Trying to Get into the Ivies.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Okay, so I've posted a few chance threads, but I figured I would post an update one since my GPA went up. I am currently a junior, and I plan to apply to the following schools:
Yale
Columbia
Chicago
Dartmouth
Northwestern
Cornell
Emory
Georgretown</p>

<p>I will apply ED to either Yale or Columbia.</p>

<p>Education:
Coral Springs High School Class of 2014
Ranked 1 of 542; Cumulative GPA: 3.75; Weighted: 5.1806</p>

<p>Awards:
Honor Roll (Freshman-Present)
Top Ten in Class (Sophomore)
AP Scholar (Sophomore)
Outstanding Achievement Awards
English Honors II (Sophomore)
Pre-calculus (Sophomore)
AP Human Geography (Freshman)</p>

<p>Test Scores:
Score of 5 AP Statistics exam (Sophomore)
Score of 4 AP European History (Sophomore)
Score of 4 AP Human Geography (Freshman)
Score of 3 AP World History (Sophomore)</p>

<p>ACT: 31
English: 29; Mathematics: 32; Reading: 33; Science: 30; Essay: 8</p>

<p>PSAT: 209
Math: 76; Verbal: 70; Writing: 63</p>

<p>Extra-Curricular Activities:
National Honor Society (Sophomore-Present)
Brain Brawl Team- Inter-School Academic competition (Junior-Present)
National History Bowl Competitor (Sophomore-Present)
National History Bee Competitor (Sophomore-Present)
National Science Bowl Competitor (Junior-Present)
Debate Team (Sophomore-Present)
Spanish Honor Society (Junior-Present)
Robotics Team (Middle School)
American Mensa (Junior-Present)</p>

<p>Work/Volunteer Experience:
62 Volunteer Hours
Volunteers with Youth Ministry – Church by the Glades (2008-Present)
Worship Ministry/Band – (2008 – Present)
Student Leader (2011-present)
Helped various time to feed the homeless (2010-present)</p>

<p>Special Skills and Interests:
Music – Bass Guitar, Guitar, Baritone
Computer Programming (Java)</p>

<p>Current School Schedule:
AP English Language (I'll probably get a great recommendation from this teacher)
AP Calculus AB
AP US History
Dual Enrollment World Religions (via a State College)
AP Biology
Honors Spanish IV
Honors Debate II
AP Computer Science (Online)</p>

<p>I plan on taking the following classes senior year:
AP Economics
AP Literature
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP Psychology
AP Physics B
Honors Debate III
AP United States Government (Online)
AP Environmental Science (Online)</p>

<p>I will also be taking several college classes at a state college the summer before my senior year. I plan on being NHS president, and holding offices in Debate Club and Spanish Honor Society.</p>

2

<p>Yale- very high reach
Columbia-very high reach
Chicago-reach
Dartmouth- reach
Northwestern- low reach
Cornell -low reach
Emory -low reach
Georgretown -low reach</p>

<p>if you’re a URM, this will be a bit better</p>

<p>You look like a very well rounded applicant, but maybe a little too much. You don’t seem to stand out in any particular area. Also both your GPA and standardized scores aren’t amazing. Their good, but all those schools get tons of scores like your and lots higher too. For GPA, I think I might be reading this wrong, because your weighted is ridiculously high, and your rank is obviously great, but UW is still not quite amazing yet. However, a 3.75 still seems like you’ll be on the low side for your top schools. I would recommend you focus on your interests and try to do something with them, and work on improving your test scores. Hope you’ll make it in in a year :)</p>

3

<p>Do you think that if I were to win a few awards at the state level for debate I would show enough focus to catch the attention of admissions officers?</p>

4

<p>National level for debate would catch some attention. I agree that the schools are all reaches. Hopefully, you have a good school that you know your family can afford and that is sure to take you on the list too. Preferable several of them. Findiing such schools that also can meet your academic goals and are the best in that category is the true challenge of the college search.</p>

<p>You are a great candidate for the top schools and many kids like you will be accepted. It’s just a question of whether you will be one of them. These are called lottery schools for a reason. The only thing you have lacking is something that will put you in a special pool, so it’ll be up to the lottery as to whether you are accepted or not.</p>

5

<p>my advice would be to find a few match schools</p>