Please help a sad child :(

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi all,
So I applied to BC, Harvard, Brandeis, Brown, and Cornell and I was wondering what were my chances. I go to a private high school.
GPA: 98.05 weighted (school doesnt do unweighted)
SAT: M: 670 CR: 710 W:640 (2020)
Subject Tests: Awaiting Scores
Rank: school doesnt rank but in top 3 percent

ECs: Did All three running sports (XC, indoor, outdoor) my freshman and sophomore years quit due to timing was freshman captain.
I also am vice president of cooking club and a founding member (club dedicated to help promote healthy cooking).
President of Model UN and Captain of Mock Trial.
Currently a leader of a service club with over 500 volunteer hours.
I’m also in Drama. I started last year and was able to land the second lead and put a lot of effort and time into the role.
In NHS work as the service Coordiantor.

Work Experience: have worked two jobs with my father at his gas station and my mother in her store. Over 1000 hours on the gas station. And more than 30 hours a week in the store for the last 9 months.

Essays: I am actually really proud of my essay. I thought they were able to reflect me as a person. 10/10
Supplements: They were good but not exceptional 9/10.

Hooks: First Generation (my parents both didn’t go to high school). Also, my sibling goes to Harvard. (Not sure how much that counts)
Awards: I’m not sure how major it is but I received a full scholarship to Space Camp in Huntsville. My team was also able to compete from students from other countries. We were able to win the Commanders Cup (Best Team)

Recommendations:
First: from APUSH teacher and also moderator for Mock Trial and Model UN have known since 9th grade 10/10
Second: From English teacher I had in eighth grade and again in 12th grade. Has seen me grown considerably as a person 10/10
Counseler: She knows how hard I worked in school and I have talked to her but I’m not sure how good it is. 7/10
Schoo Rigor: I took the hardest courses offered at my school. My school only offers four APs and I took three. However I couldn’t take the fourth due to a scheduling conflict. In addition, I took three college courses in math. I was able to skip a year in math at my school and then took differential calculus at a local university.

Any feedback will be appreciated! I will chance back if requested.

2

I’ll start with the most obvious thing. Your SAT scores are well below the average for the ivy league schools. I think your math score would definitely rule out Cornell and Harvard. However, you seem to be a very active student involved in multiple ECs and have a decent amount of work experience as well. If your teacher recs and essay are just as good as you claim then I think your personality will shine through to the Brown admission officers (especially if you emphasize your love for their open curriculum and liberal atmosphere and lack of emphasis on grades). You seem to be in the clear for Brandeis as a safety. And I’m sorry but I don’t know enough about BC to chance.

3

Sorry, I missed the part about taking differential calculus at a local university after skipping a math. That is certainly very impressive and gives me a bit more optimism that they might place less emphasis on the sat math score if your transcript is impressive enough. Still do not have a lot of confidence in a good shot at Cornell or Harvard but Brown seems more plausible.

4

Brandeis and Boston College should be safe for you. Harvard, Brown, and Connell are super reaches and you shouldn’t get your hopes up. Although there always is that 2% chance that you do get accepted to one of them.

5

If you are URM then coupled with your first generation hook, you may get into one of the Ivies but better to focus on Barandies and BC as your stats and EC’s are quite average. No need to be sad, be glad as those are really good schools as well.

6

Thank you all for the honest feedback! Honestly, I would be ecstatic if I got into any one of those schools. Just feeling a little down due to the wait.

7

UPDATE!!
Accepted at Harvard, Brown, BC, Tufts
Waitlisted at Cornell and Brandeis

8

Congratulations. You sound like a hard worker who really earned it!