Is it a waste of time to apply to an Ivy League

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, I'm just wondering if I should even bother applying to an ivy league college, like Yale or Harvard, or if I should just spend more time on other less selective colleges.</p>

<p>I'm going to be a junior this fall, so haven't taken any officials SATs yet, but I took many timed practice tests under real conditions. I was consistently scoring 2150-2250 on the SAT I, 790 on the SAT Math Level IIc, and 800 on the Chemistry SAT.</p>

<p>I always have had a 4.0 GPA (unweighted), and take the most challenging classes I can. Here's a list of them (Note: 'GT' stands for "Gifted and Talented", which is worth the same weighted GPA points as AP classes at my school):
--Freshman year: Health/P.E. (graduation requirement...), US History GT, Algebra II GT, French 2 Honors, Computer Science I Honors, English 9 GT, Biology GT.
--Sophomore year: Art I (graduation requirement...), AP US Gov't & Politics (5 on the AP exam), AP Computer Science A (5 on the AP Exam), French 3 Honors, Chemistry GT, English 10 GT, Pre-Calculus GT.
--Junior year (schedules already mailed): AP English Language and Composition, AP World History, AP Calculus AB, AP Chemistry, Physics GT, French 4 Honors, Computer Science 4 GT.
--Senior year (plan to take): AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, Calculus C GT (corresponds to AP Calculus BC), AP Physics, AP Biology, AP Statistics, Computer Science 5 GT - Advanced Object Oriented Design</p>

<p>I will try to make sure that I score all 5's (possibly some 4's) on the future AP exams, and I think I can raise my SAT I score to a 2300 if I finish the all practice tests in the Blue Book and do some other practice tests (Barron's?) first. I also plan on taking the French SAT subject test in the fall of my senior year ( I will study A LOT over the summer for that...).</p>

<p>Here's a list of my extra-curriculars/activities:
--Varsity Girls Tennis Team (In 9th grade I was number 2 on the team, and in 10th I was number 1. My coach already told me that I will be captain in 11th and 12th grade :D)
--USTA (united states tennis association) tournaments
--play tennis everyday pretty much...
--anime club (9th and 10th grade. I plan on staying in for 11th and 12th)
--gaming club (9th grade. I plan on going again in 11th and 12th)
--National Art Honors Society (10th grade)
--Computer Science Team (10th grade. My teacher says that I'll be on it in 11th and 12th grades too, and that I might be captain)
--National Honors Society (I'm suppose to be getting an invitation this summer - I have the hours and the grades)
--Math team (plan on joining in 11th and 12th grades)
--Job at Domino's Pizza (I just had an interview and the manager said that I got the job! :) It's part-time and I will only be working 1-3 times a week)</p>

<p>Recommendation letters: My computer science teacher (who is going to teach me for 4 years) already says that he'll write one. I think it will be good :). I know my french teacher (for 4 years) will also write a pretty good one, but I might ask my chemistry teacher also because I plan on majoring in science.</p>

<p>Awards/Recognitions: I'm not really sure what to put here because I haven't really gotten any awards... I've always gotten principle's honor role, and I get an award for playing varsity tennis each year. I'll probably get something to do with the national merit scholarship thing if I do well on the PSATs in the fall.</p>

<p>So basically I'm wondering if it's just a waste of time for me to apply to a highly selective college. I mean, I try my best in school and I like learning, but I don't think that I'm really 'outstanding' enough to compete with people who have perfect test scores and who have won national awards.</p>

2

<p>If you don’t apply, you have 0% chance of getting in. Apply.</p>

3

<p>I think you are a strong candidate for the ivies. However, because admissions to these schools are so unpredictable, it’s hard to predict if you would get in or not. If you score as well as you think you will and with your strong grades and workload, you definitely stand a chance when applying to the most selective schools in the nation. I would suggest that you don’t limit yourself to the ivies; I would look into other top universities and liberal arts colleges as well. Remember that your actual application and essays will play a huge part when admissions officers make a decision; many applicants will have similar academic records and test cores, but your application will make you or break you. Good luck and aim for the best :)</p>

4

<p>If you are outside of the top ~2% of your class and have less than a ~2150 sat and you do not have a hook (URM, athlete, legacy) then your chances of getting into an ivy like Harvard or Yale are close to zero.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>See, the problem with this advice is that plenty of students apply to schools they actually have zero chance of getting into.</p>

5

<p>So far, you are on the right track. It’s people like you who make me wish I could relive my childhood to get the best grades and do well on the SAT. </p>

<p>It’s still to early to tell though. Just stay motivated!</p>

6

<p>If you want to go to one of the Ivy League schools, and as a senior look like you have a decent chance, then yes. A lot don’t actually find those schools to be their best fit. There are a lot of considerations - but definitely you should consider applying to them.</p>

7

<p>What do you want to study in college? What kind of learning environment do you think you would like best? What do you think you might want to do AFTER college?</p>

<p>You are a very promising student, but that does not mean you have to consider the Ivies. They are not the be-all, end-all, as plenty of other threads here attest.</p>

8

<p>You should apply, because your stats look really good and you never know what will happen. What can you possibly lose ;)? If I were you, I would apply. Go for it!</p>

9

<p>I say like many above me, that you have a fair chance at these schools, but you won’t know unless you try :stuck_out_tongue: you have competitive stats if you follow through on what you say, so i don’t see what should hold you back from having a good chance.</p>

<p>chance me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1368806-please-chance-me-usc-ucla-stanford-uci-nyu.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1368806-please-chance-me-usc-ucla-stanford-uci-nyu.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>bump…
more responses please?</p>

11

<p>I like to compare applying to an Ivy to buying the lottery. You can’t win if you don’t buy the ticket. I didn’t think I was going to get in to any Ivy since I came from a small town school that has sent maybe one student to an Ivy in its recall-able history. Two APs, 2290 SAT, 790 Math 2, 780 Chem, one summer of cancer research, and a couple of small national competitions (like almost unheard-of - not Olympiad or anything like that). I applied to all the Ivies except Cornell (not that I have anything against Cornell) and got into three and MIT. So the lesson is: you can’t win if you don’t try!</p>