<p>I am an international student applying from Nigeria, I have also lived in South Africa. </p>
<p>-My SAT scores are not the best I got a 1900 (math-580, critical reading 640. writing-680)
-I am ranked 5 out of 98 students in my grade
-In Nigeria we don't have AP or GPA , but I am an A student
- I am ranked First in my grade for Government, Business studies , Economics and Food and Nutrition, and Second for Accounting
- I am the founder and president of the environmental committee at my school, my school is now the first in Lagos to recycle
-president of the community development club
- House captain of for sports and cultural events
I have also had 2 articles on developmental economics published in National newspapers in Nigeria </p>
<p>These are a few of my achievements...
What are my chances of getting into Harvard, Yale , Princeton or Stanford?</p>
<p>Your chances are very low, nearly nonexistent. Although you do have some great ECs and will definitely add some diversity (which Ivies like a lot), your SAT scores will most likely put you out of the competition in all the schools you’ve listed. I still think it’s worth a shot, considering your interesting background and URM, but don’t get your hopes up. Also, is your family able to pay for education at Harvard or Princeton? It’s gonna cost a lot of money for an international applicant.</p>
<p>Yeah…I am not applying for financial aid or scholarships. </p>
<p>if the rest of my application is solid; excellent recommendations , good grades and 700+ on my Biology and Literature subject tests would it be possible to get in?</p>
<p>You have to realize that none of us here at CC will be sitting at the Harvard admission office when your application is reviewed, so we can’t tell you what your exact chances are. All I know is that you’ll be going up against hundreds if not thousands of other applicants with 2300+ on their SAT and perfect 800’s on their Subject Tests. And yes, all of them will also have perfect grades and great recommendation letters. I’m one of those people, and I still don’t think I stand a chance at Harvard. So unfortunately, none of the other parts of your app will make up for that low score, which is why I think that your chances at Harvard and other schools you listed are close to 0.</p>
<p>first of all its not all about the SAT score, if it was many more people would have been accepted into these ivy league universities, obviously the scores have their role to play, but you are so mistaken if you think that because my SAT score isn’t 2300+ I have no chance. </p>
<p>I live in Nigeria, from the beginning of 6th grade they prepare us to write different exams , we don’t have SAT experts , tutors or advisors here to coach us for the test, we don’t take the PSAT either, before I could even start studying I waited for 2 months to get one book shipped over here from England. </p>
<p>The admissions officers understand the change in situations and backgrounds, obviously if I had all the resources that many other people had I wouldn’t have this score. But I have excellent grades, outstanding EC’s and recommendations.</p>
<p>For the Ivies colleges, everyone has only a small chance even with perfect SAT, perfect GPA, perfect many things… If you like them , just apply anyway. Who knows the result?
I do know you will not get in if you do not apply.
I apply to couple top schools even I do not think I have a chance at all. I saw people buying Power Ball Lottery, most of them do not think having a chance to win. :-))
Best wishes.</p>
<p>Everyone has very low chance in getting into one of those schools, keep in mind that the acceptance rate is around the 6% mark and many qualified applicants get turned down. Do you have a chance, of course. However it is a low on considering your SAT score, and to a lesser extent your ECs. If those are all the ECs you have, then (although they are good) you will be competing against applicants with better scores, and better ECs. Many of those who get in are the first (rank) in their class, and you not having AP/IB also makes it harder (since the adcom may not be too accustomed to your country’s courses). However, there are ways for you to increase your chance. If you can stand out from the others through your essays, weave a unique and/or extraordinary story around yourself as a person and your achievements, and manage to get glowing rexomendations, then you will increase your odds. The key is to try and stand out from the pack. If you manage to do that then you could get in. But again, remember that these are the top schools in the world and attract the very best applicants, so everyone’s odds are low given demand being higher than supply.</p>
<p>In your case, focus on the essays and interview. Show that you have deeper thought, better personality, and more charm than others. These are crucial, and in my opinion, are more indicative of performance in universities than SAT scores.</p>
<p>If you have the resources, try aiming for the baseline 25th percentile of Harvard SAT scores</p>