<p>I have yet to take the SAT...my GPA is 3.9 and class rank is #11 out of 1161 students, graduated with high honors. I'm also a member of the National Honor Roll. I have been a professional tennis player for 4 years, travelling the world and competing in Grand Slams and various professional tennis tournaments. I thought this may help me get in, and be a unique essay topic. What do you think my chances are? What SAT scores would I need to aim for? Thanks!!</p>
<p>The obvious answer is to always aim for the highest score possible. When you've tried your best, what you get is what you get. Don't be too worried about scores.</p>
<p>Judging what you've said, you're a good candidate.</p>
<p>I'd say you're a definite.</p>
<p>You should aim to get all SAT scores over 700. Why don't you want to play Division I tennis? You do know that Chicago is not big on athletics, don't you? It's all about the life of the mind there.</p>
<p>I can't play tennis at college because I played professionally...that makes me ineligible. I would be interested in helping out with anything athletics-wise. Maybe that would help me get in</p>
<p>You should have no trouble getting into U Chicago and Vanderbilt. Any reasonable SAT score will be fine. You have the grades plus the amazing EC. You sound like the kind of person who will do well on the SAT anyway, and you sound like the kind of person who goes in prepared.</p>
<p>Vandy -
have you taken an SAT practice test yet? It will be less important for you as an adult, but they are still going to see it, and it is a piece of the puzzle. I am asking about the practice test because it's been a while since you have dealt these things. </p>
<p>That said, your class rank is excellent (assuming that you took a rigorous program of classes) and your profession will make you stand out.</p>
<p>you have absolutely no chance. </p>
<p>no, i mean you REALLY have no chance
no chance,
no chance...in hell, that is
...unless hell were to freeze over...</p>
<p>which, fortunately for you, i heard it did. and generally does for five months out of the year.</p>
<p>bendrumfront- a devilish post on number 999?</p>
<p>Talk to Dante... he says hell is frozen!</p>
<p>Vandy,
you're thinking about a very wide variety of selective schools - some of which are very different from each other. Please try to visit as many as you can manage in the coming months. Although your credentials, as we see them, are very impressive, most of the colleges on your list are going to be looking very carefully at your why Chicago - Emory - Duke - Yale - Dartmouth - Stanford - essay. </p>
<p>From what I have observed on CC in watching four admissions cylces is that a certain element of unpredictibily (from the out trying to look in, as we all are) starts to arise at about 40% admissions. The more competitive the school ... the more likely a match is to be a reach. The one factor that seems to be ignored on CC (perhaps because it is hard to quantify) is the mutual fit of the student and the college, and the student's likelyhood to be successful at the school. Visits can help you determine the former; the later is a bit harder.</p>
<p>Your rank in class is excellent - if it is a weighted ranking, it bodes very well. If it is unweighted, however, it provides no information about the rigor of your program. It is also difficult see what sort of writer you might be as you have not posted extensively.</p>
<p>You have received encouraging replies on this thread - and that's good. However, we're all guessing, and so are the posters replying on the other threads. Reaches, matches and safeties (including a financial safety) are are all important.</p>