My Chances at Yale!?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>SAT: 2170 (680 CR, 760 M, 730 W)
ACT: didn't take yet, taking in June
SAT II: 760 bio, going to take Math IIC and chemistry in June
Unweighted GPA: 94.59/100, no 4.0 scale
Rank: we don't rank at our school
APs: junior year - US history, chemistry, english comp; senior year - US gov't, biology, calculus bc, english literature, latin (don't have scores yet)
IB: none
Senior year course load: all the APs mentioned above, plus yearbook class and Intel science research class
Major Awards: National Latin exam (two gold medals, one silver metal from freshman to junior year), NJCL Story Writing Contest (2nd place), National Merit Commended (so far), most likely National Achievement as well but haven't heard from them yet, got a poem published in a book whose name I can't even remember, so I guess it's not very significant</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: piano (since 2nd grade, so 10 years, hoping to send a disc from my last two concerts with my application), co-founder and secretary of school's Photography club, Intel research at Mt. Sinai hospital (summers of sophomore-junior years), member of Latin club (since freshman year), editor-in-chief of Latin publication, photography editor of yearbook (for next year - senior year), member of National Honor Society, took out-of-school French classes for 3-4 years
Job Work/Experience: none
Volunteer/Community Experience: going to work at a hospital with a surgeon this summer, ooh
Summer activities: my Intel research/project, and the hospital work
Essays: not sure yet, but hoping to write about my classic rock record/vinyl collection
Recs: not yet finished, but going to get one from my Latin teacher, one from my biology/Intel teacher, and my counselor rec
Interview: definitely going to do one</p>

<p>Intended Major: biology
State: New York
School Type: very competitive, public, 740 students in my class, almost 3000 total
Ethnicity: African-American (Haitian), also half Chinese - don't know what to say about that
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: $150,000-$200,000
Hooks: URM</p>

<p>Strengths: extracurriculars, coarse load, GPA
Weaknesses: SAT, probably ACT, I'm just very bad at standardized tests</p>

<p>So I'm thinking of applying to Yale EA, comments please! :)</p>

2

<p>Being a URM is somewhat of a hook. It supposedly helps more if you’re an underprivileged URM, which, according to your family income, you aren’t exactly…</p>

<p>Your application seems pretty solid, though. Just make sure you really, really, really know why you want to go to Yale.</p>

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<p>uhhhh if your last name is asian, your Hook would be much harder to sell.</p>

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<p>^ She doesn’t have to “sell” anything; admissions officers will believe her.</p>

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<p>Haha, no, my last name isn’t Asian - I don’t look or seem Asian at all. People never believe me when I tell them that I am, though, because I look 100% black.</p>

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<p>My Chances at Yale!?
15%</p>

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<p>Hmm, not too shabby - what makes you say that (in terms of my strengths and weaknesses)?</p>

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<p>I think it depends on how you do at Intel ;). Actually I think Yale EA decisions come out before that anyway lol. I think you’re definitely competitive but you don’t stand out as a OMG AMAZING definitely getting into Yale type. Honestly, I think it depends on how the admissions officers feel that day. That’s still a better chance than most applicants though :)</p>

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<p>More like 60-65%.</p>

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<p>I agree with rainbowrose!
I would put your chances at 25-30%, I think. Your test scores are relatively weak compared to the rest of your stats, but that’s not a dealbreaker. Of course there are other factors that are too early to judge (your essays, teacher recommendations), but I think you have a pretty solid application.</p>

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<p>Any estimates that put your chance below 50% are unreasonable.</p>

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<p>^why would you say that? The vast majority of applicants have excellent stats, but 92.5% of them are denied. I would agree with vulpix and say around 25%. If you get your CR score into the 700 range (or do better on the ACT), then you chances would improve. Realistically, its impossible to know - just keep your hopes up, and try your hardest on the essays. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Indeed, probably around 50-60 percent of applicants have solid stats (i.e., 3.8+ unweighted GPA and 2100+ SAT score). The OP’s being a URM puts her into a different category, however. The majority of URM applicants with solid stats are accepted.</p>

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<p>I personally do not believe in handing out probabilities of admittance; after all, nevermind that many of us here are not overly familiar with the application/selection processes in the first place (we tend to base our reasoning on memorable, anecdotal “evidence”), there seem to be simply far too many factors to accurately account for–the other applicants, the admissions officer, your essays, the school’s need for diversity, etc.</p>

<p>Having said that, I’m fairly confident you’ll end up at a top 5 school. Your resume is impressive, and coupled with your being a URM (be proud of that :)…your heritage is especially unusual; I’d really stress it in the application), it should be enough for an acceptance letter come 4/11. Best of luck!</p>

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<p>I occasionally do it because people use the typical verbal descriptors in such different manners that they mean nothing to the person who wants a chancing (e.g., “reach”).</p>

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<p>thanks for the comments guys.</p>

<p>I don’t think I am going to retake my SAT, so I’m hoping to do well on my ACT, which I am taking next week.
I am also hoping to write my essay on something really “out-there” and unique (my record collection), so I hope I can catch the officer’s attention with that…</p>