For those who of you who got in...what do YOU think???

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>ok so i'm an asian female and want apply to the ivies regular decision. yale is one of my top choices since it has an AMAZING piano faculty..but i'm not planning on majoring in music. i really want to separate myself from being another typical asian..and bring out my passion for music and helping others</p>

<p>stats</p>

<p>GPA: 4.5 weighted 4.0 unweighted rank: 4/450 (.02 away from 2 ppl tied for 2nd)</p>

<p>Honors/AP taken: (i take the most challenging courseload offered each year by my school)
Honors English 9, 10, 11
Honors world geography, world history
Honors Alg II, Precalc
AP CALC AB
AP PSYCHOLOGY
AP US HISTORY
AP CHEMISTRY
AP PHYSICS</p>

<p>AP courseload next year: stats, econ, spanish, lit, bio, gov, calc bc</p>

<p>ECs
-PIANO---winner of regional, national, international piano comps. also been a guest artist seven times with four orchestras
full scholarship recipient to study music at local Cal STate university..so i've been a part-time student there since beginning of jr year, the minimum age i can apply
-member of my university choir, and my own Piano Trio at the university
-Student Government-Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior Class President
-National Honor Society
-Honors Team in Academic Decathlon
-Mathletes
-Volunteer at local senior home since freshmen year..i also give recitals at various senior homes but don't accept their offers to pay me lol
-tennis (played on team at my racquet club as well as varsity tennis freshmen year but couldn't anymore to focus on piano..still play on the side)</p>

<p>awards/honors
-prizewinner of virginia waring intl piano comp 2007
-Invited to the Oberlin Intl Piano Comp this summer..so we'll see how that goes!
-1st prize in three concerto comps held by stockton symphony, cal state sac symphony, central valley youth symphony
-1st prize and prizewinner in many solo comps held at universities throughout cali...also, national finalist+scholarship recipient of the NY piano comp at manhattan school of music
-6 year scholarship recipient by my city's symphony league
-fourth in regionals in acadeca team and top 4 in regionals in mathletes (do these count since they're team awards and not individual ones?) </p>

<p>Jobs
-Piano Accompanist for local church
-Accompanist for a local high school's musical theater
-Tutor
-Private piano teacher
hoping to get a job during summer</p>

<p>oh...and SAT, which i'm really worried about. it's really hard too because i'm an asian and they expect the 800s, which i don't have. </p>

<p>math: 720 writing: 720 (essay 10) cr: 760
i think i will retake...those scores were all on my second sitting</p>

<p>subject tests: chem from sophomore year: 670 =( i didn't take it seriously
i just took math ii, lit, and history today..pretty confident on history and math and think i got killed by lit. </p>

<p>also taking ACTs next week.</p>

<p>please give me your honest opinions, suggestions, and/or thoughts! feel free to ask any questions!</p>

2

<p>any feedback???</p>

3

<p>I just have to comment, but I remember last year myself making all of these ridiculous chances thread (OMG CHANCE ME, HELP PLZ!!! and making a desperate fool of myself, though not like you are, b/c you aren't, you just want honest advice). Anyways, its just funny to reminisce about that.</p>

<p>Seriously though, you have higher stats and better ECs than me, and I got in, so take it for what its worth.</p>

4

<p>Chance me thread, IMO, is ridiculous. Even if people say that you have a good chance, there's no guarantee that you'll get into the college. You'll gain nothing by posting a chance thread. Maybe some confidence if you get positive feedbacks.</p>

5

<p>While you have a good chance--you are right, the weak point is your SAT (by HYPS and ORM standards that is). Also, you'll need high scores (5s or at worst 4s) in most AP exams if you took them. The EC focus on Piano is just what they want. I would let the essay bring out your passion for this EC--that's just me.</p>

6

<p>I'm not Asian, but many of my friends at Yale are (and from the Bay Area, no less). I'm not going to bash you for doing a chances thread like some of the above posters, but the truth is that you won't know until you apply. While some of the Asian kids I know who were admitted have perfect SAT scores, most do not. I think your essays will be the biggest factor in your decision. From talking to other admits, that definitely seems to be the case.</p>

7

<p>essays/ recs/ ECs are definitely the most important, as long as your grades and scores are fine (which yours are). I got in with SAT scores way lower than yours, and i'm not a legacy or an athlete or the inventor of post its, etc. just work hard on the app, and write some killer essays</p>

8

<p>seems like youre really passionate about music. i dont know too much about how the competitions work but if you can hold your own nationally while keeping your grades/sats/leadership up there, youll have an above average chance.</p>

9

<p>Your activites are many and interesting. But you do need to get about at least 50 points higher on the SAT. I'd say you're in good shape. Good luck.</p>

10

<p>I have found that it is a crapshoot in a lot of scenarios. There are certainly people out there with better stats (from a quantitative standpoint) than me who were rejected. I think your numbers are fine, plus you have a lot of committment and motivation. Yale or not, I can assure you that you will find yourself SOMEPLACE. Its just so frustrating and impossible to know how one specific institution will make its decisions for a given class. Good luck :)</p>

11

<p>thanks jharrett! where r u heading off too this year?</p>

12

<p>Yale Class of 2011! Woohoo</p>

13

<p>nicee! congrats!!!!!
what r u studying?</p>

14

<p>Hopefully Biomedical Engineering, focusing on biomechanics. However, I could see myself switching or ultimately choosing mechanical engineering just because of my strong interest in physics over biology.</p>

<p>I haven't decided how I want to do it yet, but I would love to at least apply for the International Studies program as well (its only a second major), but I have to get a feel for my current courseload. <em>shrugs</em></p>

15

<p>Your EC is amazing..I mean given your Piano records, why not Julliard?</p>

16

<p>She said she does not want to major in music...</p>

17

<p>Plus, Juilliard isn't for everyone. Not a talent issue, but rather a teacher/fit issue.</p>

18

<p>yah i agree windcloudultra. i know some who had great experiences at juilliard and some who hated it so much. and if you get a teacher you don't like, you're pretty much screwed.</p>