<p>I have been looking at Yale for a while now and I am in love. Just the thought of attending such a prestigious institution is a dream for me in addition to the education I would receive and the culture and basically everything about it. My main concern is whether or not I have a chance at being accepted. I feel like its bad to get my hopes up and be crushed if I weren't to be accepted so please let me know if I have a shot.</p>
<p>I am currently a junior in high school. I have taken all basic classes and will take four years of French in addition to these AP classes: US History (4 on Exam), Biology (5 on exam). I am enrolled in AP Gov, AP Calc AB, AP Stat, and AP Physics B currently and next year I will take AP English, AP Calc BC, AP Comparative Gov, AP Psych and possibly AP Euro History. Also I am taking a class called We the People (I don't know if thats a national program?) I have gotten A's in all of my classes except for 2 A-'s in math from middle school (mainly because I didn't know they mattered then) and an A- in my first semester of AP US History which I raised to an A. Im ranked 23 in my class of 750 and have an UW GPA of about 3.98 and a weighted of 4.01 which will raise with my grades this year. </p>
<p>I took the ACT last spring and received a 32, I am taking it three more times so my score will most likely improve a bit. I am taking the SAT this month but my score on the PSAT was about a 1830 but I feel its because I was off that day and I made stupid mistakes. I took the US History, Biology, and Math level 2 subject tests which I received a 750, 710, and 590 respectively. Im retaking the Math because it wasn't what I expected it to be.</p>
<p>In terms of ECs. I was involved in the varsity swim team my freshman and sophomore years (Is it bad that I quit because of time management with my job?).I am in my schools marching band where I was on the Drum line but now I serve as the Drum Major. I was president of my class student council my freshman and sophomore years and I currently remain on student council. I have been involved with Boy Scouts my entire life and I earned my Eagle Scout Award last summer. I am also pretty involved in my churches youth group. I also have work experience even though it may not serve for much. I am also on National Honor Society.</p>
<p>Please give me honest advice!!!! It is my dream to attend Yale and I will do whatever it takes to be accepted. I worry because some people who apply are involved in all these research programs and all this amazing stuff outside of the school that aren't even offered in my city I dont believe. PLEASE HELP!!!</p>
<p>I always say this, but everyone has a chance of getting in if they apply. With that said, it is so, so hard to predict who will get in with such a low admissions rate. So I cannot tell you if you will be accepted or not, but I can answer some of your questions. </p>
<p>“Is it bad that I quit because of time management with my job?”</p>
<p>Absolutely not, you can talk about your job in the Extracurricular Writing portion on the CommonApp or explain special circumstances in the Additional Info session. Reflecting on a job experience can actually be very insightful and demonstrative of your maturity (if done thoughtfully). </p>
<p>I am sure that you will do fine with standardized testing. A 32 ACT is a great start. You definitely want to consider taking it again because you will likely improve. Try the SAT, but if it’s not so great than don’t worry about it. SAT scores will never get you in–only looked at. </p>
<p>Some other advice: Once you start the app process, be genuine. Don’t try to be someone you aren’t. Maybe you haven’t done research before but hey, you’ve done this and that…own up to what you have done and everything will work itself out. </p>
<p>Also, I think it’s great that you already know where you want to go, but I would also consider looking at other schools. Yale is hardly a “safety” school :)</p>
<p>Since Y does not permit Score Choice, this is not the best plan IMO. Instead of testing continually, find a time period over which you can do substantial prep, then retest. Standardized testing is NOT like grades, Y is not looking for rising trends, just a good score.</p>
<p>I agree. apply there, you may get in-- but even if you’re in love with Yale, try to develop a crush on some other schools, just in case. Yale is great, but, especially depending on what you’re majoring in, not necessarily better than plenty of other very selective schools. . .Are you positive a big university is what you want, not a small college? take your time.</p>
<p>^ You’re right. . . . but still, different from going to, you know, Wesleyan or Haverford or Sarah Lawrence or Reed . . .To me it felt pretty big.</p>
<p>^For my kids it was the opposite, the LACs they visited felt small :). We have a mid-sized public U in town which they have been in a lot over the years, so that was likely the comparison for other schools size-wise.</p>