What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a high school junior right now, and I'm giving my IB exams in may 2012. I used to be an average student, but since this schoolyear I've started working really hard and I'm now top 10% of my class. I'm predicting a 40-42/45 for my IB exams. I also have cas hours (about 100 hours) community service, etc.
I looked at the common app. form today, and I realized, I don't have ANYTHING to fill in the extracurricular section. Where I live people do very less ECs and I'd never known that clubs and such even existed before I came to IB. I've only done a few activities for IB, but that's it. . My SAT scores should be fine. </p>

<p>My academics are good, so I want to give one of the top schools, possibly even an ivy league school a shot.</p>

<p>But the thing is, I've seen so many students with such impressive ECs. They've been doing it for years, they've been planning to get into their first choice university for years now, and it's too late for me to start anything.</p>

<p>With my scores only(and an IB diploma), and limited ECs, what are my chances of getting into an ivy league school?</p>

<p>Do you have any tips for me to make up for the activities? I still have a few breaks to do something.</p>

2

<p>Unfortunately, top American colleges are about what you’ve been doing for years. They will look at your grades and activities for the last 4 years. The ivies and their peers don’t care much about school clubs. They are looking for kids with true passions.</p>

<p>If you have had a job you’ve done well at or have read extensively. If you’ve done research. Anything really that shows your mind was engaged outside of the classroom and you accomplished something outside of the classroom.</p>

<p>But don’t count of ivies unless your are a truly top student in your country. There are many fine schools where the competition is not nearly so brutal.</p>

3

<p>What about Cornell? A lot of students with similar grades and activities are getting into Cornell, Northwestern, etc.</p>

4

<p>anyone?..</p>