<p>Sat: 2110 (620 CR, 720 M, 770 W. My critical reading/reading comprehension scores on standardized tests have been low for as long as I can remember)
Sat II: 710 Math II, 710 Biology, 700 Chemistry, 630 World History, 440 US History (I bubbled in random things because I was sick and about to pass out if I didn't put my head down)
APs: 5 Biology, 5 English Language (probably a fluke), 4 Chemistry, 4 World History, 2 US History (unfortunately my plan to get a 4 to redeem the 440 didn't work. I'm pretty sure I misbubbled or something, as I got an A in the class and I was pretty confident after the test)
GPA: low 4.something. I should be #3 in my class by the end of this year. </p>
<p>ECs:
-Treasurer of school's Science Bowl (member for three tears)
-Treasurer of Math Club
-Sargeant at Arms of school's California Scholarship Federation (Basically, community service)
-member of Interact Club (community service)
-been playing violin for about 4 years (quit piano)</p>
<p>My parents are Armenian immigrants, they only speak basic English and have never been able to help me with anything school related (actually they don't even know what Yale is), we have a moderate income based on how well our small restaurant does that year, and I'll be the first generation to go to college. </p>
<p>Ok so I know none of this is very impressive. I plan to write funny essays, as that's what I did with my UC essays and I just don't really know how to write a serious essay about myself. Will those stats coupled with humorous/entertaining essays and hopefully good reccomendations (I think my teachers kind of hate me) be good enough to be CONSIDERED? Or should I just not apply? This is the only private school I'm interested in and unfortunately I don't think I stand out enough (well actually, considering how everyone else is nearly perfect, I will stand out as a diamond in the rough??? That's just wishful thinking).</p>
<p>Oh, gosh. This is a hard one. But it seems to me that given circumstances like yours, a lot of people would be in the same boat. I say: GO FOR IT!! The most you will lose is the app fee. Your GPA should do something for you... and you're not as bad as you think you are. Don't expect to get in; if you do, your circumstances as a first-generation student will have played a large part, but your uncertainties are no reason not to apply. Please do.</p>
<p>Your test scores are far below par. There's nothing impressive about your ECs either. Maybe your essay will help, but a good essay isn't going to get you into Yale. </p>
<p>Where are you applying from and what awards have you won?</p>
<p>gah... this is the problem with admissions. Top universities have us on the leash, since they want to gather as big a pool of applicants as possible, so that they can cherry-pick the very best and promptly reject 90% of the rest.</p>
<p>Anyways, I'd say you're chances are slim, but if you want to apply, you'd only lose your app money.</p>
<p>You might lose your app money, but you'll also always wonder "what if?" I know I would have felt that way... I'm about as qualified as you are and I applied early, and I'm proud of it. </p>
<p>spiritus, id like to know...how are the OP's scores "far below par" besides verbal? there is no way that his/her math and writing scores are "far below par."</p>
<p>I haven't really won any award...ever...I got 5th place for this economics thing at USC, I was 4th in my school for the AMC 10, AP Scholar with Honor, I think that's about it. Good, not great. </p>
<p>Yeah I don't want to ever wonder about it, even though my English teacher tells me I have no chance whatsoever and I'm a fool to even try. I'm worried about giving teachers reccomendation forms and having them looks at me like I'm crazy. And fringey, it's SO NICE to see someone else as non-qualified as I am. They can't ONLY let in perfect people right??? There have to be some kids who didn't work in AIDS research since the age of 12 while also being a master pianist, teaching kids to read, solving crimes etc. I think I'm gonna go for it. I'll probably get into UCLA anyway so that's ok too.</p>
<p>lighten up, spiritus. nameonascreen2, stop apologizing for yourself; there's nothing wrong with you except that your english teacher is rather immature. i'm glad you've decided to go for it.</p>
<p>It's just my English teacher. He's a total *** **** **** *** ***** and a *** **************** * and ***** to anyone who isn't in the Academic Decathlon.</p>
<p>Hey nameonascreen, I'd say I'm in your boat- same SAT 2110, anyway (waaaay different distribution- not a Math person!) and I applied to eliminate the "What if" factor, too, so I thought I would share something that might help:</p>
<p>I had a friend applying last year and she was smart, but she was normal smart-good grades, but no 2400, national debator award, or a 5.9 GPA, and she was unhooked. On a whim she decided to apply to UPenn and people told her not to apply because she would never get in and her dad even said that she was wasting the application fee and he told her not to apply because it was a waste of time and money. Guess what? Come April she was accepted to UPenn and is happily studying there as a freshmen. There is always a chance.</p>
<p>That makes me feel better. Although now maybe I should also apply to Penn! Yeah my school has never had a kid who was more than normal smart, which is why it's very rare for someone from here to get into a brand name school (other than the UCs). But I have seen a few flukes (a Stanford, a few MITs, a Caltech, a Cornell) so I'm thinking maybe I'll be the fluke for this year. Yale is the only school I really, really want to go to, which is why I'm not applying to anywhere else outside of southern California. I should probably mention that in an essay somewhere.</p>
<p>I hate the term non-qualified or underqualified... I think it's ridiculous what colleges expect from high-schoolers. I am a happy, hardworking, normal kid and only this year have I been made to feel like I am less than what I should be in order to achieve my dreams. </p>
<p>So I applied, hoping that Yale would see me for who I am, not as some "underqualified" girl from LA who pales in comparison to the up-and-coming cancer researchers of America. While I respect that they take those kids and think they should, they also take NORMAL kids! I've seen it happen.</p>
<p>wow, fringey, that really got to me. on some fundamental level.</p>
<p>i realized how much i've been really beating up on myself this year. i constantly tell myself (i'm even telling myself as I write this) that i'm not good enough, i'm not like the rest of you, i don't have the drive, my parents just tell me what to do, i'm not involved in anything, i'm not interesting, i'm too nerdy... the list goes on.</p>
<p>Why? Why should I - or anyone else for that matter - do that to myself? I only really realized now that it's the college feeling that got me that way. It's that tension in my school, that "whereareyouapplying" feel, because i'm being held up to a mirror under a harsh light.</p>
<p>I need to walk away once in a while. I need to remember what makes me wonderful. You know what we should all do? Watch Harold & Kumar. That "f*** the work" feeling is contagious, I promise. (Unless you're adverse to a little R action, of course.)</p>
<p>Speaking as Y11 (that gives me some credibility, right?) I can answer the question posed by OP simply: Yes, you should if you are interested, and yes, you'd be interesting to the admissions people so long as you can show them just who you are (you!).</p>
<p>Also, yes!!!! on the walking away part. Good call. Be it watching movies, watching people, walking your dog, whatever.</p>
<p>Hahahahahah. Yes. Very dramatic. But also very true. I have always felt bad for not doing amazing things in high school. But recently I realized that that's because i just don't care for that s***. I don't care about medical or scientific research in the slightest, so I choose not to spend time on that stuff. I do Science Bowl because I like hitting the buzzer and going to competitions, not because I want to learn random science trivia. I've never gone to mucial competitions because I think of music as a little hobby I like to do. When I'm tired of violin I'll switch to a new instrument. Basically, I've never done anything that didn't interest me greatly (except some APs, but that's necessary for a great GPA). And unfortunately, Yale will probably not be interested in my favorite hobby: video games. I'm not sorry that I'm not passionate about cancer research, or tutoring poor kids, or feeding the blind homeless. I know myself and I know those things just don't interest me, so I'm not about to dedicate my precious time to stuff I don't care about. Call me a horrible or lazy person but I don't care. It's my one and only life and I'll do what I want with it. I just hope that Yale can see that I AM passionate about what interests me and that I will use Yale's resources to broaden my interests and find a career that I can see myself happily slaving over in the years to come. I just don't like the idea of being rejected for not being good enough when I've worked DAMN hard to get to where I am today, however much it may pale in comparison to other applicants, most of whom can probably get As in their sleep and don't have to constantly worry about every upcoming test.
Now I'm not saying that those people who do those things don't work hard as hell, because I'm 100% sure they do. I just don't think anyone should be sizing up hobbies. Doing a prestigious intership is godly for people interested in that, but beating Resident Evil in 1.5 hours is also very well respected in the gaming community and trust me, it was no small feat (took me three weeks to plan it out). I would LOVE to talk about stuff like that but most of these schools thinks it's childish and don't care. Screw it. I might as well write about what I really care about and what I think about all of this. It'll at least be different...maybe a good thing.</p>