Is it worth it for me to apply to Ivies? Be brutally honest please I need it

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

General Comments:
ACT: 33
GPA: 4.0
Rank: School doesn’t rank

Internships!!!
-Internship with a high ranking US Senator for two years and another internship with a candidate running for Congress

HONORS / AWARDS:
-National History Day Regional Qualifier
-National Honors Society
-2nd Place at the State Math League Tournament

-CLUBS / EXTRACURRICULAR / LEADERSHIP:
-Captain of Math League (3 years)
-Captain of Knowledge Bowl
-Captain of Robotics (and Lead Programmer)
-Varsity Soccer (3 years)
-Youth in Government Program
-4 years of Leadership Institute
-First Place at First Robotics Regional Competition
-Participant in the First Robotics MN State Competition
-Participant in the First Robotics World Championship in St. Louis
-Mock Trial
-Relay for Life (Am. Cancer Society) Leadership Committee Member

SERVICE: National Honor Society (20+ hours a semester), Feed My Starving Children, Simpson House (serving the homeless, 4 years), Relay for Life (3 years), Volunteer at Library (1 year), Presidential Service Award-GOLD

WORK: Dishwasher and Busser at a local pizza place to help pay for my internships (all are unpaid), Youth Soccer Referee

AP COURSES (all 3+): (well… still have to take a few but I’m assuming ill get all 3+ on them… I hope!)
-AP US Government and Politics (5)
-AP Calculus AB (3)
-AP Calculus BC (4)
-AP US History (5)
-AP Chemistry (4)
-AP Computer Science (5)
-AP Spanish (3)
-AP Statistics (5)
-AP Human Geography
-AP English
-AP Physics

What I’m asking…

What are my chances of getting into the top schools (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, any Ivy)? And also my chances of the next tier, even though still good, such as Georgetown?

2

No.

3

@Publisher explain lol

4

Definitely go for it. Is that your weighted or unweighted GPA? It would help to post both.

5

I love that you get my sense of humor ! Just for that I am changing my answer to " maybe/yes".

Your grades are outstanding, your ACT is strong, but usually a 34 or higher is “needed”.

6

@AnthonyZ honestly I don’t know. at my school an A+ is worth 4.333 so I just put 4.0 even though according to my school is have like a 4.1

7

@Publisher Hahaha finally! I dont want to be someone who’s like “GLORIFY ME AND MY EC” i want brutally honest comments haha

8

Obviously you will be given serious consideration, but your essays have to get readers interested in you because all Ivies & Ivy equivalents are ultra-competitive.

Try the SAT.

9

@Publisher I have great essay topics, hopefully! Well, at least I think they are good hahah. Do you mean SAT or SAT subject tests. Also do i need to take SAT subject tests???

10

Which is your real ACT? As you already know and have been told in the past, these grades and ACT are in range for top schools. It’s difficult to provide any more specific chances beyond that due to low acceptance rates. Re-read the responses to your older threads where you were given some helpful advice.

11

33 is my real ACT. I used a 34 because I was waiting for my scores and thought that was what I was going to get but I guess not hahaha @evergreen5

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Anyone else? I dont want to waste my money

13

Sure, why not? Give it a shot. But don’t apply to ALL the Ivies – each has a unique environment and it is unlikely you will be a good fit at all of them. And don’t apply to ONLY Ivies – include some realistic match schools and a safety or two that you can afford and will be happy to attend.

14

@dscottvb thanks, I have other safety schools and medium schools I was just wondering about the ~ivies~ thanks

15

do you have any hooks, - URM, athlete, legacy etc. and what is your intended major? Your ECs are a little scattered, robotics and mock trial are typically not done, so adcoms will wonder what your interests really are and what you can contribute. Not just for ivies, other selectives at all.

16

The bottom line is, no matter how qualified you are, and you’re plenty qualified, it’s a long shot. There is an amount of luck and randomness involved unless you’re the President’s child, a famous actor or Tiger Woods. Apply to the best fit(s) and have reliable backups.

17

Sure. You are qualified. Maybe a senator will write a rec. do you want to study government or politics? You have a good build up to that on paper.

18

Everyone says Ivies, but I’ll just assume you mean top schools. Seems like STEM is your interests, does MIT or Caltech not interest you? Do you want to go to Dartmouth and major in engineering? Don’t be fooled, you really need to research universities to see what they have to offer, you might not want to go to any Ivy after that, but if you still do, you definitely have a shot. I would concentrate on the 5 non HYP ivies if you don’t have a hook, but if, say, Yale is your top choice go for it and emphasize your robotics.

19

The problem is I don’t think you know what a tippy top would want, so you can’t match yourself. And without that, you won’t know how best to present in the app/supps. Your ECs read possible STEM, but the calc and chem scores make you less competitive for that. The only outside experience is in government. What do you do for Feed the Starving Children and Simpson House and is that a real, ongoing commitment?

If these colleges are on your mind, you need to stop and learn what they value and expect. From them, what they write, not forums, consultant blogs, etc. You have to have that sort of energy, that activation. That matters.

It will also matter where you are and the competition from there. So, some work to do.

20

I would pick one or two and apply because you will always wonder
But spend more time on picking matches and safeties that you will be delighted to attend.