<p>Hey guys! I'm a white female from Atlanta, Georgia, and I would like to know if you guys think I'm being too optimistic about my chances of getting into the following schools.</p>
<p>Emory
Vanderbilt
George Washington
UVA
William and Mary
UNC-Chapel Hill
Duke
Wash U in St. Louis</p>
<p>Academics:
GPA: 3.97 out of 4.0 unweighted
APs: Bio and AB Calc (my school doesn't offer many, but the rest of the classes I'm taking are honors)
SATs: math-760 verbal-690 (1450)
SAT IIs: math 2c:700 chem:640 writing:620
I think I've got good recs and essays</p>
<p>ECs: (my downfall)
4 years of volleybal including varsity
2 years of jv basketball
2 years of Latino/Spanish club
16 hours of interning at an elementary aftercare program
80 hours of planning and teaching science lessons to elementary students at my school
thats really it, no awards</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help! By the way, there's no need to tell me to quickly apply somewhere else, because I already got into one school.</p>
<p>I'm a junior in Tennesseeand i'd like to know what kind of chances I have to:</p>
<p>Duke
Vanderbilt
Harvard
UNC
UTK
Wash U in St. Louis
Georgetown
etc.</p>
<p>4.0 GPA unweighted, ranked 4 out of 340
AP's: Euro History AP (4), AP Physics B, US History AP, AP Chemistry, AP Calculus BC, English III AP
SAT: 800 math, 700 verbal (1500(
ACT: haven't taken yet, but expected above 30
SAT II: Physics: 740 (plan to retake), will take more
Senior Courses: Government AP, Economics AP, Biology AP, Comp Sci AP, French III honors, Stat AP, English IV AP</p>
<p>EC's:
Captain varsity tennis team all years of high school
Captain varsity debate team all years high school
President Mu Alpha Theta 10, 11 so far
Tons of regional math awards
over 150 hours of community service
1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo
Doing physics research at TSU and Vanderbilt as intern
Science awards within the school
some other stuff that's not so exciting</p>
<p>Well that's it. I'd really appreciate any of your insights on my chances.</p>
<p>Thanks samp and 2331. Fakeout, this is my page! Just kidding. I think you've got a great chance at all of them except for harvard (you never know with them), but I don't really know what I'm talking about.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think you have a pretty good chance. People on these boards seem to be pretty pessimistic and all too willing to jump down the throat of someone else and "obliterate" their chance of acceptance. Almost every single person I've seen ask about their chances who had over a 1500 was told "No, you probably are not good enough". What, then, is good enough? Princeton Review states the average SAT scores of every top college. Most of these (Ivies) are in the low to mid 1400s, except Caltech. This implies that along with all the very high scores, 1400s, and probably lower are accepted. You have a 1450, that is a very good score. Your unweighted GPA is very good and it looks like you've taken most of the toughest classes you can. Varsity sports is always a plus and colleges LOVE volunteer hours. You don't appear to be one of those "fake" people who have arranged their entire high school career as if out of a book. I think the college admissions will pick up on this and like you for it. Just make sure you have awesome essays and recommendations and you should be fine. Stay optimistic, it really helps. These boards really drown optimism, they've even made me feel depressed about my "stats" compared to the stellar credentials of some of my apparent peers. Good luck. I really hope you get accepted where you would like to go, in the meantime, I'll cross my fingers for both of us =)</p>
<p>To a degree andy04920 is right. Chocoholic you definitely have a chance at all your schools. But...I still say William and Mary, OK is a match, I called it a slight reach because out of state. The said truth is UVa and UNC out of state are at or near ivy level in difficulty. Wash U acceptance rate is in the low 20's and is a reach for most. Duke I'd say you need a hook and Chocoholic says EC's are her downfall and has no awards. So I'm saying she has a good chance at 4 or 5 of these very selective schools. What's so pessimistic about that?</p>
<p>The pessimism wasn't geared towards you in particular, it was more of a vent towards those with near 1600 scores who rant that they "just won't get accepted", as if the rest of us actually care. Also towards the people who tell people with amazing credentials that no, they probably will not get in where they would like to go. It's just frustrating.</p>
<p>2331 - thanks for your truthful opinion. I really appreciate it, and I don't find in pessimistic at all.<br>
andy - your response made me smile. I completely agree that this websight can make students (including myself) feel inferior to the applicants who have seemingly flawless academic and extracurricular records. After reading about so many outstounding applicants, it's hard not to think that pessimism about college acceptance isn't really pessimism at all, but just knowledge of the reality of what might happen when acceptance letters come. I'm glad you brought back up some of my optimism though, because I know that the more optimistic I am, the less I'll end up worring about and being preoccupied with all of this college crap. Anyway, thanks again, and tell me if you get into your colleges.</p>
<p>chocoholicgirl -- you should be very optimistic! You have good stats, don't ever let yourself get to impressed/depressed by what you read here (WAMC) alot of it is, let's say "exaggerated"!! Good luck!</p>