How good are my chances for Yale?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>Hi. So I am in love with the idea of Yale and plan to apply SCEA. I'm really insecure about myself, so I feel the need to post a chances thread here. Could you please give me an idea of my chances of getting in SCEA.</p>

<p>I'm an African American, by the way. Also, the random *s in this post mean nothing and I don't know how they got there. >.></p>

<p>SAT: 2290 (second testing)
Critical Reading - 800
Mathematics - 740
Writing - 750 </p>

<p>ACT: 32 (first testing — second testing on 27th)
* *English * 34
* *Mathematics * 28
* *Reading * 32
* *Science * 32
* *Writing * 33</p>

<p>AP Scores:
5 in AP Euro,
7 in IB Economics (the rest aren't done till Senior Year in IB)</p>

<p>GPA: 4.75/5
Or 3.97/4</p>

<p>Rank: 13/417</p>

<p>Course Rigor:
I took the best classes whenever possible, which at my school means 3 honors classes in 8th grade, all but a few advanced honors classes in 9th grade, honors classes and 1 AP class in 10th grade
And in the 11th grade, I decided to become an IB Candidate, taking 3 HL courses, 1 SL, and the rest, Honors classes.
Senior year is even heavier. ^_^
I love it.</p>

<p>Using my main school's bus system, I cross-enrolled at a better, out-of-the-way school to do the IB program; I am the only kid to do this for this year.</p>

<p>ECs: Not as great as I want because my opportunities weren't pristine. Nothing interesting is particularly close and my parents don't like to drive around much for me. It was a struggle to get what I did get. Currently, I focus on working at McDonalds, which is much closer to my home.</p>

<ul>
<li>NJROTC Academic Team Commander - Sop, Jun years</li>
<li>NJROTC Physical Fitness Team Commander (for proper stereotype deflection) - Junior year</li>
<li>NJROTC Public Affairs Department Head - Same as Academic</li>
<li>" " Chief Editor of Unit Newsletter - Same as Academic...</li>
<li>Military Ball Planning Committee Member</li>
<li>Track (Distance running) - 8-12 grades (varsity, state-level)</li>
<li>15 hours of community service per school year at a variety of places</li>
<li>Summer job at McDonalds before Junior and Sophomore Years, 50+ hours a week</li>
<li>School job at McDonalds during Senior year (and late Junior Year), 32+ hours a week</li>
</ul>

<p>Details:
ROTC is my main EC. I didn't plan it this way (I was initially forced into it by my parents, though now I've come to love it), but with all the individual teams and activities that comprise the program, it actually turned into a great way to obtain leadership positions. I may or may not be involved in ROTC programs in college.</p>

<p>However, because my IB program participation takes up so much of my school schedule, I haven't been able to continue NJROTC for my Senior year (participation in NJROTC requires that I take Naval Science IV HN that year). I don't think I would have left my school to do IB if I knew that this would happen. Regardless, I now focus my free time on work so that I can complement my parents' earnings, as they are going through some hardship right now. I will run Track again this Spring.</p>

<p>I also put a lot of time into activism for the gays at my school, and that's really my proudest accomplishment. I was able to force the approval of the founding of our school's GSA (and ensuring that its name unambiguously asserts a pro-gay position), and change my ROTC Unit's policy on same-sex couples allowed at the formal military ball. All while facing the vigorous wrath of my unsupportive parents.</p>

<p>I also really, really, really love psychology and related sciences (like neuroscience). I've studied through many advanced textbooks, academic handbooks, and theoretical works on the subject. I've also devoted a lot of time to philosophy, with psychology really complementing my studies (for example, I use the data on the psychological basis of value to draw conclusions about what matters and explore the fact-value distinction).</p>

<p>But there really hasn't been any way of putting this interest into anything more than a really obsessive hobby. I don't have the resources to play scientist in recordable ways. >.>So I might just have to hide what probably is the biggest thing about me and focus on something more hook-worthy?</p>

<p>Awards:
Keystone Award in Social Studies (highest honor for the subject at my school)
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry JROTC Award
Letter in Track Team
Highest GPA on Track Team Award all 3 years
National Merit Semi-Finalist (I will become a Finalist)
National Achievement Semi-Finalist (I will become a Finalist)</p>

<p>So...what can you tell me? Any suggestions for my app?</p>

2

<p>Wow impressive! How are your essays and teacher recommendations? My DD is also applying SCEA, as a reach. Yale is a reach for anyone. You should also have a great list of other schools for RD.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Thank you! People say my essays are good, and I’m confident about my recomendations.</p>

<p>I’m still finishing one up that I plan to continue editing up until the 28th.</p>

4

<p>Buump.</p>

<p>I could’ve sworn there was another post here from someone. :S</p>

5

<p>Bump, I say.</p>

6

<p>You obviously have not been paying attention to other chance threads. It’s impossible to predict anyone’s chances, as so much of the applications process is subjective and comes down to how an admissions director “feels” after reading your file. </p>

<p>Faced with more qualified applicants than they can accept, Yale Admissions will look closely at your teacher recommendations for glimpses into your “character”. That’s an old fashioned word, it means the way you develop your inner qualities: intellectual passion, maturity, social conscience, concern for community, tolerance, inclusiveness and love of learning. Admissions Directors will scrutinize and compare your teacher recommendations to all other applicants. So, your chances really depend on the declarations of your teachers and guidance counselor. And that’s true for everyone! I have known African American’s to be accepted with your stats and others to be rejected. You need to just send your applications out into the universe and hope for the best. Good luck to you!</p>

7

<p>That’s just a series of truisms, Gibby.</p>

8

<p>Well, if you don’t want to take my word for it, maybe you will listen to Northstarmon with over 19,000 posts on CC. Although she is speaking about Harvard, it could just as easily apply to Yale. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/835055-calculate-your-chances-admission-harvard.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/835055-calculate-your-chances-admission-harvard.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>I can tell that post is crap in the first sentence. An acceptance rate of 7% does not mean any given person’s chance of admission is 7%. She is both wrong and pretty presumptuous in her stereotypes about CC posters.</p>

<p>Just because it’s a toss-up does not mean that one person’s chances aren’t better than another’s. (Obviously.)</p>

10

<p>lol “1 in 100”, when much more than 1 in 100 applying CCers report acceptances to Harvard every year. Please.</p>

11

<p>“Just because it’s a toss-up does not mean that one person’s chances aren’t better than another’s.”</p>

<p>That’s absolutely true. But, the only person who can accurately chance you is an admissions director – and since they don’t frequent the CC board, I guess you’re free to believe whatever you like. Or, to repeatedly keep bumping your thread until you get the answer you are looking for.</p>

12

<p>Your suggesting that CCers have no idea how adcoms admit people. That they’re just completely ignorant of what goes on in the whole process. They aren’t.</p>

13

<p>^^ That is absolutely what I’m suggesting. Your chances actually change from year to year depending upon who else applies in a given year – and how your application stacks up against everyone else’s. For example, I don’t know how many other URM’s have better stats than you, better GPA’s than you or better teacher recs. All that can be said is that you are a competitive applicant.</p>

14

<p>Oh, well, thanks for that.</p>

15

<p>You’re welcome. However, five thousand, ten thousand, maybe even fifteen thousand other students are also going to be competitive applicants – and Yale only has 1300 beds. So, who knows what your chances are?</p>

16

<p>You got this bro(: You have a good shot, but make sure you start working on other schools too!</p>

17

<p>The best we can hope for is being a competitie applicant. Everything else is up to luck (not literally but you get the gist)</p>

18

<p>Like Gibby said, it is very hard for anyone to evaluate your chances. I would however just recommend for you to write about your passions, even if you didn’t win any awards or have accomplishments in your field. I am also applying to Yale this year, and I found it MUCH easier to write about something I love than something I thought would impress admissions officers. If you love Psychology and GSA, write about it!</p>

19

<p>Oh, I have. ^_^</p>

20

<p>I think you’re competitive, but you could really launch your app. I’m not sure if there’s a college or university near you, but you could challenge into/out of college courses – sometimes even remotely. It seems as though there must be some manner of capitalization and I think, if you can do it, you could reasonably bet on it. </p>

<p>IB 4 lyfe</p>