<p>Hey! As I've been researching colleges and universities I'm interested in, I've developed a love for Yale University and I would want to pursue Anthropology if I got accepted. I think the chances of me being accepted are little to none, and it would be a high reach for me, but isn't that the same case for most applicants? What do you guys suggest me to do to get a bigger chance at getting in?
1) My grades aren't perfect, but I take one of the most rigorous schedules at my school. The only 'advanced/honors' course I'm not in is English.
Freshman Year First Semester
Computer Applications-A
Biology-B
Physical Education Quarter 1-A
Physical Education Quarter 2-A
English 1-B
Honors Geometry-A
Orchestra-A
Spanish 2-A
Weighted GPA: 3.8
Freshman Year Second Semester
Biology-B
Physical Education Quarter 3-A
Physical Education Quarter 4-A
English 1-A
Honors Geometry-B
Health-A
Orchestra-A
Spanish 2-A
Weighted GPA: 3.8
Sophomore Year First Semester
Honors Algebra 2-B
Chemistry-A
English 2-A
Marching Band-A
Orchestra-A
Spanish 3-A
World History-A
Weighted GPA: 4.0
Sophomore Year Second Semester
Honors Algebra 2-B
Physical Education Q3-A
Physical Education Q4-A
Chemistry-A
English 2-A
Orchestra-A
Spanish-A
World History-A
Weighted GPA: 4.0
Junior Year, I'm going to be taking the following courses:
Orchestra
Marching Band
AP US History
AP Physics B
English 3
Honors Precalculus
AP Spanish Language
2) Extracurriculars
-Violin, Auxiliaries in Marching Band
-I have a HUGE love for traveling and learning about foreign countries. I travel every summer and not only do I travel, but I also do community service in rural parts of countries I visited. In 9th grade, I traveled to Beijing and rural China. This summer, I'm going to be exploring east and west Africa and helping build schools and teach the less fortunate children. What I learned from this whole experience was to chase something you love, because it's worth it. I want to study intercultural relations and how we interact as one human race in the future.
3) I currently go to a competitive public high school that has a reputation for high test scores--I'm going to be taking the PSAT, SAT I, and SAT II Subject Tests in Spanish, US History, and Mathematics Level 2 next year.
Do you have any advice for me to get me on the right track?
I'm also interested in Princeton--I know that Princeton and Yale are two VERY different places, but I'm drawn to both of them.
Thanks for your help in advance!</p>
<p>What’s to say? Maintain top grades and your hunger to learn. Get top SATs, be a real presence in your high school and community. And finally – don’t fetishize Yale. If you truly are a top scholar, then you’ll do fine wherever you attend. Often I see too many kids obsess over a college name rather than focus on becoming a great student of character and scholarship. Irony is that the great colleges want the latter and are doing their best to avoid the former.</p>
<p>Is there anyway that you can get into Honors English? It would make your transcript that much better if you got an A in that class.</p>
<p>My school usually offers applications to Honors English, and actually Junior yr, there is no ‘Honors’ English, it’s only AP English Language, and I applied, but didn’t get in, unfortunately because I was one question away on the placement test, and I talked to everyone to try to get into the class, but I unfortunately didn’t. My current English teacher REALLY wanted to see me in that class–when I went to ask her for my final grade for the semester, she said that I got an A-, but was deserving of a solid A due to my exemplary work in the classroom, and that I deserved a spot in AP Lang, so she changed me to a solid A. I’m going to self study for the AP Lang exam because I think I have the capabilities of doing well.</p>
<p>That’s fair enough, just make sure to do really well on that AP Test, and make sure that your SAT English scores are top-notch. While very unfortunate (and seemingly stupid of your school) that you are not able to take AP English Language, as long as colleges see your initiative and dedication to pursuing the most rigorous schedule and course-work, I believe you will be fine.</p>
<p>When applying to Yale, does unweighted GPA or weighted GPA play a bigger role? My weighted is 3.915 and unweighted is 3.745. I’m HOPING to get my GPA to a 4.0+ by next year with a 3.8 UW–and I’m doing some MAJOR preparation for the SAT I exam this summer. :)</p>
<p>I bet you won’t love Yale so much once they reject you… no jk but seriously you haven’t taken enough ap’s… none sophomore year and 3 junior year… The most important part of your application is course difficulty and right now, that does not look to promising. I would say you would get rejected though unless you take at least 4 ap’s your junior year and reach a high class rank.</p>
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<p>This is the wisest advice you’re ever going to get. I was accepted to Yale in 2009(chose not to attend). </p>
<p>Focus on yourself. If you are an unimpressive person, then no amount of obsessing over Yale will make a difference. If you are truly impressive, then you can get accepted to Yale without visiting the school or knowing anything about it.</p>
<p>Hey! My school district has elected to eliminate class rank completely for the upcoming school year. Also, will it count against me if I haven’t taken APs even though my school doesn’t offer them to sophomores? The only AP a sophomore can take @ my school is Biology and I absolutely DREAD biology and chose not to take it because I would do bad in it and I would hate my sophomore year.</p>
<p>I go to a small school and actually, during junior year, there is no AP US History, but only an Advanced class, and I am taking the AP exam on my own time. I think I’ll self-study for the AP Lang exam myself.</p>
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Not necessarily. It depends on the school and how many AP classes they offer. At my son’s school they only offer 6 total AP classes and all but 5 are restricted to juniors and seniors with one seniors only. My son only took AP Biology his junior year and four others this year, He was accepted off the waitlist.</p>
<p>I took no APs. Or IB courses. Just do the best that you can with your resources.</p>
<p>My comment should have said 5 are restricted to juniors and seniors and 1 seniors only not all but 5. The bottom line is no freshman or sophomore can take an AP class and only 5 of the 6 are available to juniors as the AP Lit class is a senior only class. Obviously, if your school offers 20 AP classes it doesn’t look good for you to take 4-5 so I would shoot for taking at least 75% of the available classes. Also, senior course curriculum is very important so don’t make the mistake many do and choose easy classes your final year. Take the most challenging courses possible and that will show your seriousness related to academics.</p>
<p>schrodingerscat, I might be mistaken, but are you not an international applicant who has also gone far in the physics olympiad? </p>
<p>Ok, do not take this as fact, but here is my opinion: My school has similar policies, but that has not stopped me and many other kids in taking 3 ap’s sophomore year and 6 junior year. It just takes a bit of effort in persuading the administration. Colleges have to see that you are capable of handling their coursework and how you perform in various advanced placement courses.</p>