Honest Chances of Getting into Harvard University, Stanford University, or Johns Hopkins University

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Whew, now that’s a pretty long title.

Getting that out of the way, greetings, everyone! This is my first post, and I hope for it to be one of many on this wonderful forum that I’ve lurked across for a while with the many questions I have as a current High School Sophomore moving into Junior Year.

That said, I have great interest to achieve a degree in Economics, particularly from the above listed universities (doesn’t everybody?) Ergo, I’ve compiled my current high school list of grades, and I’d like for you to be honest and forthright in my chances from the current path and, additionally, combined with my desired path through Junior and Senior Years.

Freshman Year Full Year (Dual Semester): Algebra I (B), US History I (A-), Physics I (B+), English I (A)
Freshman Half Year (Semester): Introduction to Business (A+), Web Design I (A-), Multimedia (A+), Computer Sciences I (A)

Sophomore Year Full Year (Dual Semester): Geometry (B+), Honors US History II (A+), Honors Chemistry (B+), Honors English II (A+), Marketing (A+)
Sophomore Half Year (Semester): Personal Financing (A+), Debate (A+)

Then, for the upcoming (Junior) and following (Senior) years, I want to take the following, and will be taking the following for Junior Year:

Junior Full Year (Dual Semester): AP Language & Composition, AP World History, Honors Biology, Algebra II, AP Psychology
Junior Half Year (Semester): Introduction to Political Sciences (an Independent Study), Theater I

Over the Summer of Junior->Senior Year, I’ll be taking Pre-Calculus

Senior Full Year (Dual Semester): AP Literature, AP US History II, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry (or Biology)
Senior Half Year (Semester): Web Design II, Career Exploration

Foreign Language: Italian I & Italian II, both A+ for Full Year, and I’m currently independently learning Russian and Czech.
Extracurriculars: Model United Nations & Debate, I want to do Shotput Throwing Junior Year

So, thoughts?

Edit: Included my Foreign Languages & Extracurriculars

2

Impossible without test scores and a GPA helps.

Regardless, if you have a 3.8+ and 33 ACT or 1500 SAT, you probably have a 5% chance. 4.0 and 36/1600 won’t up much although GPA is more important than test scores at that point.

If you’re scores are below that, you have a less than 5% shot. To have more than that, you need to be URM, legacy, related to a big donor, or athlete.

Essays and letters of rec matter a lot. JHU will be higher than Harvard and Stanford but gets tougher every year.

3

@Sportsman88 I edited it to include my current GPA. Thank you for the tip!

I haven’t taken the SAT or ACT yet, though I hope to take the ACT as soon as I can. The sooner the better, obviously!
Thanks much for your wise words, I’ll take your thoughts into consideration. :slight_smile:

4

Actually it goes up quite a bit with perfect SAT’s/ACT’s, those with perfect scores were admitted to Stanford at a 35% rate. Comparable rates are at other top universities.

5

That 35% is NOT based on stats alone. Those kids matched in more ways than that, plus made it through the institutional ring of fire. Miss the point and you’d fall into the othet 65%, in a flash.

Edit: only ECs are MUN/debate and a sport? Nothing else?

And understand that for those schools, many kids won’t have B grades. And math strength can be considered for econ.

6

I’m just pointing out the facts, clearly those with perfect scores had strong apps all the way around, but the fact remains that perfect scores get in at a 35% rate. We know applications are not just stats but GPA’s and scores are the first and most important part of the application.

7

Um, wait a sec, where’d that 35% come from? ACT 30-36 is still only 4% admit. See http://admission.stanford.edu/basics/selection/profile.html

8

No, those with petfect stats do not necessarily make a great application. Scores and gpa get you only so far. Then the rubber hits the road. It’s why I keep telling kids to learn more about “match” than where their stats fall.

9

That includes all applicants 30-36, it was from an article last year on Stanford admissions and in it they talk about rejecting 2/3rds of the applicant with perfect scores.

10

debate means nothing unless you get big awards, for example, TOC semis or above, NSDA nationals semis or above, TFA finals, etc. but debate on it’s own with no support isn’t that much of a help. Also, those B’s may tear you down. It honestly depends on your location, but where I’m from, many of my classmates and I take pre-calc our freshman year. Try to expand the things that you do. For example, maybe go into some clubs, and try to get leadership positions there, that’s pretty crucial. In the end, just expand your horizons lol

11

Let’s leave it at this: OP doesn’t have perfect scores, has a bunch of B grades, has listed one present EC through 10th, and doesn’t yet know how to match him/herself. It’s going to be much more than stats, to gain an admit. He needs to leatn more, to position himself.

12

@lookingforward The debate between yourself and CU123 was interesting to say the least and your words are true. I wouldn’t have requested honesty if I wanted to hear positive reinforcement and a gum drop ride. You’ve all provided be with that.
That said, could I inquire as to what you suggest to improve my chances then, and what are skills to brush up on for an Economics major pursuit? Such prestigious centers may be reaches but I’m not out of the thick of it yet. You mention “matches”, but I’m a bit lost. Do you mean to hone in on my skills?

13

You should take Calculus your senior year so that your schedule looks more rigorous. I agree with prior posts that you need leadership positions.

14

@Testingearly Youre entirely correct.

I’m going to be taking Calculus AB Senior. To you an all: I’m no stranger that to get into anything you “need” Calculus on your transcript. Mathematics has just never been my strong suit unless I directly apply myself; hence why I’ve only taken Honors of it and lower forms of it at that.

In addition I plan on applying for President of Modwl UN Senior Year. I’m already well established I’d have a great shot at achieving it.

Thank you for the wise words. Kudos.

15

"Match " refers to how you learn what a target values and whether or not you offer that. It’s more than stats and rigor, those are just the bones. If a college values, say, how you stretch, the sort of commitments/challenges you take on, how you think, you really need to show that. You need to be learning what the college says and shows. Not what someone on a forum thinks.

You asked about 2 of the toughest colleges to get into and one also challenging. You want more than just Mun/debate, which is usually a school activity. You don’t “need” a title in a school club, real leadership is a quality that shows in the range of your choices. Nor do you need awards.

But you need vision and getting active.