Is it worth applying??

<p>So I just got out of my junior year of high school and was wondering if I have a shot of getting in to Yale or any of the other ivies or top schools. I was gonna call this thread chance me but then I realized that there is no magic key or magic extracurricular to guarantee an acceptance to one of these fine schools. That being said here we go........
Personal Info: Latin Male, Suburban Public School in Illinois (Rarely ever sends kids to ivies or any top schools, most of our students only take the ACT even some teachers don't know what the SAT is), First Generation to go to College</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0
Rank: 1/569
AP courses taken this past year:
AP Biology - 5
AP Calculus 1 - 4
AP U.S. History - 5
AP English Literature - 5
AP courses I will be taking next year:
AP Chemistry
AP Calculus 2
AP Government and Politics
AP English Language
Do I have enough??</p>

<p>SAT: Writing: 800
Critical Reading: 770
Math: 780</p>

<p>SAT II: Math 2: 760
U.S. History: 780
Biology: 790</p>

<p>ACT:35</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:
Editor Of School Newspaper - This past year and next year
One of the 5 student editors of our school's Literary Magazine - This past year and next year
Creative Writing Club Creator - Past 3 years + Next year
Spanish Club Officer - Past 3 years named officer last year remain position next year
Secretary of Spanish National Honor Society - This past year and next year
IMEA ( Illinois Music Education Conference ) - This past year and HOPEFULLY next year if lucky
ReVerve Choir - A extracurricular choir that sings popular songs acapella - Past 3 years + next year
Spotlight Choir - A extracurricular choir that sings jazz songs acapella - Past 3 years + next year
Tri-M Music Honor Society - Past year + Next year</p>

<p>I Have Awards from my school that people receive at assemblies but I'm not nationally ranked or anything like that but here they are
Most Dedicated Music Student - Sophomore Year
Most Dedicated Literary Student - Freshmen Year
Best Leadership Skills - This Past Year</p>

<p>300+ hours of Community Service at Big Brothers and Sisters an organization that high school students go and read to unprivileged kids. - Have participated in since beginning of Freshmen Year</p>

<p>And that's about it!</p>

<p>yeah, you should apply. you have great stats. just be sure to write a good essay.</p>

<p>sgtpepper08 wrote:

</p>

<p>Agree. You look to have a record strong enough to get you into one of the Ivies, but apply to several, given the daunting odds getting into schools that admit less than 10% of their applicants.</p>

<p>It’s the essay topic I’m already worried about that’s my make or break it</p>

<p>When you say that you are “Latin,” do you mean that you are Hispanic? If so, your stats will make you desirable for many, many selective schools, including Yale. You still may not get into all of them, but you should do very well.</p>

<p>As a first gen URM, you stand a very good chance especially given your rank, excellent scores etc (as Hunt mentioned, don’t target one school but target many). I met the Yale adcom for Texas area last year who had just graduated from Yale and had taken up that job. He is hispanic, from a really bad school in Chicago which sent something like 30% to any kind of college including community colleges and if I remember correctly, he mentioned no one ever made it to an ivy before from his school but that did nt stop him from applying.</p>

<p>With those stats are you seriously asking if you should apply?</p>

<p>■■■■■…ap scores are not out yet for this year’s exams. there is no AP calculus 1 or 2 only AB/BC…also, no hispanic would call themselves “Latin”…Latino perhaps but not Latin.</p>

<p>Calculus 1 = AB Calculus 2 = BC but for some reason in my district there called Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 so don’t tell me they don’t exist just. And are you talking about the placement scores for next year or my scores I got from this past year in my AP classes?? And I don’t understand your hispanic/latin dilemma.</p>

<p>ignore the just</p>

<p>I think you should apply to Yale and to any other selective colleges that interest you. You certainly have the profile to get accepted. Just be aware that many who are not accepted have great stats and resumes as well. When you are dealing with schools with such low accept rates, the chances of acceptance becme very low.</p>

<p>I’ve always felt that the hardest part of getting that college list together is finding the schools that are both affordable and likely to accept you that you like and that will meet your academic needs. It’s easy to pick out the known names, the top of the list schools. The real challenge of the college hunt is finding these hidden gems, not just cherry picking. Once you have your base covered with a school or two like that, you can then load up with the HPYSMC schools with wild abandon, understanding that the acceptance rate to them is very small.</p>

<p>I am a bit at loss about what you write about your high school. I’ve not known high schools that offer so many APs that are out of the College Board loop. You are a rising senior, correct? I don’t see how you have your AP scores from this years seating already. What courses did you take freshman and sophomore years? Also, I don’t see a Physics course in there.</p>

<p>We have block scheduling at my school and I took my 4 APs first semester. And no I don’t have a physics course. Will this hurt me. And I have a lot of safeties. Mostly all public ivies.</p>

<p>

I think the point is that scores have not been released for AP tests taken in May. If you are talking about those, you couldn’t have your scores yet. And I also am unsure what, exactly, you mean by “Latin.” If you would be considered Hispanic by selective colleges, that URM status would make a difference.</p>

<p>The only scores for AP exams that count are the ones you get from the tests taken in May. What tests have you taken in what years and what are the scores as sent by College Board? Even if you are in a block schedule, the AP tests are given in May. So what tests did you take this May? You do not have scores for those tests and will not until next month. </p>

<p>Your comment about your school does not add up. A school that offers all of those AP courses is certainly going to be knowledgeable about the college process and they have to know what the SAT is. College Board administers both the SATs and AP Exams, and it is rarer for a school to have a host of AP courses and exams than to know about the SATs, I assure you. And with all of those AP courses available, the school doesn’t send a kids to ivies and other selective schools? I doubt that. </p>

<p>I have no idea what you are talking about regarding placement scores for next year. They must be an internal thing, and again a sign of a school that takes the AP courses and selective colleges seriously. They do not mean a thing in the college application process, other than the inside key to let you take AP courses next year. When you get your senior year schedule, you will list those courses when you are actually taking them. </p>

<p>So if you have all of those AP courses, and do that well on the tests, the given stats, you are in good position to be accepted by some selective schools. As to individual school chances, all anyone can say is that you are in the running since when you are dealing with single digit accept rates, it’s tough for even candidates who are qualified. I can say that it would be no surprise if you are accepted as you meet the criteria, but no surprise if you are not, since many with your qualifications are not–more than those accepted by far, in fact. So is the acceptance scene at schools like Yale.</p>

<p>@theartsyone
What kind of SAT prep did you do? For how long?</p>

<p>I think you’ve got a real shot at an ivy. You go to plainfield huh? I’m actually very closeby. Looks like there’s going stiff competition next year XD</p>