From a disadvantaged town to an Ivy?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>The school system in my town is not very good (we're on the NCLB failing list every year), and we don't have the resources that wealthier schools have (relatively few AP courses offered, more social programs than educational incentives), but I'm graduating from my local public school next year. What kind of impact might my educational background have on my chances on getting into my top choices?</p>

<p>Profile:
Junior, Asian, female, middle-class family income</p>

<p>GPA: 4.8 on a 5.0 scale (PE and Health were on a 4.0 scale, which brought it down)</p>

<p>Rank: 1 out of about 299 (as of the beginning of the year; some have probably dropped out)</p>

<p>Transcript:</p>

<p>9th grade
* Honors Biology - A
* Honors Geometry - A
* Honors English - A
* Band - A
* Spanish 2 - A
* Latin 1 - A</p>

<p>10th grade
* Honors Algebra 2 - A
* Honors Chemistry - A
* Honors Band - A
* Latin 3 (skipped a year) - A
* Honors English - A
* Honors World History - A</p>

<p>11th grade (last report card)
* Honors Pre-Calculus - A
* Honors Civics - A
* Honors Band - A
* AP Latin Lit (skipped a year) - A
* AP Spanish Lang (skipped 2 years) - A
* Honors English - A</p>

<p>12th grade (Anticipated classes)
* AP Calculus BC
* AP US History
* AP European History (first time it's offered in over 10 years, yay!)
* AP English Lit (I would've taken it this year...but it's for seniors only at our school)
* Honors Band
* Honors Physics
* AP Latin Vergil (not confirmed yet, but hopefully as an independent study)</p>

<p>ECs:
* Music/Band
- Piano for 10 years
- Mallet percussion for 6 years
- Erhu (Chinese stringed instrument) for 4 years (took lessons in Hong Kong; still play it regularly by myself)
- Band since freshman year; will continue senior year
- Junior section leader of mallet percussion (hopefully senior section leader next year)
- Earned a spot in the 2008 CT Southern-Region music festival on mallet percussion
- 2008 CT All-State music festival, also on mallet percussion
- Earned a letter for band in freshman year</p>

<ul>
<li>Target rifle </li>
<li>Our school doesn't have a team, but I am a junior member of our local shooting range</li>
<li>Achieved 'Expert' NRA Qualification</li>
<li><p>Elected to the CT All-State Rifle team each year since 9th grade</p></li>
<li><p>Internship at the state capitol (over the summer)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Community Service:
* Organizes and directs a small instrumental group to entertain senior citizens during the holidays and spring season</p>

<p>Test scores:</p>

<p>AP - First time taking them; so I can't really estimate</p>

<p>PSAT -
* I wanted to take them in freshman year...but was not allowed to sign up.
* Sophomore - 199 (61 CR, 67 M, 71 W)
* Junior - 216 (71 CR, 72 M, 73 W)</p>

<p>SAT -
* May 2008 - 2160 (720 CR, 640 M, 800 W)
* Will retake in October</p>

<p>SAT II's -
* June 2008 - will take Math 1 and Latin
* November 2008 - Spanish w/Listening
* Possibly Literature, but don't know yet </p>

<p>Now, onto my college aspirations!</p>

<p>Concentration: Double major in Classical Studies and Linguistics</p>

<p>Top Choice: Yale</p>

<p>Also looking into (but stretches): Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia</p>

<p>Less stretchy: BC, NYU</p>

<p>Safety: UCONN</p>

<p>Thanks for reading! All thoughts/advice greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Right now I'd say your chances at your top schools are average, but raise your SATI to a 2250 or higher, get 700+'s on your SATIIs, and get 4's or 5's on your AP's and I'd say your chances will be very strong.</p>

3

<p>Thanks, I will be doing a lot of math prep over the summer. I was surprised though, my math score didn't seem to match my PSAT or practice SAT scores.</p>

<p>Any other suggestions please, anyone?</p>

4

<p>Does anyone have any thoughts about the impact that graduating from a disadvantaged public school may have? Any thoughts on my chances in general? =]</p>

5

<p>A bit more info I forgot to mention...although it may or may not help me:</p>

<ul>
<li>I'm fluent in Cantonese (although illiterate!)</li>
<li>I'm in Spanish and Latin Honor Societies</li>
<li>On the National Latin Exam, I got a silver medal in Latin I, gold in II, and gold in III</li>
</ul>

<p>Thanks.</p>

6

<p>Colleges often look to the SAT to determine the qualifications of strong student from an unknown school. If you are a strong scorer this can be an advantage, if you are a weak scorer its tough. My advice is to study for the SAT really really hard. Its more important than almost anything else you can do at this point. Get it into 2250-2300 range and you're going to be a strong applicant for Ivy level schools. As is, I think your stretch schools will be tough.</p>

<p>I'd also advise hedging the bet a little. You have four very competitive schools as reaches (Dartmouth, Harvard, Columbia, Princeton) and your matches are very solid bets. I would consider adding a few "in between" places like Emory, Rice, Vanderbilt, and WashU.</p>

7

<p>Thank you slipper!</p>

<p>My stretch schools are really tough; but it's so hard to find a collegeI really like. As things stand now, the only outstanding choice is Yale. I'm trying to do Yale SCEA. Should I keep my current SAT plans (Subj test in June, SAT re-take in Oct) or switch them around? </p>

<p>Any other suggestions welcome!</p>

8

<p>good chances, but the SAT good be a bit stronger. </p>

<p>Also, I don't think that the quality of your school will have any affect on your application b/c (1) Colleges probably won't know that your school is bad; and (2) You are middle income.</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

9

<p>Thanks, you'llsee. </p>

<p>I think the math score might've been a fluke, because normally when I did practice tests I consistently scored in the high 600s and low 700s, and that 640 was the lowest I've ever seen myself do. Hopefully my retake will be better!</p>

10

<p>you can't take all three of your subject tests at the same time? why wait until november to take spanish?
as for your chances, i think your lack of significant EC's (you're in the band...cool) will be what keeps you out of the ivy league. just my opinion. you'll still get into a good school but harvard and princeton see 10,000 kids every year that are smarter/more involved than you. what school you go to won't hurt you; if anything it'll help you. listen to what slipper1234 said. look at the emory vanderbilt rice northwestern washu range.</p>

11

<p>Thanks, token.</p>

<p>November is the only date listening tests are offered. So, that is why I must wait till then to take Spanish.</p>

<p>Okay, I'll look into those and add them to my match list. UCONN is my ultimate safety, and I'm pretty certain about my chances into their honor program if I continue to keep my current class ranking.</p>

<p>Keep the comments/advice coming! You're all helping a great deal =]</p>

12

<p>Helloooo!!!</p>

13

<p>Considering the fact that you received an A in AP Spanish, I do not think it's crucial for you to take the SAT II Spanish w/ listening. It has been shown that students receive around the same score on both and your should be better right after taking the AP Spanish test. So take it in June with your other SAT II's, it's cheaper (you only have to pay the fee to add a test) and you should score higher.</p>

14

<p>Thanks, outinspace.</p>

<p>I was hoping to see my AP scores over the summer before deciding for certain whether or not I wanted to take SAT II Spanish w/Listening. I didn't think I did so well on APs...but someone in my class did take the Spanish w/Listening SAT II and said it was much less painful.</p>

<p>All other suggestions welcome!</p>

15

<p>Helloooo!!!</p>

16

<p>I'm thinking that with your grades, scores, <em>and</em> a potential Classics major that you have a great shot at Yale and Princeton. I think you could also add Williams. Play up the Classics theme in your essays.</p>

<p>I notice you're from Connecticut -- and although <em>I</em> can't guess which school district -- I know that Yale admissions will have a very good feel for your achievements relative to your high school.</p>

<p>Good luck ... and don't panic if you don't get in to Yale SCEA. I know another potential Classics major with similar stats who was deferred by Yale, and eventually accepted at P + Y, waitlisted at H, and accepted at a whole slew of high end LACs.</p>

17

<p>Thanks, cnp55.</p>

<p>That's so encouraging! I'll try to keep my sanity throughout this whole process...and how should I 'play up' a Classics theme in my essays? Incorporate bits of Latin and mythology? That could get corny :) </p>

<p>I was prowling around the Yale website and noticed that the transcript is the most important factor. Now that's something I can worry less about!</p>

18

<p>Helloooo!!!!</p>

19

<p>ooohhh..u play the erhu?? me too...when did u learn, cuz i was debating whether to put that on my applications, cuz i learned for 2-3 yrs in lik 6th grade..but i still play..??</p>

20

<p>I'm definitely going to send in supplementary tapes of me playing erhu etudes. Just kidding.</p>