<p>I know I know, Ivies are reaches and they look for 4.0 and 2400 but I need to get into an Ivy. I have 3.0 G.PA as of mid year junior year with an upward trending transcript with Cs freshman year, Bs sophomore and As junior year. I also just took my first SAT and got an 1800 and am shooting for a 2200 at least. I have multiple extracurricular and am an adequate fencer. I got 100 on my ELA regents and attend an elite public school where the humanities classes are all honors starting freshman year and provide on four APs:Bio Chem Physics and Spanish.. I plan on taking College level Chem this summer and I am doubling sciences with AP Bio and Advanced Immunology . I take multiple college courses and received As in all. I am a participant in an internship programs and have approx. 4 glowing recommendations. My mother earned her bachelors at a CUNY school and my father's highest education was high school. I am a first generation African American from a low income family and want to go to an IVY because of research opportunity and exposure .. not name and fame. I am competitive and ambitious and I am great at interviews. What do you think my chances are... I know multiple people at my church and community who have similar stats but better g.pa who have been accepted but I know every student is different ... So what do you guys think... (Don't worry I have multiple safeties, but I am focusing on Harvard...) any recommendations for other schools?</p>
<p>Even with your URM status, you will not get into Harvard, Princeton, or Yale with a GPA under 3.5. An 1800 to a 2200 is a pretty big increase, but if you are sure that with lots of studying you can do this, you could potentially consider Cornell or Penn as the “easier” Ivies. You also did not mention any standout extracurriculars, so I would assume you do not have any. I know it may sound harsh, but even with that 2200, Cornell and Penn would still be pretty high reaches for you. If you already have safeties, I won’t suggest any. I would focus on keeping the As for this year and getting those SATs up, and then you could be looking at some top 25 schools that aren’t quite as competitive as the Ivies (UVA, UC Berkeley, Wake Forest, Georgetown). These schools would still be reaches with your GPA, ECs, and a 2200, but your status as a URM would help, and these schools could be more realistic, but still give you great, nationally recognized educations with a lot of “research opportunities and exposure”. Unfortunately I just do not think Ivies would be possible for you to gain freshman admittance (maybe you could transfer in if you are dead set on an Ivy?).</p>
<p>Looking at Harvard’s common data set, 0.72% of the class had a GPA of 3.24 or less. Since Harvard aims for a class size of around 1660, that means 12 students. With its yield of 80%, assume 15 students with those stats were offered admission. Based upon 34K applications, the chance for admission is 0.04%,</p>
<p>If you listed preferences on location, size, greek life, intended major, etc., you would get better advice on what schools might be a better match for you.</p>
<p>Good luck. </p>
<p>I just don’t get the fixation with Ivies (not just for you but for many other students). If the school is not the right fit for you, is the name alone worth it? Research and exposure can be had at many other non-Ivy school. The glow of Ivies has dimmed a little and now the West Coast schools are really coming on strong. Stanford- need I say more? Off the top of my head other schools that have great names and great opportunities are Duke, Georgetown, Michigan, Penn State, Emory, Vanderbilt, UVA, Washington University in St. Louis, some of the UC’s, University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon, Boston University, etc. etc. A previous poster mentioned others.</p>
<p>You need to look at the schools, either virtually or in person. Even within the Ivies, the culture and climate are different. Brown is really different than Penn. Cornell is one of the “easiest” Ivies, but is the upstate NY weather for you. Size, majors, location should first be determined to the best of your ability then look at the fit. There are many college admissions tools to look at best fit for you. </p>
<p>Also, the plan to increase SAT from 1800 to 2200 is quite ambitious. Usually a 200 point increase is doable if you take practice tests and/or use a coach. A rise of 400 points is not unheard of, but can happen. However, if you can bring up the standardized scores to 2200, then the admissions will question your GPA even more in terms of applying yourself. Look at some of the test optional schools (there are about 700) as another avenue. </p>
<p>. </p>
<p>@skieurope I need and New England/New York are school intend to double major in Biology and English and want to do a pre med program … My family and relatives are pressuring me for Ivies and the community/culture I come from does not allow much room for a say in my future. I do have a tutor and I have a viable reason as to why I have a low GPA although idk If I want to mention it here. The Ivies I am applying to are Harvard UPenn and Cornell and I am looking at other school and I do want to go to the others like Boston University and Binghamton. I am also a great interviewee (not bragging) and have already started work on my essay and there is a reason why my screen name is ambition. I do not have strong extracurriculars because I have to spend more time at home taking care of 4 younger siblings and cooking since I am the eldest so my family has kept me sheltered but I strive to do as much work as I can. I was recognized at my local church for volunteering 40+ hours per week for 6 weeks and received a bonus and have various honors and awards. i know my gpa may be a dealbreaker but a girl can dream …</p>
<p>Regardless of what your chances are, I think you should apply for several reasons: you will never know unless you do, and may have regrets if you don’t. As you say, family and community will expect you to. Once you apply through, the decision is completely out of your hands. Harvard, UPenn, and Cornell ( and any other college) will decide the outcome.
Yes, you can dream, and that’s fine, but for your own future’s sake, it’s important to also be realistic. The Ivys and other reach schools are not a guarantee for anyone. Each year there are posts on CC that say “I did not get in anywhere” or “I can’t afford my college” and these are sad outcomes that hopefully students can do their best to avoid . In addition to your dream school list, take an objective look at your grades and scores, colleges where students with your credentials are most likely to be admitted, and cost of attendance.
Within this range are many colleges that may have programs that appeal to you, and where you can also pursue your goals. </p>
<p>I would like to add a few words. If the OP is not a California resident, she will need to have someone calculate a UC weighted GPA. No college in the system will consider an applicant from out of state whose UC GPA is less than 3.4. I really hope that this student can research a lot of colleges and realize that there are many terrific schools where she has an excellent chance for admission, with a good scholarship offer. A great many striving immigrant or working-class families without college legacies are overly invested in the Ivy mystique. You won’t find that many students unrealistically applying to the most selective colleges from prep schools or affluent suburban districts. Your ambition is commendable, and you will do well. I just hope that you won’t feel that a public college, or a smaller school with good scholarship options won’t serve your goals just as well. A B-student, with a higher weighted average and 1800+ test scores, can get into many excellent colleges, but the Ivy League is probably out of reach. I would recommend casting a much wider net, to research colleges with holistic admissions policies that can consider your personal narrative more carefully. You are active in a church: why not look into some religious-affiliate colleges? They might be an excellent cultural match for you. Quaker colleges like Guilford and Earlham are strong academically, but small and nurturing. I don’t think you mentioned your gender, but I inferred you were female. I think you could definitely try for some of the traditional women’s colleges like Smith, Wellesley or Mount Holyoke. They offer the curricular rigor you seek.</p>
<p>You can get great research opportunities at many small LACs and at research universities.
You can get the feel of Harvard at any college that has a quad and house system.</p>
<p>An 1800 SAT and 3.0 GPA will get you into some fine schools with good lab opportunities and interactions with professors and students. You will most likely bring up your score to 1900-2000, but 2200 is a very big jump.</p>
<p>Don’t focus on schools where your chances of acceptance are low.
Apply at your instate publics and some of the excellent suggestions above.</p>
<p>If you’ve had any C’s or below (maybe just one is ok), ivies are out unless there are extenuating circumstances.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry your family has burdened you with such nonsense. It’s obviously distracting you from finding great schools you can be admitted to. I hope you have a competent guidance counselor who can lead you in the right direction. Best of luck!</p>
<p>The OP did post here, and CC ( and other non-related adults) can provide a voice of reason. Sometimes well-meaning family members and friends to give advice based on when they applied to college, or what they have heard from someone else, but unless they have been actually involved in the process recently, they may not be aware of the admissions process as it is today.
I agree with all the posters who have advised the OP to look closely at schools that are a match, and that the focus on the Ivys may take away from finding them. One reason for applying to the Ivy’s is based on the OP’s response as well as the family pressure- as applying lets the colleges decide and avoids family disputes over whether or not to apply to them. </p>
<p>^^^ Good point, but It’s still sad that the OP’s family’s misguidance will be diverting application money, focus and the OP’s valuable time away from other opportunities. </p>
<p>Honestly, the chances are not good at all. The upward trend in GPA is good, but 3.0 is still too low. A 2200 is around the normal level for Ivy’s; to make up for you GPA, you’ll need >2300. Just write good essays, have good recs, have good interviews, and keep your fingers crossed. Good luck.</p>
<p>Chance back
<a href=“Chances for UVA and Vanderbilt. Will chance back. - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1634747-chances-for-uva-and-vanderbilt-will-chance-back-p1.html</a></p>
<p>I hate to be harsh, but you would get eaten alive at an Ivy. </p>
<p>Please meaage me back , i wrote you in your indox . Im a student in a similar situation . Its importnat lol @Amb1t10n</p>
<p>Looks like OP has left the building. She hasn’t logged in in almost 5 months. </p>