<p>Hey I'm a junior and I'm curious to see if people would think I have a shot at any literal ivies.</p>
<p>UPenn
Dartmouth
Brown
Princeton</p>
<p>caucasian male, Indiana</p>
<p>Academics -
4.0 GPA unweighted, >4.0 weighted.
34 ACT composite; 35 English, 33 Math, 35 Science, 33 Reading, 31 Combined English-Writing
IB Full Diploma Candidate
Will probably qualify for National Merit Finalist (I've made the cutoffs for all of the last 5 years)
I took 1 AP test freshman year (got a 4), 2 AP tests last year (got 2 5s), and I'm taking 5 AP tests this year</p>
<p>Important ECA's -
Concertmaster of local youth orchestra
Swim Team - 3-4 practices a week
Teen Court - this is not mock court; more than an hour a week since freshman year
I organized my school's involvement in Race for the Cure
I play violin at a serious level and study with a university professor
Summer study abroad in France; no English allowed</p>
<p>I think you’ll be competitive for all of them. Your stats are good, and since you said “Important EC’s” I’m assuming that means there’s more those are just the ones with the most influence. Taking AP’s since freshman year is pretty impressive too!</p>
<p>From what you listed I’m not seeing many school-related activities or peer-elected leadership positions. Organizing the Race for the Cure event is pretty impressive, as is the concertmaster, but swim team and teen court are pretty standard issue for people looking to go to the big schools. When I say “lacking” I’m not saying you suck, I’m saying you’re not elevating yourself above the competition enough for me to say firmly that I think you could get in.</p>
<p>Okay I see what you mean. I’m running for NHS president, so that might help in the leadership category.</p>
<p>The youth orchestra is good, though not fantastic. In the past we’ve played a Dvorak symphony, the last two movements of Tchaik 4, and Candide Overture, if that can help you place how good we are.</p>
<p>^ yup yup i agree.
those four schools can’t really be a match for anyone, unless they’re… crazy.
However, your grades and scores are outstanding, and your EC’s might not be strong, but they’re not weak. A good solid college essay ought to secure you for those schools except princeton, which would still be pretty risky…</p>
<p>Out of curiosity… If every applicant to Princeton is supposed to be a leader in the community, what happens when they get to school and everyone was president of the clubs of their own school. Isn’t it then a school with all wanna-be-leaders and no one to do the actual work?
I disagree that you have to be leader of every activity you join to get into these kinds of schools. Rather I think it’s more important to show that you have interests other than academics that could bring interesting ideas into the community.
To the OP: there is nothing wrong with your EC’s, I don’t see why people would say otherwise.
To Lobster: you don’t have to be the leader of something for it to be important and worthwhile.</p>
<p>Any other opinions on this? I know they are all reaches (and I’m focusing on other schools), but in everyone’s opinion, which one would I be most likely to be accepted to?</p>
<p>Wow if your ECs are “bad” then mine are crap…i really need to get involved, luckily it’s still my freshman year…</p>
<p>But seriously, ur a great academic candidate and you have decent ECs. With a good essay and some nice recs, you should be able to bad at least one of those. most likely Dartmouth.</p>