<p>I'm trying to focus on everything to get into Yale. I might do stuff I seriously
hate to get in, like run cross country. I want to hit the basics, but still excel.</p>
<p>I'm a soph.</p>
<p>ECs:
Athletics
Community Service (Check)
Theater
Student Government (Check)
Academics (Check)
Extras (Check)
Leadership <a href="Check">Program where 1% of ~3200 kid school are selected to go to conferences and lead things around school</a></p>
<p>Academics:
A Average
~Top 5% of ~820 person class.
All Honors Classes
No Study Halls
Following through with language; German III (current)</p>
<p>Extra Stuff:
Raise money for certain things, like Katrina and tsunami victims.
Volunteer</p>
<p>Your writing conveys a message that you think there is a "checklist" for admission to Yale. Not only does this reflect a poor understanding of admissions to Yale, but your checklist is incorrect. Yale knows that student government is bull**** unless your SG is recognized as exemplary. Colleges now put less and less faith in community service because it is cliched; an article in Forbe's recently articulated this in more words. How meaningless or prestigious is this leadership program of which you write? Is itsadmission process extremely open or difficult? Cross country will not help your chances unless you do no athletics otherwise. Yes, academics are important, and it seems you are coming along fine in that department. </p>
<p>What you need to focus on is excelling, on a state or preferably national level, at a thing you love. If you like math, do the AMC and score (extremely) highly. If you like science, participate in the Intel or Siemens Talent Search and conduct your own research. If you like the humanities, there are diverse programs to suit your interests. Multitudes of theatre camps and programs exist; Mock Trial and Debate competitions are outstanding for people of that bent; TASP and essay contests are excellent for those who are citizens of the world, hold opinions, and articulate them well in the written word.</p>
<p>That's what you need to "focus on:" achievement of excellence.</p>
<p>Like market state said: Do you have a main passion or interest? Follow through on that. Don't feel like there's "checklist" of things you have to do to get into an elite university. Seriously, there's no formula for getting into college. Just do what you want...if you really hate x-country, don't do it. What's the point of making yourself miserable for four sports seasons of your life? I promise you, Yale won't reject you just because you quit one sport!</p>
<p>Thanks... I don't know.. it's just that Yale expects perfection from all its students and I want to get in so badly. So yeah, I shouldn't make a checklist, but I just don't know what I need to do. I see people with ~2200 SATs, 32+ ACTs, 4 year varsity sports, and like three/four ECs, and everyone says they have a low chance. I don't know who to believe. My mom (a college admissions counselor) says that I should go to like Ohio State Honors Program for undergrad and try for Yale Law, since I want to be a lawyer. It's just hard... everyone tells me different things and my friends make fun of me for wanting Yale, they say I won't get in. I like the stuff you write, and I take the advice, but it's hard when everyone else says I need everything. I bombed frosh year, does Yale look at frosh grades?</p>
<p>keep cool, do what you're doing and as market said focus on what you like and excel in it. good luck, I know where you're coming from, I want to be a lawyer too (yale #1 choice, hopeful)</p>
<p>If you, yisroel and baurja, want to be lawyers, organize a mock trial program or team at your school. For me, it has been exciting, fun, and didactic. Mock Trial has been my favorite activity at school.</p>
<p>Baurja: how did you "bomb Freshman year" and achieve an "A average?" Those strike me as mutually exclusive. Also: the reason why all the people with "~2200 SATs, 32+ ACTs, 4 year varsity sports, and like three/four ECs" have a low chance is because YALE HAS THOUSANDS OF APPLICANTS THAT MEET THESE QUALIFICATIONS! Undoubtedly they will be successful in college and in life, but Yale "sculpts" its class of those with a demonstrated interest and achievement. Yale doesn't expect perfection (it rejects countless valedictorians and 2400 SAT scorers); it expects excellence.</p>
<p>Again--what I have posted previously--find something you love and do well. That's all I can say.</p>
<p>how represented is virginia, I know lots of kids normally apply to UVA, Duke, or USC from here, but not sure about Yale or any Ivy for that matter</p>