Everyone pretty much expects me to because my grades are good but the SAT and I just can’t work … my score is an atrocious 1120 , no where good enough for Ivy Leagues. My lowest acceptance rate is 30% because I’m an international student and they don’t require SATs for internationals. I live in the Caribbean and if I went to an Ivy League it would make my country so proud. A boy last year got into Princeton, another is applying Ivy leagues:(
@classof2017345 first of all you can do amazing things in your life and make yourself, your family, your country proud. to convince yourself you only need to look at the long list of Nobel laureates, successful entrepreneurs, Fortune500 CEOs etc who did not go to an ivy league or a very selective school. Yes there are perks to attending these schools, but it is not the end-all.
Also did you look into the ACT? People who struggle with the SAT usually look into the ACT, it has a different format and philosophy that works better for some people.
It’s no one’s business where you apply. If they think it’s so important, let THEM apply and see if THEY get in. If they’re disappointed in you, then are you disappointed in them for not being Ivy material as well??
Don’t tell everyone where you’re applying, that is complicating everything.
Where all are you applying? Can your parents afford the schools that you’re applying to?
Remember, almost everyone has one part of their application that’s weaker than they would like. knock the other sections out of the park. Throw your hat in the ring. Live with no regrets.
That’s tough. Social pressure sucks.
I did well on standardized tests, but not as well as I wanted to and my dad told me that I have to accept that I’m smart, but not the best. His advice helped me a lot. I think that in life many people (including me!) feel like they have to live by others’ standards. It’s helpful to remember that you’re you and not them. And that doesn’t mean feeling bad about it either - just because I didn’t do as well as others doesn’t mean I don’t have the potential to accomplish things like they do.
If there’s any way to look into the ACT, you may want to as Penn95 said. I assume you’re a senior though, so it’s probably too late.
Just apply to places that you like and are within your range. Don’t live your life thinking about what others say/think.
Good luck with everything!
Work hard and do the best you can in terms of colleges and more importantly throughout your life. That should be enough to make people proud of you.
Remember that this is your life, not anyone else’s. Getting into an Ivy is not the pinnacle of achievement in life. There are many excellent colleges that will give you an education on-par with the Ivies which have a 30% selection rate. Also remember that you can always try to apply to a grad school at an Ivy if it still is important to you 4 years later.
Unless your country is FUNDING you to complete in thr Olympics as a representative of your country, then it’s not your burden to “make my country proud”.
@Penn95 has very good advice. My son had a much better score on the ACT than SAT. He didn’t like the SAT format and had lots of problems with the vague wording of the English questions. Many science and math oriented students prefer the ACT.
Please don’t feel like you have to represent your entire country. You have to do what’s best for you! There are lots of really great universities in the U.S. that are less selective than the Ivy League - there are lots of great universities with an admissions rate of over 50%, for that matter. You can get an excellent education and have a great career and life without going to an elite school.