I’m an international student who has applied to all of the colleges in the title, where I would like to study econ and finance. I was wondering what my chances are given the information below:
-EC: Tennis, captain of hockey team, WWF president/founder, prefect (proctor/house captain) at my dorm,
-Lived in Russia for 3 years, where I played soccer for “Zenit’s” youth team. (Russias best professional soccer team)
-I attended Harvard summer school for 7 weeks last summer (studying CS and Finance). The summer before that I spent doing volunteer work in south africa for 3 weeks.
-Great recommendations, like really, really great recommendations.
-Have done research on the Danish stock market, to the extent I was invited to be a guest-analyst on a nationally broadcasted danish financial radio program … (considering im only 18, that’s pretty good I assume)
So, basically my SAT score is really bad, but I was hoping that my other stuff might compensate for that…? Please be honest
Not much compensates in admissions, I’ve heard. They have plenty of international applicants with 2400s and 4.0s. Why should they take a 1600 over those people?
Well, that is because I only figured out that I wanted to study in the States after last summer vacation… That didn’t provide much time for taking SAT’s, so I only had the opportunity to take it once
true… it did to an extent. @bodangles, you seem like you are pretty experienced in here, so what about me being a soccer player at a high level? And that I was invited to be a guest analyst on the finace program? Wouldnt that help at all ?
I’m not an athlete, but as far as I know, unless you are the best player in your country or they have specifically recruited you for soccer, it’s just a good extracurricular.
The finance thing is pretty cool. I don’t know if that will make the most selective schools in the U.S. overlook that SAT score. They want people who can do the difficult work at their school, of which SAT scores are one possible predictor. Grades are probably better. Which is a little harder for you to predict because IB doesn’t really do GPA, right?
I just wouldn’t get your hopes up. A miracle could happen. But they get literally thousands of applicants for very few seats, especially from other countries. Even here, a 2400/4.0 wouldn’t guarantee you a spot.
Good luck though. I hope you get in somewhere that works for you.
I’m curious why you think you stand a chance at getting into an Ivy league caliber school with your grades and SAT scores? Check the common data set for these colleges and see where you stand.
@mnm111, no I am not. I have played at an extremely high level, and as I have read, SAT scores are an important part, but not everything ? I have lived in Russia where I also played at a high level, actually for the best youth team in the country. Moreover, I am extremely engaged in Finance as you read above! I have good grades for the IB, so the only thing that will bring me down will be my SAT score! But why shouldn’t I apply? Can I ask you @mnm111 , why do you ask? Have you applied to the ivy’s before?
@bodangles, I have not gotten my hopes up at all! Trust me! I mean, I believe I have shown at least Harvard that I can handle college courses (I took the summer course called “Introdcution to capital markets and investment” where I recieved a B+ ) Can I ask you, what are your experiences with the Ivy’s?
Applicants, and especially international applicants, need to be realistic. It is very difficult for anyone to get into an Ivy. But to do so with a score that puts you in the bottom portion of all those who apply will be all the more difficult.
It sounds like you’ve chosen your schools and your apps are in. Hopefully you will get into one of your schools. If you don’t, consider taking a gap year, trying to improve your scores, and adopting a more appropriate application strategy.
The problem is that Ivies have enough “qualified applicants” to fill their classes multiple times. They do not need to compromise on anything. They reject people with perfect SAT’s without EC’s, don’t you think it would be the other way around too, for applicants with EC’s but low SAT’s?
To answer your other question, yes those IB grades are low for the top schools.
Simply stated, with a 1600 (2400 possible) aggregate SAT score, you’re not competitive for any of the universities you’ve listed. Harvard’s Summer School is a plus, however, many of your competitors will have at least as many advantages and no glaring negatives.
Harvard summer school is a joke and a non-factor in your application. What did you do to apply and get into Harvard summer school? Let me guess, you paid the fee.
Your research into the Danish stock market may seem like a big deal to you in your local sphere, but I doubt many admissions counselors will be too impressed particularly in light of your SAT scores.
If you want to study in the US, I would make a last chance application to UMaine Farmington (free application) and UMaine Orono. They are all about hockey in Maine so that could work in your favor. Your test scores are too low for the other options.
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