<p>Alright everyone, I need your opinion on this...
I am currently a junior at a somewhat competitive high school, ranked number 1, have a 2100 sat score, 670 reading, 630 writing, 800 math. I am the captain of the math team, treasurer of the math club, have done various math competitions, and ranked top 40 (37...) in the North carolina state comprehensive contest, qualified for the AIME, play an instrument, in western regionals, in the city orchestra, on the tennis team, will have taken 9 aps by the end of my junior year (3 sophomore, 6 junior)...BUT i'm chinese so i know the competition is pretty tough, but I moved to america with no prior english knowledge five years ago. So here's the question, I really want to go to an Ivy league (preferably Upenn(wharton) or mit or columbia, not exactly looking for yale or harvard since i probably won't get in)...what are the chances of me getting into these schools? And by the way, i'll probably improve my SAT score, but don't know how much.<br>
Thanks guys!</p>
<p>Well for starters, MIT is not Ivy League. And your chances are pretty slim for all those unless you can improve your SAT scores.</p>
<p>yeah, i kinda included it in there, my bad.
say, what are my chances if i improve it to say…2250 or so? since i’m still learning english and it’ll be even better by the end of this year</p>
<p>Personally, I want to lean towards most likely not. You’re pretty much on the same boat as my brother.</p>
<p>On his first SAT Junior year, my brother scored a 2160 and boosted it to a 2230 later in the year.
His SAT II Scores: 800 Math 2, 780 Bio, 770 Chem, 800 Korean (Didn’t submit, we’re Korean :P)
He also took 9 APs by the end of his Junior year, and scored 5 on all of them except Chem (Got a 4).</p>
<p>He was also captain of his math team, qualified for the AIME, and ranked 22nd in some math thing for New York. He also played an instrument (Cello), and was captain for Winter/Spring Track.</p>
<p>He was rejected from all the Ivies except Columbia and Cornell.</p>
<p>Not to imply anything (Well I am going to imply something, but nothing offensive), but there are so many Asians who are really good at math, that the Ivies just can’t take all of them.</p>
<p>Yeah, i know!!! I mean, out of the top 40 math winners in north carolina, more than half of them are asian!!! but yeah, i got 5 on enviro, 5 on chem, 5 on bc calc, just took the sat ii chem and math ii, probably did well enough. But dang, i’m basically exactly like your brother!!! except he had better sat scores. Well, i mean, isn’t upenn easier to get in than columbia? considering how many more people have applied to columbia in the past few years. But i think on my college app essay next year, i’m gonna put emphasis on the fact that i moved here 5 years ago, and “i have to help my parents because they can’t speak english”…
but either way, if i can get into columbia, i would be really happy</p>
<p>xhying, here is a link to the MIT early acceptance thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1044538-official-2015-ea-results-thread-6.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1044538-official-2015-ea-results-thread-6.html</a> I think you’ll find a couple of kids on there who were deferred or accepted with similar SAT scores. I don’t see your gpa, but, purely based on your current SAT scores, you should still try your luck and apply.</p>
<p>well, i have a 3.933 gpa (stupid english class!!!) and a 5.0 qpa</p>
<p>Well he applied to UPenn Wharton as well, and I suppose UPenn Business is more prestigious than Columbia Engineering. And my brother had a phenomenal interview with Columbia.</p>
<p>We actually moved to the US only about 7 years ago, so he had to apply as an international student. And our parents don’t speak great English either. :P</p>
<p>You’re qualified, but so are many. Your competition will be especially fierce given the NC applicants from NCSSM (the school of science and math)–those kids have incredible resumes. I’d cast a wide net as far as applications go.</p>
<p>how are your essays?</p>
<p>yeah, i got into ncssm, but decided not to go:))) and nordicskichamp, i’m still a junior, so i haven’t done anything, but i’m just planning for next year you know</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Me too, actually, lol. But I’m not saying that those kids are competitive because their application says HIGH SCHOOL: NCSSM; they’re competitive because they’re winning Intel and Siemens, winning science and math olympiads, researching with UNC and Duke profs, getting research published, etc. Many of their kids will have higher SATs as well, and by and large, those kids–the ones with stellar grades, scores, and math/science credentials–are the ones who will find their way to top schools from NC.</p>
<p>The reality is that your scores aren’t up to par for top schools as an ORM. Luckily, you have an entire summer to get them up as high as possible. CC’s SAT prep forum has excellent advice (check out silverturtle’s guide and xiggi’s advice in particular). But even with higher scores, the competition is fierce; MIT, Wharton, and Columbia are not far off H and Y in their selectivity, and it’s not uncommon to see students admitted to H or Y but not Columbia, or Wharton, or MIT. Your best bet is to apply to Wharton or Columbia ED next fall, assuming that’s financially feasible.</p>
<p>you need a ~2300. At the very least get your CR up. Study direct hits vol 1 & 2, and that will help you at least break the 700 barrier.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>On the whole, yes, however, Wharton is harder than Columbia. Wharton is only part of Penn.</p>
<p>Yeah, as for the sat, i don’t know why, but i always do at least 50 points better on the practice tests:(
and quomodo, so if i decided to apply to wharton, then i’m technically not applying to upenn?</p>
<p>^Wharton is a school within UPenn. Other schools are the College of Arts and Sciences and the nursing school (I think I’m forgetting one too). Applying to any of those schools means you’re applying to UPenn, but each one has their own admissions. Wharton’s admissions is significantly more competitive than the College of Arts and Sciences, which includes liberal arts (non-preprofessional) majors and is what people usually mean when they talk about UPenn.</p>
<p>Hmm I’m a senior and I’m published and won intel + siemens semifinal. Deferred from mit though. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend that you do some research and enter those competitions.</p>
<p>yeah our school is doing the Moody’s mega math, and i’m not sure the chances of our team winning (getting some scholarship money and look good on college app), and i was on the purple comet team for our school and we got honorable mention(mainly because we had Bryce, for those of you living in north carolina). What are some competitions would you recommend for me to do that is not really difficult but will look pretty good on college? I mean, i get that i’ll have to improve my sat score</p>
<p>If you like science:
Intel STS
Siemens Competitions
Intel ISEF</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</p>