Ivy League Aspirations- Chances??

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Here is a quick overview of my stats:</p>

<p>GPA:
3.8 UW
4.5 W </p>

<p>Rank: Top 3%- Class of 600</p>

<p>SATs: I will find out on the 31st (Can't wait!!) Predicted: 2050-2150</p>

<p>SAT IIs- Math I, Math II, USH, This June. I am preparing, expecting 730+ on each</p>

<p>ECs:
Congressional Page in House of Representatives, Fall Semester
Junior Statesman Georgetown- Constitutional Law
Junior Statesman Princeton- Comparative Govt, Speeh
Intern at Congressman Fitzpatricks office during Summer - 100 hrs total
Student Rep on Board of Eduation Foundation
Chosen for Board to determine Speakers to come to the school
NHS
Band- Jazz, Marching, Concert, etc, I'm good
-Section Leader, Drum Major, National Awards for the band
Captain, Academic team
Golf team
Volunteer Work on political campaigns
Work about 25 hours a week at local dept. store</p>

<p>Possible ECs (which are best?)</p>

<p>Intense independent language study of German
Community College Courses</p>

<p>Hardest Courseload possible (with Congressional Page experience, I am a bit different)</p>

<p>5 APs next year, I recall the guidance counselor referring to it as "insane", haha.</p>

<p>Schools:</p>

<p>Harvard
Brown
Penn
Yale
Princeton
NYU
Duke
MIT
Dartmouth
Columbia</p>

<p>What are my chances, and do I have a chance at Harvard EA? ... or any other Ivy ED?</p>

<p>... or any ivy for that matter...?</p>

2

<p>bumppppppppppp</p>

3

<p>With a 2050 no chance at HYPM, little chance at others. With a 2150 you are a very average candidate and would probably have a chance under 20% at all, under 10% at HYPMS. Your ECs show passion for politics. but there's no significant leadership.</p>

4

<p>thats ********. you arent disqualified for low SAT scores. Im sure they will like that you did all that goverment work. Get the congressman to write a letter. Youll get into one of them.</p>

5

<p>As only a new member can think.......all newbies should be made to read the archieves before posting.</p>

6

<p>Congressional Page in House of Representatives, Fall Semester
Junior Statesman Georgetown- Constitutional Law
Junior Statesman Princeton- Comparative Govt, Speeh
Intern at Congressman Fitzpatricks office during Summer - 100 hrs total
Volunteer Work on political campaigns</p>

<p>Those seem like some unique ECs. Focus on these in your application essays. It seems like politics is your passion.</p>

<p>However, where are your safeties?</p>

7

<p>What do you recommend a safeties for me?</p>

<p>I would consider NYU to be a safety/match</p>

8

<p>A safety is a school that when you apply to, is a guaranteed acceptance based on your stats.</p>

<p>NYU only accepts 33% of their applicants, and your test scores/GPA are just average/above average compared to the applicant pool. It is a MATCH for you, not a safety.</p>

<p>Every other school on your list, you need to realize you have less than a 15% chance at. All of the Ivies accept a very small amount of applicants, and your GPA is a bit low for their standards and test scores are low. Besides your Gov't ECs, you don't have hooks, you aren't first generation, you aren't low income, not a minority, not from underrepresented state. </p>

<p>REACHES
Princeton University (NJ) 11% 1380- 1550
Harvard University (MA) 11% 1400- 1580
Columbia University (NY) 12% 1320- 1510
Yale University (CT) 13% 1370- 1560
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology 16% 1420- 1560
Brown University (RI) 17% 1290- 1500
University of Pennsylvania 21% 1330- 1500
Dartmouth College (NH) 21% 1330- 1520
Duke University (NC) 25% 1320- 1510</p>

<p>MATCHES
New York University 33% 1210- 1410</p>

<p>Your list includes 9 reaches and 1 match. I'd advise to re-evaluate your list, so that you have some options of places to go in the fall.</p>

9

<p>I'd say that Duke is a high match, NYU is a match, and the rest are super reaches.</p>

10

<p>You could get in.
But the Ivy league is flooded with applicants from people with higher SATS and better test scores.
Love Your Safety</p>

11

<p>Let me add a few things:</p>

<p>I have a "well paid" grandfather who went to Duke.
I am on the Class Council (aka group of class presidents) and have been since Freshman year.
I have a Red Belt in TaeKwonDo.</p>

<p>Would following through and getting a blackbelt in Taekwondo help my chances?</p>

<p>thank you for the advice</p>

12

<p>Not really.</p>

<p>Honestly, reevaluate your list. I know i'm being harsh, but with your stats, realistically, you have little to no chance because of your SAT scores and GPA. </p>

<p>You have excellent stats though, don't get me wrong. Its just that for those schools EVERYONE is extremely overqualified. Your competing with the 2300, 3.9/4.0 students. </p>

<p>Look for other excellent schools, like carnegie mellon, chicago, emory, northwestern, etc.</p>

13

<p>seriously, some people are being a little bit harsh on you. your GPA is very good (top 3% out of a class of 600 is no reason to be ashamed about and it will still be better than half of the people who apply anyway) and i think you're on par with it. however, def try to retake your SAT's for a 2200+ and you'll be good. you've got some great and unique extra currics.</p>

<p>i think that if you do this:</p>

<p>1) get SAT above 2200
2) get the congressman to write you a rec
3) focus on your essays really well</p>

<p>then you have a good shot, but not guaranteed (people with perfect SAT's get thrown out all the time), at these schools:</p>

<p>-NYU
-Duke
-Dartmouth
-Columbia ED maybe, they've got some great career oppurtunities and internships in NY, but I think you'd have to have a good hook</p>

<p>Some other schools you should look at:</p>

<p>-Georgetown
-Tufts
-UVA
-Grinell
-Boston College</p>

<p>Good luck! you've got a shot!</p>

14

<p>Interesting, Ivyleague14. Your stats are very good compared to mine. Btw, my twin brother is currently serving as a page in the House of Representatives for the Spring '06 semester. :) Who was your congressional sponsor?</p>

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<p>Thats very exciting! It is an amazing opportunity. I am from Fitzpatrick's district in PA. Btw, that SAT is a projected score. I am hoping for higher and I will let you guys know ASAP.</p>

<p>I have narrowed ED down to Penn, Brown, Harvard, and possibly Columbia. Penn and Brown are the realistic frontrunners. Would these schools ED be a better shot for me?</p>

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<p>A2wolves, where di you get those stats? That year Dartmouth was 18%, now its 15%. Also, NYU and Duke/ Dartmouth/ Columbia are not close to the same category. NYU gives scholarships to the students the others in that group reject.</p>

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<p>Those were from the 2004 US News. I downloaded the spreadsheet from some site, and it's been easy to copy and paste. Didn't think they changed too much from year to year, so i'm just going off those.</p>

<p>Honestly, I wouldn't get too excited. You're getting your hopes up at a bunch of unrealistic reaches. You need a more balanced list.</p>

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<p>"Congressional Page in House of Representatives, Fall Semester"</p>

<p>That sounds awesome. SAT definitely doesn't matter as much as people like to say it does - a difference in 100 points is irrelevant if you get somewhere over 2000. Your GPA is actually OK, given that you took advantage of all the toughest classes at your school. It's actually pretty good. Regardless what everyone has said, from my experience the 2400 and 4.0s are not that big of a deal - GPA and SAT get you into consideration, but your essays and ECs - which seem pretty good - are what really get you admitted, or even just to committee discussion. I do think people are being a bit harsh, although admissions can be incredibly random sometimes, I do think you should get into at least one of those schools. (Not necessarily HPS, but maybe Columbia or so.) Add some "safeties" just in case, but I think you'll be fine. Check your school records to be sure and see how ppl with similar stats fared. "Intense independent language study of German" is probably better. And why are you applying to MIT?</p>

<p>Unless you interact A LOT and personally with the Congressman, I strongly discourage you from getting Rec from him. The rec will count a lot more if it's from someone who knows you well, regardless of whether they are in power (because really, will he donate thousands of dollars to the school if you're accepted? no. will he really care all that much? no. does he really know you that well? no. it seems like just a ploy, one that many people have probably tried and failed with anyway.) </p>

<p>In terms of ECs, all that's required is passion for your activities - which you clearly show, regardless of whether or not they have been affirmed in so-called "leadership roles." Maybe you should do a politically related EC like Mock Trial or MUN or debate. I don't see much up there in terms of that, although the page thing is pretty awesome. </p>

<p>If you like Yale, apply EA there (13% EA acceptance rate vs. 5% regular). Otherwise, unless you're set on P, no ED. And if you aren't sure about either Yale or P, go with H SCEA.</p>

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<p>The only reason I like MIT is because of the Sloan Business Program. (I am into Business as a primary major, with a political minor)</p>

<p>Thank you guys a lot for the help. What is your take on schools like Boston College, Middlebury, UVA, etc?</p>

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<p>
[quote]
SAT definitely doesn't matter as much as people like to say it does - a difference in 100 points is irrelevant if you get somewhere over 2000.

[/quote]
Anyone agrees with that ? We are talking about HYPSM. Has that been your personal experience?</p>