Stats:
GPA: 97.8/105 Weighted
SAT: 1300 Reading/Writing: 700 Math:600
ACT with Writing: 30 (I’m retaking it and can get a higher score maybe 33-34)
English:31 Math:27 Reading:33 Science:28 Writing:8
I’ve taken 6 AP classes so far. World History- 4 sophomore year and the rest this year (US History, Euro History, Env. Science, Physics1. English Lang. and Comp) but I’m sure I’ll get 4/5 (but in Physics a 3 if I’m lucky). I’ve had all A’s except for 1 B (AP Physics) and have taken only honors and AP classes since freshman year.
My class rank isn’t the best 97/705 but my school is very competitive. I’ve taken a hard course load with my upcoming senior year, with 5 AP and Dual Enrollment classes.
EC’s/ Volunteer
I’ve been the News and Entertainment editor of my school newspaper for the past 2 years; will be Editor in Cheif next year. It is a nationally recognized paper and we’ve gotten awards from Columbia etc…
I’m also a staff writer for this prominent online social justice magazine.
I’m also involved with National Honor Society, Science NHS and other school clubs such as the Creative Writing Club.
I tutor kids/adults that are recent immigrants English. I also tutor kids in Arabic through my mosque. I’ve been doing it for the past 4 years and have 400+ hours.
I also have a blog where I talk about and review books.
Honors:
I’ve gotten a few awards through the newspaper as well as being on the Deans list.
I’ve gotten a few poetry competitions (nothing big) and have gotten published for my poetry.
Hooks:
First in family to go to college
URM
Low-income
I really want to study English or Journalism and I think my EC’s show that. My stats ar’net the best so with all that in mind do you think with everything taken into consideration I could potentially get into Stanford or any Ivy league in general? Thanks for the help!
Your hooks will definitely play in your favor for Ivy League schools + Stanford, and in general your academics + ECs seem sufficient enough that you will have a decent chance of getting in, but I would not bet on it. Your test scores definitely do need improving. You should aim for at least 1550 on the SAT and above 34 on the ACT to substantially increase your chances of getting in. Also, unfortunately, most of these schools do consider rank as part of the application (which is a downfall for me too, believe me) so that may hurt you a bit since you are not top 10%. However, your ECs are very solid for someone who wants to pursue English/Journalism in college. I would say your only weaknesses are your test scores and rank, and I know for a fact you still have time to improve your test scores. Thus, I would say (if you improve your test scores) you have a very good chance of getting into at least one ivy league or stanford. As someone interested in English, you may want to target schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Brown which specialize in this field. Good luck!
Your high school is NOT competitive on the level that Stanford is competitive. No high school is. If you go to Stanford be ready for a much higher academic level than you are used to. I was lucky that I went there as a graduate student because I was able to take only courses in areas that I am good at. If I had gone as an undergraduate I would have died in the English and History courses.
I agree with the post above that you should work to get your test scores up. Other than that as I was reading your post I was thinking “only chance is athlete or URM”, then I got to “URM”. With this and improved test scores you have a chance, but definitely have a plan B and a plan C.
Your extracurriculars are awesome. I mean that. With your SATs, however, I don’t know if you can get in. Try NYU or USC! Liberal arts colleges will love you with those extracurriculars. Reed, Lawrence, Grinnell, etc.
Keep going and find a college that you connect with- you’re going to go far.
URM does help. I just want to make sure you know what a URM is. Being Arabic is not a URM. Middle-easterners are actually classified as Caucasian. URM with regards to college admissions means African American, Hispanic, Native American. I apologize if I am bearing bad news. Anyways, too much emphasis is being placed on URM by my fellow CC posters. Stanford has no trouble finding qualified URMs. Look at schools with low diversity to really have your URM status come into play, especially schools with fly-in programs. (Washington and Lee comes into my mind)
If you are not a URM, you are still a hooked applicant IMO. Low income and first-gen are indeed hooks.
Competitive high school as in top high school in the U.S (TJ, Gunn, NYC’s specialized schools - Bronx Science, Stuy), or competitive as in the top school in your district?
