Hi everyone! I am applying to Yale and its peer institutions this year, and I was wondering if I have a chance, given my rather average resume, and the fact that I’m an Asian female. I excel academically (36 ACT, 2360 superscored SAT, 4.3 GPA), but so does everyone else applying to these schools. Unfortunately, I have a real dearth of EC’s. I am president of one club and involved in two others (FPS and FRC), have done a little bit of minor research, volunteered for two years, and play violin and piano (like every other stereotypical Asian), but that’s about it. Writing is my true passion, but I’ve rarely done anything with it (some short stories published in a random online lit mag), as I didn’t know of opportunities for high school writers until recently. My honors/awards are very standard (NHS, National Merit, Honor Roll, AP Scholar), and I have nothing extremely noteworthy.
I suppose I’m just wondering if I actually have a chance at Yale and peer institutions, or if I should be setting my sights lower. Has anyone heard of superb essays making up for weak EC’s and awards? I’ve heard that everyone at those top-tier things has that “thing” that they excel at, but does anyone just average (or just smart) ever get in without legacy/hooks?
Your academics obviously qualify you for Yale and its peers. There are thousands (even tens of thousands) of qualified applicants, so there is never any guarantee, and you should have a range of schools on your list, but there is no need to disqualify yourself by not applying to your top reaches. Pour your heart into your application and present a coherent and compelling narrative about who you are as a person. If writing is your true passion, let that shine through.
Here’s a list from the Harvard website about what they look for - which will be similar for peer schools like Yale:
Think about this kind of list and how it applies to you. If you are a relatively late bloomer in terms of finding your passion, you want to show that you have “reserve power to do more”. You don’t want to present yourself as someone who has missed out on taking advantage of available opportunities, but as someone who will blossom and thrive in the rich soil that top universities provide. Don’t sell yourself short. Market yourself. No one else will.
The answer is NO. Lots of smart people apply but don’t distinguish themselves as having something to contribute to the community.
That being said, you MIGHT be able to distinguish yourself through your thoughtful personal statements and your teachers’ rec letters. If a picture of you is developed which becomes appealing to the file readers, you’ll be admitted. If you’re forgettable beyond great academics – well, you’re chances diminish steeply.
That being said, I’m sure there will be tons of colleges falling all over themselves to get you. With admit rates at schools like Yale, a person definitely needs a dose of luck.
Congrats on your achievements to date, best of luck to you.
Sometimes people, especially teens, are harder on themselves than is warranted. During FOOT every evening people tell their personal story and DS was in awe of the accomplishments of everyone else on the trip, He was feeling a bit pedestrian (ha!). When it came to be his turn to tell his story, he was shocked and pleased that his fellow students thought highly of what he had done.
GPA and test scores, which CCers fixate on, are the least important factor in admissions and success at Yale, assuming that they are credible.