should I bother applying to harvard/yale

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello,
I've been looking critically at my college list and I'm wondering, given just how selective Harvard/Yale are, should I even bother applying?
I know most people recommend having 1-2 reach colleges, but is it better to apply to reaches that you have a better shot at getting into?</p>

<p>I really love these schools, and if I were to somehow get it, I would be ecstatic. But at the same time, I know my chances are pretty bad. Not to mention that I screwed up on the SAT and my ECs aren't that great.</p>

<p>So this is sort of a "chance me" thread, but more of a "should I bother" thread, lol</p>

<p>Female/white/illinois/public high school with a good reputation
All honors/ap except for latin
GPA: 4.8/5 UW, 5.65/6 W
school does not rank
SAT: 2130 (definitely retaking, I can do much better than this)
ECs:<br>
-violin for 9 years</p>

<p>-yearbook photographer</p>

<p>-humane society volunteer (besides shelter work, I am a camp counselor, photographer, I foster home and help with the website)</p>

<p>-started my own graphics design business. I mostly do art commissions/web design. All of the money I make is donated to the animal shelter I work at. I spend an absurd amount of time with this, by far my biggest commitment.</p>

<p>-art classes (water color and pastel), and computer generated art for 10 years. I do things just for fun but I've also done a lot of work for websites. I might submit an art supplement?</p>

<p>-I play platform tennis (no teams or anything around here, though)</p>

<p>-citizen club and key club (running for positions next year in both)</p>

<p>-a couple other random things that I might not bother putting on there because I stopped doing them after a year or so (lacrosse, habitat for humanity)</p>

<p>So in short...I know I'm not as qualified as the people who are getting accepted into Harvard. But do I have any hope? Or would my application fee be better off at a slightly lower reach?</p>

<p>Thanks for your input,</p>

2

<p>Oh and I'm going to get a job this summer, too, and some sort of internship if I can find one</p>

3

<p>I hope you are being sarcastic. Of course you should bother applying! You are certainly qualified- so the rest is left up to chance and how interesting a candidate you are.</p>

4

<p>You should definitely bother. Don't think that you are the absolute worse applicant that Harvard and Yale have seen. You look to be fairly competitive and have as good a shot as anybody else.</p>

5

<p>Definitely apply! Work on trying to distinguish, or rather, find yourself as a candidate. If you can hone in on that- as in, what makes you special, then you definitely have a shot. Do try to pull up that SAT score but other than that, just work on further defining and cementing your EC's. I usually don't comment on Chances threads anymore but I just found you to be a very interesting, humble applicant. I LOVE the fact that you worked to create your own graphics art program and you donate the money to the local animal shelter you work at. These days, there are just too many people who get caught up in the college admissions hype and do all these humanitarian things simply to make themselves look accomplished so I have a real soft spot for applicants who seem genuine, and you definitely do, so if you are (lol), keep up the great work! A snazzy internship or something 'impressive' over the summer would help you- keep in mind whatever YOU want to do and what would help you grow as a person and contribute to what you are doing. You're on track- just keep working hard at school and really accentuate your EC's- what's unique about them? What can you do to make it even better? What else can you do to contribute perhaps to your community, but through your interests?</p>

6

<p>Unless you're very top of your class and achieve a 2350 plus, and even then with no stand out ECs, chances are so small that I would only take the ime to apply once you've put heart and soul into the applications at more realistic reaches.</p>

7

<p>Thanks for your replies and advice. They were much kinder than I anticipated, haha
I'll definitely keep these things in mind :)</p>