<p>I know this post is a bit long, but I greatly appreciate anyone who will take the time to help me out and give me some advice!</p>
<p>Stats:</p>
<p>SAT: 2080 (730 CR, 640 M, 710 W)
SAT Subjects: Taking this June
GPA: 3.9 (unweighted, my school doesn't do weighted)
I also take college courses at my community college as an early admissioin HS student. I'll have like 24 credits by my senior year in HS.
My college GPA is a 4.0</p>
<p>ECS:
Speech and Debate 1 year
Varsity Cheerleading 1 year
Write for my local community TIMES newspaper - Youngest Columnist ever
Intern for another paper called Evening Sun Newspaper as a newsreporter and video editor, also their youngest reporter.
Began my own business at age 16 (still running, its a multimedia, family history dvd business, has turned profit, and been recognized by local media)
National Honor Society
Washington Journalism and Media Conference
Penn - Pal to prison inmate program
Volunteer service at United Way and YWCA
Began community chapter of Teen Age Republicans so I am creator/chairman
Began community/school supply drive titled Students Helping Students, collected and distributed 100 full supply kits to associated charities
Presented to many businesses in support of my own business, including the VA department, United Way, and College Business Seminar
Student Government at community college
Youngest on-going supporter of NOYs (national organization of youth safety)
Videographer for local Republican Committee
Volunteer in local elections, going door to door with candidates, handing out flyers, etc</p>
<p>Awards/Other Achievements:</p>
<p>Student of the Month at high school
Student Presenter/Guest Speaker at community college
Principal's award at HS
Dean's List at College
First in 2 of my college classes
Student of the Month by Evening Sun</p>
<p>I plan to study a field related to writing, and maybe minor in politics or history, and all my activities and college courses so far definitely are related to that! </p>
<p>NOTE: I am NOT a community college student, I am just a high school student taking advanced courses at my community college.</p>
<p>yes you have a chance like many people here as you’ve crossed the thresholds</p>
<p>what you have to do now is “distinguish” yourself(i know it sounds cliche but bear with me)</p>
<p>your extracurriculars strike me a bit(in a good way)
you seem very self-motivated and tend to start a lot of things; try to present that well on your application(very important)</p>
<p>the business will put you in good light; take advantage of that as well
to be honest, you have a “remarkably good” chance if you present yourself well</p>
<p>some people may comment that your test scores are too low; i honestly wouldn’t emphasize on that being extremely against you
but if you feel the need to retake–FINE
just keep up the good work, do well on the subject tests, make sure you get good recommendations and i promise you(ok not promise ), you’ll be getting a bulging envelope by april 2012</p>
<p>I disagree. Your SATs put you into the bottom portion of Princeton applicants, which doesn’t rule you out, but puts you in a disadvantaged position already. Now, I don’t see any indication of hooks or URM or legacy status, so I’ll assume you’re just a regular white/Asian applicant. </p>
<p>Next, your extracurriculars strike me as scattered and unfocused, with little demonstrated dedication and commitment to each activity. Starting an activity junior year rarely indicates long term passion and achievement. Second, “saynotoharvard” cannot make any guarantees (nor can I) regarding any admissions committee’s decision so ignore what he says about receiving a guaranteed acceptance if you do what he says. Most of his advice is bull crap, anyhow.</p>
<p>If you have any specific questions, just let me know.</p>
<p>I think you’d stand a great chance if you raised your test scores a bit. Your extracurriculars certainly stand out, but it’s difficult to ignore those scores, which put you on the lower end of admitted Princeton students.</p>
<p>I disagree with the above poster that starting activities junior year “rarely indicates long-term passion and achievement.” I began every official writing EC I had junior year and my only French one senior year. The only activity I put on my apps that was a four-year commitment was debate. Because of my admissions results, I’m inclined to believe that adcoms aren’t looking for traditional club juniors but for “doers,” for people with the ability to pursue their interests in-and-outside of school. You’ve done that.</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I agree and knew that my SATs were lower end for Princeton. As of now I’m planning to study hard for subject tests before I decide about retaking the SAT I… Could a perfect subject test score compensate for my lower end SAT I score?</p>
<p>Also, my family has moved around like crazy and I’ve been in 4 different schools, states, and 2 different countries, so that is why my extracurriculars have really only been long-term and consistent since about 2 years ago when we really settled down and I could get involved and plugged into the community. I am hugely passionate about all my activities, but I would say that I am most passionate about my writing/media activities (including my business) which is probably something I will want to highlight in my essay… I’m also very passionate about my political activity but not sure how I could tie that in…</p>
<p>Except I am not. I am a real person with a lot of ambition and optimism for the future. On the other hand, I think it’s highly wrong of you to delude the OP with flawed reasoning that only gets his/her hopes up when, given the circumstances of Princeton admissions, the odds are they will get crushed. </p>
<p>Also, I asked the OP if he/she had any other questions for me. It’s not like I’m trying to discourage her or say flat out she has no chance - I’m inviting him/her to have a conversation with me and reason through a situation rather than tell the OP inflated lies about how he/she will almost definitely receive a “bulging envelope in april 2012.” </p>
<p>Back to the OP, the way you frame your extracurriculars on this post seems more of a scattered laundry list. Perhaps if you gave more information about each one, including your involvement, developed interest, and achievement, it would help me better understand your passions in life and what kind of a person you are. I apologize for simply assuming that it was a scattered list, but in all honesty if you don’t provide the details, how else am I supposed to interpret them?</p>
<p>how am i deluding the op
oh you tell me, how am i</p>
<p>how many high school students have profit-making businesses even by this site’s lofty standards
when will you guys learn that test scores are rarely a deciding factor;its more of a ticket to compete once a threshold is passed</p>
<p>and if you actually analyzed the ECs, you would figure that they are channeled very well into politics and writing</p>
<p>majority of people in this site deliberately try to look for something wrong from nothing; you could simply say the test scores could be better rather than rambling uncontrollably about scattered ec’s and terrible test scores</p>
<p>and no i didnt say he/she would “definitely” have a “bulging envelope”
try reading more closely for a change</p>
<p>You are right saynotoharvard, all my ecs (or at least the majority of them) really do either have to do with writing/media or politics. My job at the paper even combines the two sometimes! Also, I felt that speech and debate helped me in my business ventures by giving me the courage to make presentations in front of others and other businesses. My volunteer service is not really connected to my writing or political involvement, but I do enjoy giving to the community. In fact, some of the proceeds from my business, I gave to the supply drive I created entitled Students Helping Students. I am very passionate about making a tangible difference in the community, and providing an outlet through which everyone can be heard and recognized through the videos and writing I do with either my business or my news stories.</p>
<p>Sayno-- dec I’ve been following this thread with some personal
interest since my daughter will be applying to Princeton this fall. She
is a solid student.</p>
<p>I’m rather well versed in the SAT I range that Princeton accepts. And, yes
JW has crossed the “thresold”. Obviously, the higher the better. Princeton
does “superscore” so JW should improve somewhat at a second SAT I.</p>
<p>My question to you guys/gals regards the SAT II (subject tests). My daughter
plans on taking Math, Biology, and Chemistry within the next 2 months. How
does Princeton use these subject tests in their admissions procedure? Are
they formula factored in with the SAT I’s? While SAT I’s are available at
various web sites, the data on the various Subject Tests doesn’t seem to be
available. If they are available could you direct me to them?</p>
<p>Of course, you have a remote chance and you certainly should put Princeton in as one of your reaches. Then start looking at some schools where you can flourish and where you are likely to get accepted. If you need financial aid or scholarships start looking for those. </p>
<p>The acceptance rate to Princeton is inflated. There are the athletes, legacies, development and hooked applicants that can comprise up to half of that number. So your chances are about half of the reported accept rate, and if you look at the average stats, you are not on the high end of that half, as those so accepted are often the higher end of the stats spectrum. So your chances are not good to put it mildly. Even the athletes, legacies, hooked and development kids sweat bullets as they are rarely shoo ins. Icahn’s daughter didn’t get into Princeton even as a top development alum and she was no schloff academically. So it is a tough go. So apply there , but focus on getting a good strong college list rather than on one school as a dream school.</p>
<p>JW-- Just for fun I went to my last year’s Princeton data set. </p>
<p>Your current 2080 is at Princeton’s 25th percentile-- SAT I.
1241 accepted kids matriculated-- the freshman class.</p>
<p>75% of the freshman had SAT I scores above you while 25% had
scores below you. Bottomline, YOU from an SAT I only perspective
would look like 300 Princeton freshman. Maybe not so “remote.”</p>
<p>Obviously, the SAT I is one element in an admissions decision-- although,
real important.</p>
<p>As a former recruited athlete, I’d love to play with the numbers and see how
this crowd let alone the legacies distributed on Princeton SAT I’s. As a
private university Princeton may not be reporting scores on these kids.</p>
<p>Thanks guys; I definitely appreciate all the input/advice. Princeton is a dream school for me, and I do have safeties and back-up schools.<br>
Does anyone know what the most important factor is in the application? I definitely knew my SAT was on the low-end, but wasn’t sure if it was completely horrible or if I still had a chance. I might consider retaking, but as of now there is so much else to do that I might have to put it off till the summer is over with…</p>
<p>^Yes. I took back what I was going to say because although Princeton only accepts 5% of students in that SAT range (based on their published statistics), it’s unclear from the data how many students apply in this range. So you may be correct in your estimate of 300 accepted students. </p>
<p>I still think though that most of these will have a serious hook. </p>
<p>OP should definitely apply if he is interested in the school though. Just be realistic…which it sounds like he is being. :)</p>
<p>Soomoo-- Just so we are on the same page-- the 300 I’m talking about
are not just “accepted” students by Princeton, they have matriculated,
they are last year’s freshman class. These 300 kids are in Princeton classrooms
now and if you are a student, they are among you! Good kids I’m sure!</p>
<p>I suspect that as the SAT I’s go below the 25th percentile for the class, that
more and more circumstances and special conditions come into play-- I believe
that is your point. Good point! </p>
<p>FWIW the data I’m using has not been questioned as inaccurate over the past
year. It still could have flaws.</p>
<p>Sorry to revive a dead thread. But I wanted to correct some misinformation.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is serious misinterpretation (albeit probably common) of the common data statistics. They only give the 25th and 75th percentiles for each individual section of the SAT I and not for the combined scores and there is no way you can add the scores across sections to determine those ranges.</p>
<p>Each person scoring below the 25th percentile in any given section may very well, and in most cases probably did, score higher in the other sections, so that their combined score would be well above 2080. The same is true at the other end of the spectrum: 25% of the freshman class did NOT score above a 2380 combined, as it includes many kids that get 800s on one section but lower than 790 in others. That does not mean that there are not a good number of students with below a 2080 or above a 2380, it just in no way approaches 25%.</p>