I’ve started looking at colleges and I want to know what types of schools I can realistically get into. I’m looking at going into something with engineering or environmental science. Would I be competitive for an Ivy League or is that out of the question?
ACT- 35
GPA- 4.0
APs- My school doesn’t offer any AP classes but I took AP Lit and AP Bio online and got 5s and A’s for both.
I’m president of my schools chapter of NHS, the class treasurer for student council, I do Model UN, Speech Club, Drama club, and I’m in band. I’m also starting an Environmental Club at my school.
What’s your ethnicity?
What’s your budget?
What do you know about Ivies, holistic admissions, and the fierce competition? And what they look for?
Your ECs seem a little weak and aren’t specific to your major. For ivies you should definitely look into doing more STEM-related clubs, competitions, programs, or internships, and win some awards in those. What grade are you in right now?
You really truly do NOT have to have ECs specific to your major. Let’s just kill that myth. You can, and it can be helpful, but you don’t HAVE to have that. What you need is ECs that are true to you and demonstrate that you are somebody who is using their time to do something meaningful and productive (even if that means minding younger siblings while your parents are at work). In general the people who get into highly competitive schools are high achievers who push themselves pretty hard in whatever they do.
A 4.0 and a 35 says you make the academic cut. The next part is figuring out what you really want vs what the individual colleges want. That is the hard part.
ps, having AP scores from an online class is not going to get you as much ‘credit’ from AdComms as you might think. If you go to a school that doesn’t do APs they won’t care at all that you don’t have any. They will care that your GC / LoRs talk about how outstanding you are- that your course rigor ticks the ‘most rigorous’ box and that you are one of the tippy top people in your cohort.
you have a chance. that’s all anyone can ask for. you probably won’t get in to most Ivies, which is no knock on you- most people don’t. But you are in the ballpark and might as well apply if that’s what you want. You might not stand out enough for H,Y,P.
But you should decide which Ivies suit you- they are not all the same. Do you like Columbia and Penn? Or prefer Dartmouth? pretty different environments…
Academically you are pretty okay. The question is what makes you stand out from other academically qualified applicants–what reason do they have for accepting YOU. Try to find or create such a reason. Try to find some activity or EC that will help you stand out more.
You should look at other schools besides the Ivy’s. They aren’t the only game around and may not be the best fit for you anyway.
Good luck.
You have the academics. Unfortunately, those ec’s to admissions officers are so very common and won’t put you apart.
Not to start something different but unless Stanford or Cornell, many better choices for engineering. Hard to know what you want to do at 17. Starting the club is great but doing it in senior year is slightly obvious but do it anyway.
For most “engineering” school they might want to see something more direct to major and your club could be it. Have you done any type of peer tutoring? So as stated anyone has a shot. Have many schools that are not Ivys and safeties you are happy with or next year will not be a good experience for you. Good Luck.
Your academics, test scores are good. Your ec’s are decent, but could be better. Honestly, getting into the Ivies for you is simply down to luck.
I have no insight into Ivy college admissions, but wanted to offer you some encouragement. STEM-y students tend to be lacking in soft skills, but your speech/drama EC’s show that you are a very well-rounded student. So reach for the stars! Your stats qualify you to apply anywhere. Just make sure you are also applying to a match school that you love (no Ivy is a match) and a safety that you would be happy to attend (that’s a school that you are not only assured to be admitted, but also one that you are certain that you can afford to attend). Good luck!
“You really truly do NOT have to have ECs specific to your major. Let’s just kill that myth.” My first-hand experience is that the Ivy competition is such that stem applicants DO need stem/math-sci ECs. For engineering, collaborative math-sci activities. Founding an enviro club isn’t it.
If one’s going to claim an intetest in a stem major, why wouldn’t a top adcom expect the kid pursued these related activities, along with some breadth.
Someone who’s interested in attending Dartmouth is probably unlikely to be interested in Columbia, and vice versa, for example. So you should figure out where you fit best, if it’s Ivy’s or bust for you.
I think the just posted and left. @skieurope
People who love something tend to find ways to do it, and STEM-Y people often do STEM-Y ECs- which is great! but a lot of students short-hand that to “you MUST have ECs that relate to your major”- and that just isn’t true. I have first hand experience of students whose ECs did not relate to their major who were accepted by the tippiest of tops. It would be fair to say that they are not in the majority- and that they really excelled in the ECs they pursued- but the idea that it is a deal breaker just isn’t true.
OP said possibly engineering. At a tippy top, one way to filter is applicants who tell they want X and can’t show they pursued it, beyond classes. I have experience it is most commonly a deal breaker. Too much competition from kids who stretched in the directions they claim to want, as well as the right rounding No, it doesn’t apply so much to many (not all) humanities.
But in assessing chances, I stand by CYA, not just wishing.
And “relate yo your major” doesn’t mean a mechanical engineer wannabe has to go work in ME. They can do, eg, math team (among other things) which is collaborative and stem. If the hs doesn’t offer that, there still needs to be something that shows the focus. Many top schools, even without a CoE, will ask, why this major or how are are you prepared for engineering? Or similar. It’s not enough to say you like math or want to save the world.
Short answer is yes. But it will come down to your essay. How do you plan to approach this part of your profile (the most important part)?
Another short answer: It is NEVER just down to the essay. A fab essay will NOT make up for what else is missing, not for a tippy top.