<p>Well , I applied to Harvard , Williams , Princeton , Duke and Stanford.</p>
<p>I just wanted to know what are my chances of getting admitted to any of the above colleges. </p>
<p>Below are some of my scholastic and extracurricular accomplishments:-</p>
<p>SAT:- 1850/2400 CR-560 Math-570 Writing-650 Essay-10/12
SAT 2 Subject Tests:- U.S History-800/800 , Physics-540/800 ,
CBSE Boards:- 'A' grades in Social Science , Science & Tech , Math , English
Prizes for excellence in English in Gr 11 and Gr 9
Successful participation in the National Science Olympiad
Expected result in Grade 12 High school Boards:- Above 80%</p>
<p>Currently the Student Council President of my school
I was also Senior and Junior Prefect of my house in Gr 11 and Gr 9 respectively.
Won a number of prizes and accolades in quizzing both within school and inter school level.
Successfully participated in a number of debates and elocutions.
I also won "The Best Delegate" award twice in U.N Simulation Conferences/Model UN
I am in the senior editorial board of my school magazine.
I also play soccer for my house team.</p>
<p>I apologize for the length of my post but I hope to recieve a brutally honest response from all of you!</p>
<p>All I can say is that you're SAT I scores fall about 100 points below the lower 25th percentile of any of the schools you listed. Your US history 800 is astonishing, but your 540 in Physics isn't too impressive. Your EC's are probably below the average applicant.</p>
<p>Unless you live in somewhere like in the middle of Greenland, I think your chances are VERY slim. However, I'm sure you have other qualities that might be a MAJOR hook, since otherwise, you wouldn't have applied to those schools.</p>
<p>In conclusion, your chances are... (sry for the brutality...) next to nothing, even if your essay is stellar.</p>
<p>PS: My answer would be the same even if your SAT score was 2200, since your GPA seems to be below par for those schools</p>
<p>Because you're international, and your standardized test scores are not necessarily up to par with those of the schools listed, I would say you'd either need an excellent hook or your chances are slim to none.</p>
<p>Why don't you try applying to some other universities with Feb 1 deadline?
You could take the Jan SAT and work to increase your score, otherwise, it seems you're chances are pretty low with those universities.</p>
<p>If you are not applying for Aid, I would say you've still got a chance in getting into Duke. But Harvard, Princeton, Williams and Standford are Mission Impossible. I got a friend who got almost everything you had(maybe less impressive ECs) and got a 2300+ SAT and 2400 SAT 2 but still rejected by the early plan of one of those schools...try some lower schools, you still got a big chance depite the unimpressive SAT</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! I must say that I wasen't surprised on reading your replies!. My SAT1 and Sat2 scores are indeed horrible. Will these universities atleast read my application or will they throw it out of the window by just looking at the SAT scores???</p>
<p>And please could anyone list any other good college to which I have a chance of being admitted in? To be frank , my essay is really excellent. Don't want to sound vain but I am among the top 10 students of my class and getting straight A's in my Grade 10 Board Exams is indeed a wonderful accomplishment. And , believe it or not Physics is my favourite subject! (I know the SAT 2 score say's otherwise!)Plus , the EC's which I listed are just a brief review. </p>
<p>Now , I am really beginning to doubt myself...Am I really college material??</p>
<p>You should not doubt yourself but don't set yourself up either. Try for bigger colleges, like University of Illinois or somewhere.....they have honors colleges, if you make it into that track. Also try Tulane, which is a good school but accepting more kids due to Katrina....You still have time before the 1/1 deadline.</p>
<p>Sry if our comments have been too harsh...Frankly, your records are very impressive, only the SAT is a big drawback...But there are loads of schools that don't consider your standardized Test scores! Bates College, Hamilton College and Middlebury College are just some of these elite liberal arts colleges that don't necessarily require standardized test scores. But their deadlines are Jan. 1 so....you know what I mean...
But if you consider those with Jan. 1 deadline, what about Carleton College(good in natural science, will be a good fit for you if you like physics), or Macalester College, Gettysburg College, Dickinson College, Colgate University etc.? The liberal arts colleges usually pay much less attention to your SAT than big unis. Still, if you want to go to big unis, Georgetown University's deadline is Jan.10 so you still have time...and don't forget those state unis like Michigan Ann Arbor which has a deadline as late as Feb. 1.
Please, do not doubt yourself! If there's any tips I would conclude from my application, I would say: Be confident of who you are! You are a unique person, but not a pile of objective files. Harvard admission officers wouldn't throw your files out, maybe they'd loved it but they feel you should rather go to another college that fits you more. Start researching for schools yourself and you'll find an institution that is as good as Harvard, only with another name.
Come on, you can do it, don't mind your scores, present yourself better in other aspects and maybe explain in your application why you did bad in SAT(like spent too much time on ECs). You may be the next one to get into a prestigous college without an impressive score, who knows?</p>
<p>Hey thanks leiliu! You just made my day! I also got mailed by Northeastern University , Boston to apply. If I apply before Jan 15th they will waive my application fee. RPI also gave me the cahnce to apply for their Candidate's Choice Application with priority financial aid consideration..So I just appliued .</p>
<p>Last question. How is Northeastern University , Boston? I hear they have a superb campus and the best co-op program in the country. </p>
<p>And what about RPI? I just know that they are among the new Ivies of America.</p>
<p>I am really nervous. I have a cousin sister in Columbia studying Law(SAT score of 2400!!!!) and a cousin brother in MIT(SAT score of 2370! And he got an 800 in Phy SAT 2 and 790 in Math 2c ) pursuing aerospace. So , you can imagine how I must be feeling! I hope I dont end up being the black sheep of my family!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Colleges are not going to look at your school 'grades'. They are going to look at your marks since you are from CBSE. So if you scoring something below 90 don't keep your hopes high. For others: Anything between a 75 and 100 is an A for CBSE.</p></li>
<li><p>Your ECs cannot cover up for your other parts of the application be it SAT scores or your school grades. As it is school level awards dont matter much at International universities. Keep in mind there are people far more accomplished and with lots of international awards applying at the same universities.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>
[quote]
Successful participation in the National Science Olympiad
[/quote]
This doesn't matter at all. There are people with Gold Medals applying.</p>
<ol>
<li>Your excellent essay cannot push you in. Essays can make or break decisions only for those applicants who are on the borderline of being admitted.</li>
</ol>
<p>I'm not trying to be really harsh but only being frank. You should keep your options open. Those SAT scores are TOO low for an international student. I would suggest retaking SAT, but that again is too late now. You can still try for third tier universities if you wish after retaking SAT. Don't neglect your XII & prepare for AIEEE. </p>
<p>Good Luck! :)</p>
<p>PS: Northeastern has been mass mailing people lately. Their SAT avg is way higher than your scores. So dont count on them either.</p>
<p>SAT scores don't define everything but usually the top private universities do become choosy regarding a sat score lower then 2000.
You should apply to university of texas-it has a really good science and enginering program.
BTW- getting a straight A in your class 10th CBSE boards is not a great achievement-anybody who gets more then 80 gets an A. What were your actual marks?
Also your 12th predicted result- above 80%- thats not really very brilliant is it? Don't you think you can report a better one like above 85% or 85-90%.
ps-i got the mail from northeastern too- so don't become too happy about it.</p>
<p>oops- ^ i think we both were typing the post at the same time- since i am reading the above post after posting mine.
I didn't mean to repeat the same things.</p>
<p>i know! you average post is 9.something - :&) That is something to achieve- but then cc is addictive - i am supposedly working on my essay right now- :)</p>