it doesn’t offset anything except for achievements…</li>
</ol>

4

<p>I would say you have a decent shot at Cornell and Penn. </p>

<p>If your test scores meet the minimum requirement for a school, your awards and leadership positions may be enough to open the door. This may be the case for you.</p>

<p>You should look at NYU Stern School of Business, also.</p>

5

<p>MY bad…I was looking at the bottom with the last 3 SAT scores. International is harder, but if there are few applicants, sometimes they will accept a lower qualified student to expand their “brand”. </p>

<p>Ivies are private for the most part, thus they can determine their make-up compared to a state university. </p>

<p>I would say that the OP has a chance as an international student at “public” ivies because of being international, and Public Ivies, such as UVA, UNCCH, UMich, UIC, are still not on the level as Harvard, Yale, Princeton. You pay almost as much, but one thing they will look for within their international students is diversity. Again it is about spreading the wealth and “branding”. Public universities like to say we have X amount of students from X amount of countries.</p>

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<p>I know quite a few ppl who got into Ivies with lower scores than yours. If your essays are outstanding nothing is impossible.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all your comments. So if I have almost no chance for Early Admission, will it be wise to take SAT again? It would be my 4th time (does this look really bad???), but since I will be on holidays (Australia’s Summer Time) - I will have more time to study. OR should I leave it at that…I dont know, some people say taking SAT more than twice is a bad sign to admin officers. Suggestions? Thanks alot!</p>

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<p>Oh, by the way, what is an ORM??? Sorry about my noobness :/</p>

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<p>Over Represented Minority…URM is Under. Unfortunately for Asians at Ivies, they are over represented regarding their race, thus their minority status can actually hurt them in the acceptance process.</p>

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<p>In the states EA/ED actually increases your chances of acceptance. The RD is more competitive since they filled up the majority of their class with EA/ED. RD is usually used as a back up scenario.</p>

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<p>remember… he’s international so his SATs are a bit low. However I just looked over his ECs and they’re amazing o.o</p>

<p>get your SAt to 2200 or if you think you took it too many times, why don’t you try the ACT?</p>

12

<p>Hey thanks for all your comments. Il take sat 1s again and hope for the best. Also I forgot to mention that I went on harvard and Columbia summer school in the past two years. I am thinking of applying early to Columbia… Will having done those camps benefit me??</p>

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<p>Sorry, just to add another question… I’m a Korean migrant with permanent resident status in Australia with New Zealand passport (citizenship). Would this still count me in the orm category of being Asian? Or will it make me more ‘diversified’ and put me in another category?'</p>

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<p>Hmmm…I thin you’re safe with some of the Ivy’s such as Cornel, UPenn and Dartmouth…SAT II scores are also SMASHING GOOD!! So I’d say the only thing you have to do is go for it…write a good essay and you’ll never no…you might turn out to be in Harvard!!! :smiley:
Please, if you have time, check my thread too…it’s not very detailed, I could have added a lot more detail but anyway…
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/800983-chances-ivys.html#post1063435404[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/800983-chances-ivys.html#post1063435404&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Haha thanks! Could someone answer my questions about citizenship and summerschools listed abut above.</p>

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<p>Bump please</p>

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<p>No, the Columbia summer program does not help you. I went on it as well and I spoke to a Columbia admissions officer about it. However, if you received a really good letter of recommendation from a Columbia professor who taught the course, then that will help.</p>

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<p>Okay, thanks! If I obtained a great letter of recommendation, where do I submit it? Can i correctly assume that it can be scanned and placed in the “additional information” section of my application? BTW can anyone help me out with my citizenship question a few boxes above?</p>

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<p>get over yourself, you have flawless SAT2s and some of the best ECs ive ever heard of, 75000 is a lot of money, just inconspicuously show that you are bad at english in your essay and make the admiss people remember you and you will get in fine, stress the 75000 dollars, thats a lot of mulah!</p>

<p>chance me back at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/801012-chance-me-i-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/801012-chance-me-i-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Your ECs look great so try to make yourself stand out in essay. Some Ivys allow score choice, so they wont know if you take the SAT 4-5 times. Also for schools that require 3 SAT2 subject tests, the maths I and maths II tests look dodgy to me… see if you can do a science/history/literature one?</p>

<p>You dont need FA so I think you have a great shot at Columbia/UPenn/Cornell/Brown since they’re need-aware to international students. Also about your NZ/Aus citiznship, honestly don’t think it’ll make you seem more ‘diversified’. It would only work if your two coutries are really different and you had to grow up living in these two worlds. All that is just my personal opinion though. Good luck!</p>