<p>I've observed selective college's "post your stats if you get in" threads and find a couple of students who, contrary to the insane rest, took it every easy in high school. Granted, their academic schedule was challenging and scores were high, but their EC weren't that considered by the "Ivy hopefuls" as impressive. So my question for you guys is, if you are one of those relaxed superstars who got into competitive colleges, please let us know how you thought you were accepted, and even if you don't, please describe your activities in high school so other people can offer insights on how you accomplish the feat. Please help out us high schoolers, whose situation, in a few years or even months back, you were also in. Please don't post stories you just heard about, or observed because you never fully know what that person did when you were not around.
Thank you</p>
<p>Honestly, I think what made me attractive to ivies was the story they inferred about me. Asian immigrant kid in predominantly African-American school district. Went to top HS in otherwise awful urban district. Took toughest classes. Very high GPA but not 4.0 and ranked about 10-12th in my class of 200 seniors. SATs were fine but not stratospheric. ECs were working a job and highest level of leadership in JROTC. That plus my essay showed my main strength: I was a natural leader in an environment where I was the oddball.</p>
<p>No NHS, no presidency of various clubs, few volunteer hours, I played sports for fun and had a blast in HS. </p>
<p>Was I relaxed in college search and admissions?? Kinda. But I was self driven, academically. No one needed to push me to a “rigorous” schedule and I did what I did for myself, not to impress colleges. I got into a premier public college in November of senior year and frankly, felt set. Only later did I apply to some other top engineering schools and then some Ivies. Wasn’t worried at all because my “fall back” school was fantastic. All accepted me and I matriculated at an HYP.</p>
<p>The point to all this? Reflecting back, there were others (Asians especially) who scored better and had better GPA. But somehow, I was able to portray myself as someone unique and who would contribute to the community of my target colleges – a Chinese dude who felt very at ease in an all black HS and rose to top levels of leadership – and a very hungry scholar to boot.</p>
<p>Did I “program” myself to be so? nope. I was who I was – it just happened to catch the attn of my application readers. Now, as I advise attendees of my college recruitment fairs and here on CC, I repeat to students what’s been told to me: Top college admissions is an art, not a science.</p>
<p>You are exactly what I mean, T
But may you let us know, what was your SAT range was, what job you worked, and a little bit about your essay? Also, what was the college you were accepted to the first place?
I’m an Asian too. Im from Texas, I just switched to the top high school of my city this junior year. Last year I was amongst the top at a less competitive school but now I think I will only rank in the first quarter in the class of 100. I’m kind of worried my rank will prevent me from admission into top colleges, specifically Rice, Stanford, and HYP
Top college admission is an art? How’s so? It would be best if you could elaborate on that
Thank you</p>
<p>what he means by art is that there are really no set numbers that ensure admission, for example, had his admissions office not found his essay particularly interesting or had he come across as arrogant, then despite everything else he might have got rejected. Its all subjective, after all admissions officers are humans. So painting the perfect picture of yourself in the application is key. And that’s why its an art, you are painting a picture of yourself, except the paint and brushes are your transcript, scores, and extracurriculars. A bad brush or crummy paint can ruin you, even if you have a great canvas, and great skill.</p>
<p>It’s an art in that college admissions offices know that admissions is very in-exact. Many great kids will be rejected, some “lesser” kids will be admitted over seemingly other more deserving applicants. It really is about feel and the desire to admit a freshman class according to the mores of that particular college. If you look at kids who apply to many top tier schools – you’ll see how random their accepts and rejects can be. Accepted to a tippy top school while being rejected at a so-called lower tier selective college. Colleges are confident in their admissions styles and know that they’ll turn away kids who could do great things at their college. They’re 100% okay with that b/c they know most who apply will have stunningly successful collegiate careers wherever they attend. </p>
<p>It’s the nature of the beast.</p>
<p>To add to wikiman’s analogy: Often it’s more than just painting yourself – sometimes your final portrait is remarkably similar to 30 others – even if you all look marvelous. Painting a “perfect” picture assumes that one even exists. I posit that it doesn’t and that serendipity and subjectivity play a huge role, ultimately.</p>
<p>Although I don’t like the harsh & heartless tone of the word, I feel that the adjective of “crapshoot” is more appropriate than not.</p>
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<p>There’s almost always some kind of story behind the acceptance: some people don’t list in detail all of their activities in the acceptance threads, especially if they have well known awards that may make them identifiable; some people have interesting life stories that you’re not going to know about; some come from underrepresented areas; some have unusual academic or extracurricular interests; something the applicant said in his essay might have resonated strongly with the admission officer reading the file… You have no idea how great their essays could’ve been or what was mentioned in their teacher recommendations.</p>
<p>Yeah so I didn’t try too hard in high school. I took one of the toughest schedules junior and senior years but never studied for more than 3 hours a night with a couple exceptions. I got mostly As and a few Bs. </p>
<p>My ECs during the school year were basically IM sports (those don’t count really), varsity golf (fall for like one month), science olympiad (once a week for like two hours, never really studied until before nationals), a radio show (once a week during lunch senior year), math tutoring (3 times a week in school and once a week privately outside of school), and scobowl (a senior year thing, took up some Saturdays but it was all 2nd semester). So basically the ones that affected college admissions were varsity golf, science olympiad, and math tutoring. </p>
<p>Decent grades (pretty good though I think considering the work I put in), pretty mediocre ECs, my writing ability at that time was pretty weak. I think what got me in a lot of places was my academic potential. 800s on 3 subject tests. 35 on ACT. 5s on 10 AP tests (one 4). I owned house at science olympiad despite never studying much. So although my grades only started getting strong enough the end of junior year, at that time everything was in place for a decent performance in admissions.</p>
<p>I could never get passed my grades and poor writing ability for some schools. Other schools took more of a chance on me. </p>
<p>My advice would be to not worry about it too much if it’s not in your nature. Don’t do something you’re not. I think life tends to work itself out if you have what it takes, so no need to force things. That said, if you still have time to get good grades in HS, do so as long as you’re not sacrificing sleep, friendships, family, or fun to an unreasonable extent.</p>
<p>So why do you think colleges choose you over other big competitors?
I see you wind up at Stanford now, Senior. Have yu win anything nationally?</p>
<p>My school hasn’t had a Yale accept ever… in all of its sixty years. They probably did it for lols…</p>
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Won anything? No. Medalled? Yes, although that was after I got into colleges.</p>
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<p>I see you, Study Hacks reader ;).</p>
<p>I was known around the school as a kid who didn’t really appear to do much work. This wasn’t 100% accurate- I occasionally worked really late at night when I had been procrastinating too terribly, but my general schedule was to hang out for a few hours after school, maybe do an hour or two of sports, and then do an hour or two of homework at around 9 p.m.
My extra-curriculars were fencing (4-6 hours/wk), Science Bowl (lunch once a week), It’s Academic (lunch two or three days a week), and Hebrew school once a week. I easily spent more time just hanging out with friends and going out on the weekends than I spent on extra-curriculars or even homework.
When interviewed, I actually presented myself as sort of a diversity factor- the laid-back one who could balance out all the type A personalities. I ended up being accepted to two Ivies- legacy probably helped a bit at one, but it’s not like I had a building named after my family.
I maintained good grades and scores, but I just couldn’t bring myself to sacrifice quality of life for slightly higher grades. I got the occasional B, and spent a total of two hours studying for the SAT, but I was fine with how I did and generally liked high school.</p>
<p>So why do you think you were selected Banjo? Legacy helps much</p>
<p>Aha T26E4, from Renaissance? </p>
<p>OT you said no stories, but I was really close to my cousin and she seemed routinely smart 1600 SAT, near top of class but she had no stellar EC’s(NHS,Varsity sport). However though, looking through my computer last year I found a downloaded application essay from Harvard(she matriculated) that she had sent to my mom to proofread. It was an amazing essay that bared her soul and it seemed the only tip factor for her apart from all the other female Asian unhooked candidates . Yes admissions were easier 5 or so years ago, but not incredibly easier and I think she portrayed the all around person in school and out side of school.</p>
<p>Legacy helped a bit at one school, maybe sports tipped me at the other? I’m not really sure why I got in, maybe being laid-back actually helped my chances. I did get 10 5’s on AP tests- while that isn’t crazy for Harvard, it probably helped a bit.</p>
<p>I would like to hear more about Asians who actually got into college laid back
Banjo, congratulations. You have a big hook</p>
<p>Woo! Another Cal Newport reader.</p>