Is there any chance I can get into an ivy league school with these stats:
SAT: 1950 (bad score but going to take ACT)
GPA UW: 3.97
Ap- School does not offer AP’s but I am taking three this year online: AP Calc AB, AP Micro, AP Stats
Class rank: top 10%
SAT Subject- have not taken yet
Ethnicity: mixed race
State: NY
Legacy: Cornell and Yale
Also can be a recruited athlete
I think I have a good shot at Cornell because I have seen numerous people on college confidential get in with SAT’s < 2000. I think since I have legacy it will really help.
My dream school has always been Yale but I do not think I have any chance with that SAT score so I am hoping I can score high on the ACT (32).
Thanks in Advance!
Most people who get into Ivy League schools with sub-2000 SAT scores have a strong hook - this means URM, a special talent (Natalie Portman is one example), national/international academic awards, major donor parents (well into the millions/tens of millions of dollars), and of course recruited athletes. Legacy is a “weak” hook at most schools (similar to EA/ED), meaning that it can elevate you from a pool of similarly qualified applicants but won’t make up for scores that are far below par (like a 1950).
As a NY applicant, things are tougher still. The game changer could be your athletics, as recruited athletes almost always get in. When you say “can be a recruited athlete,” do you mean that the schools in question have been in touch with you? Or simply that you’re good at a sport? If the latter, you need to get in touch with coaches for your sport ASAP.
If the coaches aren’t interested, I won’t say that you don’t have a chance, but your odds are lower than the admissions average, even with legacy.
@NotVerySmart Thank you for your response. I have been in contact with Cornell, Dartmouth, Brown and Yale but they did not know my SAT score. If I do apply to these schools I will be supported by the coach through admissions, I just do not know how the coach will feel with these scores… I have some pretty good accomplishments in my sports such as winning the national title three years ago
It’s not truly about a few numbers on the page. Nor is “dream school” relevant.
What is your dream career? What schools do a great job placing students into those jobs?
What good is getting into the bottom of the class at a dream school to only be weeded out of your dream career.
Look at schools where you are in the top quarter of the class. Dominate undergrad and then finish at a top grad school in your field on a high note.
@ClarinetDad16 I have always wanted to work on wall street and I have read that they only take Ivy graduates
Does anyone know someone who got into HYP with SAT’s under 2000?
Call up the coach and ask. He/she will generally be quite honest, telling you “I can really go to bat for you” or “You’ll need to raise your score.”
There are different levels of support from the coaches, ranging from “This kid will help us win titles.” through “I need 3 of these 5 students” to “These applicants could help the team out,” with as many intermediate levels as you care to think of. The first type helped one girl get into Stanford with a 1700 SAT, while the third generally serves to distinguish an athlete with a 2250 SAT and stellar grades from 10 other applicants with 2200+ SATs and stellar grades. Much will depend on where you stack up.
I would echo ClarinetDad’s sentiment, which is correct for most applicants.
@zxcvbnm1216 A girl at my school got into Yale EA with an athletic scholarship despite a 29 ACT. Although I encourage you, as I would any strong student, to take your talents somewhere besides Wall Street.
Go to Baruch they place more kids into Wall Street jobs.
@ClarinetDad16 It’s D3 athletics though
Eye on the prize. Are you looking for a sweatshirt, bumper sticker and a participant trophy?
Or the “Wall St Job”?
@NotVerySmart thank you for your help. I took the ACT and scored a 29 but the coach said that he is comfortable with that school in admissions but if I can get it up one or two more points it would make it a lot easier for him through admissions