<p>I'm a new junior (Class of 2012) to these forums and I'm quite anxious about my chances at Yale. </p>
<p>My resume up to this current year are as follows:</p>
<p>GPA (by the end of Sophomore year):
-Unweighted: 3.687
-Weighted: 3.833</p>
<p>AP:
-World History: 3</p>
<p>SAT II:
-Biology: 720</p>
<p>PSAT (the curve this year I felt was pretty hard):
-205 (M:72, V:64, W:69, Top 3%)</p>
<p>Extracurricular/After-School:
-Writer for school newspaper (9-10)
-Copy editing staff for school literary magazine (9-10)
-One of the two Production Heads for school literary magazine(11)
-Class Senator (9-11)</p>
<p>Music:
-Played as soloist with NY Symphony Orchestra</p>
<p>Sports Achievements:
-Nationally ranked in fencing
-Placed in Top 8 in two National Competitions
-Placed 19 in North American Cup</p>
<p>Again, as a Junior, I have a relatively short time left until college applications start and my academic status and overall achievements feel shaky. I plan to take the following SATIIs: Math 2 and Chemistry and I am also working hard on my SAT in general. So, how do my credentials match up? Worst comes to worst, what colleges DO suit me if not Yale?</p>
<p>basically all you need to do is up that GPA and ace your tests, and keep on doing what you love outside of school. Most importantly: never give up, esp if you have ivy league aspirations. Remember teacher/counselor recommendations and essays are very important in an app as well.</p>
<p>PS I did that bad on the PSAT (in JUNIOR YEAR) but then got a 35 and a 2210 on my ACT/SAT respectively, so never become discouraged.</p>
<p>The kid above who flamed you is just a ■■■■■, probably lacking a personality. He is the one with less of a chance (maybe). Where there’s a will, there’s a way.</p>
<p>I’m not ■■■■■■■■. The average score for applicants is 2300. You have very little APs, and the only one you took, you got a 3. I’m not going to say your ECs are bad; they are actually quite good, but they cannot make up for your lack of academic achievement.</p>
<p>I agree with gensis. Athletics will be your best (only?) bet to get in. Heyfellas is being a little bit too optimistic, not that it’s a bad thing to be.</p>
<p>You’ll probably hear this a lot, but scores aren’t everything. Plus, considering you’ve only taken one SAT subject test so far… I’m sure if you ended up getting, say, a 2300+ on the SAT and 750+ on your subject tests, people would be singing a different tune. Unfortunately, too many people’s eyes are drawn straight to test scores when chancing.</p>
<p>Also note that the OP is a current junior. Not a lot of people have a buttload of APs by then. Speaking of, what’s your class load like this year/next year?</p>
<p>If you work hard to up your GPA, do well on your standardized tests, and remain passionate about your ECs, I think you’ll have a shot. Write some stellar essays, too (definitely try to start in the summer). And make good relationships with your teachers/counselors.</p>
<p>All easier said than done, right? Haha. Just don’t give up. (: You’ll never know if you don’t give it a shot.</p>
<p>I really appreciate the comments guys, even some of the more critical ones, so thanks a lot.</p>
<p>In reply to Spazzy, my classes this year mainly consists of 3 APs: Chemistry, Comp/Lit, and American History as well as Regents Physics and Precalculus Honors. Next year I plan on taking AP Calculus AB and AP Psychology.</p>
<p>To add to the anecdotes, I got a 195 on my PSAT junior year. Of course a score like that wouldn’t make me very competitive here. I studied a lot though for the ACT and got a 35. </p>
<p>If you keep studying and don’t find the success you want on the SAT, perhaps the ACT is better for you. Plus, judging by your 72 math score, you could probably do well on a math subject test if needed. Anyone who says you don’t have a chance this early in the game is way too critical.</p>
<p>gensis and I aren’t saying that OP doesn’t have a chance. We’re saying that he/she needs to capitalize on his athletics by contacting the coach (if Yale recruits for fencing, that is).</p>
<p>After rereading your posts, it’s true, you didn’t say he had no chance. Gensis basically did though, so I guess I was directing my post more at him.</p>