Drowning in Mediocrity: Chance me for Yale, NYU, Columbia, Hopkins, Georgetown

Hello, thank you for any potential responses. I really appreciate your time. Here are my stats! I’m a senior with a current major in visual arts who plans to attend the SFS or major in poli sci with concentration in international relations/minor in language (depending on the school).

General Stats:
-Asian Female
-Dad is PhD, Mom is currently working on PhD
-Visual Arts student w/3 art classes per day
-Ranking: 2 out of 110 (I go to an audition-only performing/visual arts high school, which is why each class is so small! We’re sister schools with another school on campus where we take our academics. That school has around 2000 students and we’re ranked separately bc our arts-based curriculum tends to drag down our GPAs)

Applying to: (also open to any suggestions that you feel would suit me!)
-Georgetown SFS
-GW
-Hopkins
-Yale
-Columbia
-UMiami (full ride)
-NYU

GPA:
3.98 UW
4.55 W

PSAT:
200 in sophomore year
215 in junior year (FL National Semifinalist: finalist status pending)

SAT I: 2290 (both super score and single-day score; second try!)
Math: 780
CR: 760
W: 750

SAT II:
Math I: 750 (am planning to take math II)
Spanish: 690
US History: 700

AP Courses (total 19):
-Freshman year: Human Geo (5)
-Sophomore: Microecon (4), World History (4), English Lang (4)
-Junior: 2D Design (5), US History (5), Chem (2, yikes!), English Lit (5), Chinese(5), Calc AB (4), Spanish (4)
-Senior: 3D Design, Drawing, Art History, Calc BC, Capstone, Stats, Macro/Gov (all TBA)

(I know these don’t count as much, but I have taken a total of 18 extra online/dual enrollment classes on top of my in-school courseload. I’m interested in everything from Mythology to Psychology :slight_smile: )

Leadership/Extracurriculars/Jobs:
-Interned at nonprofit
-Part time jobs (food kiosk, American Eagle, currently at Chipotle and loving it!)
-Secretary of student government and TSA
-President and founder of Politics Club, president of Model UN (training new delegates and recruiting)
I just started Model UN in junior year, and I’ve gone a total of 7 conferences and placed at each, I don’t know if that’s relevant. Everything from Honorable Mention to Best Delegate (3/7 times).
-Chair of Spanish Club

Volunteering:
-Over 300 hours working with local museum at children’s summer camps (spring/summer break) and events

Other EC’s/skills:
-Won many art awards (ranging from honorable mention to purchase award) locally and regionally, have exhibited at 4 museums
-member of NHS, student government, FBLA, Model UN, Spanish Club, NEHS, Academic Team, TSA
-tennis team freshman/sophomore year/senior
-speak Chinese fluently, Spanish with professional proficiency
-adept in most Adobe design software including Illustration, Photoshop, InDesign, etc

Awards:
-Most Improved Player Tennis team
-Honorable Mention, UCF Model UN Conference, Georgetown University Model UN Conference (North American Invitational), University of Miami Model UN Conference (UMICSUN)
-2nd place at University of Florida Model UN Conference (GATORMUN)
-1st place at Old City Model UN, Seahawk Model UN, UCFMUN 2015, and Optimist Club Oratorical Contest
-State Finalist in Fashion Design at Technology Student Association FL Conference
-George Eastman Young Leaders Award
-National Merit Semifinalist

Summers:
-Virginia Commonwealth University Graphic Design art program
-Volunteering at museum camps
-Travelling to China
-Iceland photojournalism program
-Yale Model UN program

Essays: fairly good.
Recs: awesome; great teachers!

I would say that Yale will be a 50/50 and the others I would say you have at least a 90% chance. Good Luck!

What. 90% chance? Is that person joking? You are a competitive applicant at all those schools but NO WHERE close to 90%. No one has a 90% chance at any of those top schools. Good luck though!

Your ECs are interesting and your grades and scores are awesome but your chances for most of these schools are very low. Colleges are looking for thing they need like URM’s, top band members, top athletes, kids with disabilities (schools don’t want a discrimination lawsuit), legacy’s (that pay full tuition and then some), even top cheerleaders ( Columbia needs cheerleaders too). Like everyone you have a very small chance at these top schools so you need more match schools where your high scores and grades will stand out. Schools like Columbia and Yale let in 6% which includes URMs, top athletes, and legacy so general chances are more like 3%. Hopefully I’m wrong but I just don’t see anything in your profile, EC’s or awards that would put above 97% of the students applying. I strongly advise you to add more match schools so you will be happy in the end. Good luck!

There’s no use in giving someone much too high hopes - not that OP doesn’t have a chance at places like Hopkins and Columbia, but certainly not 90%

I agree with @anxiousenior1, your chances are fine but I wouldn’t be too optimistic.