<p>I'm a senior in high school, and just now started contemplating my odds of getting into an Ivy League school. My SAT scores are horrific: 730 critical reading, 690 writing, 10/12 on the essay and an absolutely pathetic 580 math, for a total 2000. I also have virtually no extracurricular activities: I compete in swimming and gymnastics, but am not the captain of either, and am in only one or two clubs (president of ASL club, member of drama society freshman year). I've only taken one AP course, because my school only offers one AP course (I did, thankfully, get a 5 on the test). I've got almost no volunteer hours...I volunteer every spring with the National Alliance for Autism Research, forming a Walk team and fundraising (I'm our team's captain), but that's about it. I've got a 3.969 GPA, and took the most rigorous course load my high school had to offer. I'd love to go to Brown...really, that's the only Ivy I'm interested in. I know they must be low, but what are my chances?</p>
<p>I appreciate any input you have to give.</p>
<p>I will, obviously, be re-taking the SATs and taking four SAT IIs this coming October.</p>
<p>There are lots of great schools, Brown would be really tough. When schools don't offer much, many attend community college classes or do on line programs like EPGY.</p>
<p>I think you can get into an Ivy league or one that's similar calibur, as long as your class rank is good (since that is hard to change) and maximize your potental in your senior year.</p>
<p>Most important is to raise your SAT score. Good scores won't get you in, but low scores can keep you out. Get a ton of prep books and do a ton of math problems. </p>
<p>Try to enroll at Community college classes.</p>
<p>Your ECs aren't bad. Try to get more positions in your senior year and work to get some accomplishments/recognitions. That'll put you on par (IMO) with most applicants.</p>
<p>Don't worry about community service, if that's not what you prefer. Focus on other ECs. People get into schools regularly without even listing Comm service. </p>
<p>If you do all the right moves I think you can get into brown.</p>
<p>I'm ranked 2 out of 219...realized I forgot to post that before.</p>
<p>I've also got a couple awards, but none of them are major. My school doesn't give out big awards until the last week of senior year, so even if I win a few, they won't be of much help to me.</p>
<p>I already enrolled full time in community college for next year, and will be completing Honors Options for every course. Currently, I've got planned out about 48 credits to transfer at the end of senior year.</p>
<p>Thanks for the encouragement, I could use it right now. :)</p>
<p>Look for outside competitions like essay contests, etc. Those are good sources for recognition. The ultimate in science would be the Intel STS. Winning it would give you $100,000 in scholarship and a virtually guarentee admission to Harvard or any university in the country. </p>
<p>Maybe not that, but there are more local ones you can consider. But most important, IMO, for now are the SAT and SATII scores.</p>