I have a 3.86 unweighted and 4.13 weighted GPAs and a 34 ACT score. I have passed a few AP exams and plan on taking sat subject tests if permitted. I am a state vice president and school president for one of my clubs, Class president, and a member of NHS. I have also co-founded a nonprofit aimed at spreading positivity across my community and state with goals of attaining national recognition. I am my schools JV tennis captain and I have played hockey year-round for over 14 years. I have a high responsibility to take care of my family in terms of my mothers serious illness for the past 7 years, my brother who was diagnosed with autism, and my father being gone on the weekends for his job as well. I got a C in my sophomore and junior year both being in advanced math. On my ACT I got a 34 in math. Do the Cs hold down my application greatly or do the other items and ACT score help balance out those Cs? Is it worth applying entrance to elite schools or should I save my money?
Honestly it could be enough to keep you out of the running since they have so many applicants they can easily weed out by Cs without looking beyond that. However it really doesn’t matter even straight As are no guarantee of admission even with what seems like perfect everything else. There are simply way more people who apply, mostly who have excellent grades etc, than there are spots.
I recommend applying to an ivy if you wish but not to put much hope in it. Instead focus on finding a safety school you love and would be happy to attend and find some reach schools below the ivy level. Another consideration for some is ivy league doesn’t do merit so some families can’t or don’t want to spend the money when other schools can be cheaper. Perhaps have a talk to your family about finances which can play a very big role no matter where you want to go.
If you have a hook (URM, first-gen) I think you could possibly have a chance at an Ivy, even with 2 Cs, unless you intend to major in STEM. But as said above, don’t focus your time on Ivies. I’s a major long shot at best.
Do you know your EFC?
What other schools are you considering?
The ivies are very different, which one and what characteristics attract you?
I am going to disagree with that. I have some first gen URM (AA male students, who are the most underrepresented group on the college landscape) looking into STEM with higher GPA (4.0s and -1400-1470 on the SATs) who got shut out of the Ivys this cycle. Two are going to Hopkins, one to UVA one to Brandeis, two to Syracuse and one to BC
to OP,
If you don’t apply, you have a 0 percent chance of being accepted.
I was thinking of applying early decision to UPenn. I’ve visited their campus and fell in love with it. Their business undergraduate program really intrigued me as well. I also intend to major in a business related field.
Then, with the exceptions of Wharton and Cornell, Ivies shouldn’t hold particular appeal for you in any case, irrespective of your likelihood of admission to them.
Explain your circumstances in the additional info section. I know someone who did that and swept the Ivy League + Stanford without any hooks.