Why Even Try to be Perfect?

<p>Ok, I'm a little sick of everyone trying to be as perfect as possible (myself included). So, I decided to list all my main worries about my application. At first I thought it would make me feel worse, but after doing it i actually feel better...Im not perfect but so what. </p>

<p>I have a 4.17 (on a 4.5 unweighted scale)
I have a 33 on the ACT(people keep telling me that its too average of a score for Yale)
I got a 670 the first time I took Math Level 2 (again, ive been told its too low)
My only AP scores are a 3 & 4
I havent take EVERY AP/Honors class
I don't have any rare talents that make me stand out
Though very involved, I've never been a President of anything (i like my VP positions)
My US History teacher may very well check average in multiple boxes on my teacher rec.</p>

<p>Looking at this list, these things really don't seem that horrible...</p>

<p>Have you demonstrated something unique? Do you have a personal passion? Is there anything your willing to argue (whoops, I mean discuss at length) about?</p>

<p>Let the admissions officers know you're a person, it'll help (not as much as being top notch and perfect) your application.</p>

<p>Do you play an instrument? Speak a foreign language? Have you commandeered American ships? And subsequently demanded the financing of your private wars?
(Looool. Sorry, your sn and all.)</p>

<p>Anywhoo.
I'm sure Yale understands that not everyone went to a Philips academy. But there are lots of people that went to crap schools that <em>do</em> perform at that level.</p>

<p>If you want to stand out, you'll have to stand out strong.</p>

<p>Yeah I'm sort of worried both my teacher recs checked average for certain things. It seems like everyone on CCs is like MY RECS ARE AMAZING! MY TEACHERS CONSIDER ME THE BEST STUDENT OF THEIR CAREERS!</p>

<p>Ugh, I know what you mean...I joined CC just to get some of my questions answered, but reading the "chance me" threads on the Ivy Boards has been very intimidating...scary, even! At times I even doubt the truthfulness of some of these supposedly perfect applicants.</p>

<p>People sometimes forget that you do not need perfect scores, etc. to get into good schools...especially when you're on CC! College admissions officers are humans, too; they aren't robots. When I visited Williams, the admissions rep. said that the best college essay she ever read was about a student who threw up in the car while driving his new girlfriend to a restaurant on their first date. She didn't say anything about his stats, but I like to think that the adcoms prefer "human" applicants to polished 2400-scorers.</p>

<p>Haha sounds like it's time to strut all our flaws and insecurities. I likes it. </p>

<p>Here are a few of mine:
Lots of B's in one subject...English.
Low Math 2C Score
My teachers might put "average" on a few of the boxes, too.
I don't have any kind of legacy, or special research, or whatever
My essay was 650 words long...150 more than they suggested.
My interview was only so-so. </p>

<p>Good to get that off my chest. This is like a chance thread, except opposite! Please come see all my bad qualities! lol</p>

<p>Honestly, my 620 M is really the only thing I don't like about my app.</p>

<p>I found a typo in my activities elaboration short answer. Aww hell, it's a bad short answer to begin with. I'll have to rewrite that.</p>

<p>I don't explain some of my more obscure activities.</p>

<p>Both of my essays go over by about 150-200 words (but still fit the 2-page req!)</p>

<p>I retook the SATs twice.</p>

<p>I missed National Merit by 1 point on the PSAT</p>

<p>There, there, that feels better now, doesn't it?</p>

<p>Haven't taken the SATS yet, but my hopes are kinda diminishing in terms of getting 2100+Yes I know I can take it 2 more times, but still. Its sort of disappointing to see all your hard work go to waste, but compared to other CCers my preparation seems like a joke. People here have been preparing for SATs since grade 8. I started last month. lol. </p>

<p>Damn it I'm proud of my potentially lower score. Just gives me room.. for improvement(riiight?) I just hope I can maintain my motivation =/.</p>

<p>I love how all the people on this forum would be considered geniuses in the real world, but once they all come together its like a battle of who is the most insecure :p.</p>

<p>BTW, great thread. It's our imperfections that make us human. Just remember, they laugh at us because we're different, we laugh at them because they are all the same!</p>

<p>I took the SAT thrice to get my score!</p>

<p>600 SAT World History (oops)
don't know if this is a TOTAL weakness, or if it only applies to CC, but i'm top 7.5% versus being number 1 or 2 out of my class like so many CC applicants...
found a typo in my additional activities resume sheet
sent in a music recording but it was a bit rushed so one of the pieces wasn't that great; you can hear mistakes -_-
quite a few B's each in English and history (not my strong subjects, even though they were honors/AP)
i didn't take EVERY AP class available (e.g. ap english, stuck with honors)
the only sport i'm involved in isn't mainstream so even if i were good enough i wouldn't have gotten recruited
didn't even know about USAMO or Intel or Siemens until i got on CC
no legacy, no summer programs, no research, didn't found any clubs
interview was short and didn't get to talk about myself that much, asked questions instead</p>

<p>wow that's a lot.</p>

<p>^^ love the username. Made me chuckle.</p>

<p>Like blvdofbrokenteeth (love the name) I have quite a few B's in history, and english from soph year. And math too, which is my stronger subjects -- the class was just super hard. GPA is my main concern.</p>

<p>My art portfolio might be subpar compared to other applicants.</p>

<p>My teachers could just check off average too. Hopefully they'll have mercy and check above average.</p>

<p>"didn't even know about USAMO or Intel or Siemens until i got on CC"-still partially true
"no legacy, no summer programs, no research, didn't found any clubs"</p>

<p>-i loved these two so much i decided to repeat them (although i did start a club two weeks after I sent in my app....o well)</p>

<p>never played a varsity sport either since making JV was hard enough (since 1/2 get cut)</p>

<p>Well, I'm not particularly outstanding compared to other people, but I've done pretty well for myself on a local level, and I'm proud of my accomplishments in these past four years.</p>

<p>I had particularly good recommendations. I can read my essays now and not cringe. My scores aren't all past the 750 mark, but I think I'm okay with that. A 34 on the ACT kind of helps. And no, I don't think it's too low.</p>

<p>My only worry is that my "Why Yale" answer is incomprehensible because I attempted to fit in everything into the character limit by writing in terms of mathematical equations.</p>

<p>I took the SAT 3 times, and only wound up with a 2270 (but at least I'm balanced in everything: 750, 760, 760).</p>

<p>I'm also worried about my recs. I know they'll all put excellent stuff about my academics, but idk if they know me quite well enough to judge my character in every aspect, per se.</p>

<p>I've placed nationally in speech and debate, but otherwise I have no major, awesome ECs</p>

<p>I got a 30 on the ACT
that's the one thing i hate</p>

<p>*I'm Asian.
*
</p>

<p>That's all I've got to say. ; )
(I'm not saying there aren't other things I would want to improve, but this one just sucks the most..)</p>

<p>haha, well you really shouldn't be ashamed of your heritage or nationality just so have a "so-called" easier chance of getting into college, but oh well</p>

<p>i got 580 on CR
teacher recs - mostly average and good
SAT IIs - 600 ish</p>

<p>happy? :)</p>

<p>Well, no - I'm proud. One of my essays actually talked about that. NEVERTHELESS...it's hard to deny that it's much of a boost : )</p>