Ivy League Chances ?: Low GPA, High SAT?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm very well aware that every one that applies to the Ivies have stellar credentials. I'm just not sure if I should give the Ivies a chance or just completely give up on them. I am a Junior. My Freshman GPA was decent (3.3 UW, 3.6 W, nothing amazing though) but Sophmore Year everything changed. I went through a deep depression, I rarely slept, and my family issues got the best of me. In my defense, my Sophmore Schedulue was pretty busy 3 APs and 3 Honors Classes, as well as extracurricular activities. My Sophomore Year GPA ended up being (3.0 UW, 3.63 W). As of now (end of Sophomore Year) I have a cumulative GPA of 3.15 UW and 3.63 W. Besides my GPA all my other credentials are pretty good.</p>

<p>Here are My Stats:
Cumulative GPA: UW 3.15, W 3.63
PSAT: 223 (took Sophomore Year)
SAT I: 2340 ~I'm a good test taker
SAT II: US History (720), Physics (740), French (750), Math (780)
ACT: 33
AP Exams: (Taken 4 So Far)
Freshman Year =
AP Biology (1) --Retaking, Freshman Year was overwhelming</p>

<p>Sophomore Year =
AP Human Geography (5)
AP French (4) ~Only Sophomore to Take (Not A Native Speaker)
AP World History (5)</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:
I didn't want to really do extracurriculars in music, environmental awareness, debate, or sports because I am not really passionate about those subjects, but most people usually have extracurriculars in that area. I only truly care about writing, so thats what I chose to focus on.</p>

<p>I'm almost done writing a fictional novel (and I hope to find an agency to publish it)
On the School Newspaper (Editor)
I've won 2 Creative Writing Contest (Small Scholarship money)
Took Summer Classes at UF
Took Summer Writing Courses at A Prestigious program called Inner Spark ~Californial State Summer School for the Arts
Secretary of French Club (Junior Year)
Link Crew Leader-- Organization that helps freshman transition smoothly to HS.(Junior Year)
English Honor Society
French Honor Society
VP of Writing Club (Senior Year)
Debate Club (Officer)</p>

<p>Awards/Achievements:
*National Merit Finalist--PSAT (Once I retake the PSAT, I'm confident I'll score the same or even better and qualify)
*National Achievement Scholar (award for African Americans)--PSAT
*I'm an African American Female by the way--not sure it matters. I keep hearing that ethnicity means everything or that colleges don't care.
*AP Scholar
*Creative Writing Essays and Short Stories Awards</p>

<p>Volunteering: (Working more On)
200+ Hours at Local Hospital (Summer)
150+ Hours at Local Library</p>

<p>The Most I could raise My GPA by the end of Junior Year will be roughly an Unweighted: 3.5 and a Weighted:4.2. I plan on taking 6 (maybe 5) AP classes Junior Year to boost my GPA just a bit. I'm confident now that I can achieve this.</p>

<p>So will my other accomplishments outweigh my POOR GPA or will it be useless to apply.</p>

<p>Im Most Interested in the in the following Colleges:
Harvard
Columbia
Dartmouth
Princeton</p>

<p>I also Have some Non-Ivy Schools In Mind:
UF (In-State--safety)
Howard University
UCs
Rice University
Syracuse University
Vanderbilt
Kings College
NYU
John Hopkins
Duke
Stanford</p>

<p>Thanks in Advance</p>

<p>PS: Do Colleges see senior year grades before you send in applications. (Early and Regular Decisions)</p>

2

<p>Hey Rosebuds,
Ivies are unpredictable. COMPLETELY unpredictable. For example, a friend of mine with 12 AP’s in total, 2300+ SAT, outstanding extra-curriculars, grades and recommendations was deferred by Cornell whilst another friend of mine, one who did not have outstanding extra-curriculars or test scores, was accepted.
I can only imagine how tired schools like Harvard and Yale are of seeing cookie cutter kids apply expecting to get in. Though rare, there are thousands of students who all have fantastic grades, test scores, and extra-curriculars.
This is where your strength, writing, comes in hand. Write about the problems you faced with your family, write about yourself, write with confidence. Make your essay sound heartfelt and give it all you’ve got (which shouldn’t be too hard for you, seeing all your success in the writing field already!).
You still have your Junior and Senior year left to go. Don’t focus too much on getting into college - keep your mind set on keeping your grades up and continuing to excel.
Good luck, and don’t sweat it. College Confidential will only further stress you out and you have a long time before you need to be freaking out about college admissions.
Keep up the good work and congratulations on all your success.</p>

3

<p>And yes, colleges will see your senior year grades, regardless if you apply ED or RD</p>

4

<p>If anything, I learned that high SAT I/IIs and great ECs can’t make up for one’s bad grades…good luck though.</p>

5

<p>Bump. Bump. Bump.</p>

6

<p>If you pull together a great essay and RECs you could have a good chance. Harvard especially likes specialist students so your focus on writing is great.</p>

7

<p>Match for HYP</p>

<p>Reason: African American Female with 2300+ SAT. There are probably under 50 of these people in the USA. The black status adds 410 points to her SAT. The Niehl guy did the research. </p>

<p>If OP is indeed black and not like 1/16th black, i expect she will be accepted into at least 2 out of the HYP.</p>

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<p>Thanks wkndwarrior25, I was worried that my interest in writing wouldn’t be “special” enough for HYP. And is what jasonInNY saying true or just speculation?</p>

9

<p>I agree with stanfordhatesme, grades are THE most essential ingredient. I have seen people with good but not great test scores, but with a great GPA, get into the top-tier schools. Less likely is the reverse true.</p>

10

<p>What Jason is saying has some basis in truth but it’s not the slam dunk he thinks it is. If you are still in the top 10% of your class it hold more water, if you’re not it holds little. The thinking works much better once you get beyond ivies which have their pick of the best black students in the world.</p>

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<p>JasonInNy who is “the niehl guy” and where did you find that info?</p>

12

<p>google professor Niehl and affirmative action</p>

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<p>RoseBuds, have you already received your 2340? According to <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065310262-post10.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065310262-post10.html&lt;/a&gt; , you’re the same person as FerraRose, who’s just guessing on his/her SAT score. </p>

<p>A quick glance at FerraRose’s previous chance thread here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/963617-chance-african-american.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/963617-chance-african-american.html&lt;/a&gt; and <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/963619-chances-african-american-female.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/963619-chances-african-american-female.html&lt;/a&gt; shows similar extracurriculars and a similar courseload. However, the SAT is different.</p>

<p>Can you decide what your SAT is before you make a chance thread - or better yet, actually take the test first? I think it would be more helpful to both yourself and the users here if you refrain from posting such large amounts of hypothetical Chance-Me threads. All I’ll say is that people have a tendency to overestimate how well they do on standardized testing.</p>

14

<p>Most likely rejection at every Ivy League institution. Anything can happen, however. Good luck.</p>

15

<p>Lol I have a feeling that OP is gonna get a sub 2000 SAT.</p>

16

<p>if you’re going into your junior year how are you national achievment scholar? Why are you going around making things up? ■■■■■!</p>