the ivy leagues i applied to were harvard and yale. 750 math sat, 660 english. even worse subject tests. great GPA, decent extracurriculars, and decent essays
do i even have the slightest bit of a chance?
We don’t know enough about you but probably not. Why do you want Harvard (or Yale)? Have you applied to other schools that you would be happy at, that are less crazy selective?
A 660 is below the 25th percentile of accepted applicants, so without a major hook, I doubt that HY are in your future. But there are plenty of excellent colleges where you could get in.
How far can you throw a ball? How fast can you run or swim? Do you have exceptional hand/eye coordination? And are you able to demonstrate these abilities to a coach?
Because at the 1410 SAT level those attributes will determine if you have a chance to get in. Read the data released as part of the recent Harvard Asian discrimination lawsuit if you have any questions about how this works.
IMO, take a deep breath. You joined cc a day ago and have been posting all night ( though it does depend on what time zone you are in…). Relax. If your apps are done, go focus on something else for a while. Though looking at your other threads, your list is pretty top heavy. Hopefully you have some matches/safeties in the mix. Without some hook, a 1410 and many ECs only started in senior year is not going to cut it for the big gun schools.
If you don’t have a hook, the odds are very much against you getting into Harvard or Yale even if you have a perfect SAT score. If you extrapolate from there, where do you think a 1410 will leave you?
One of your other threads is titled “most of my ECs are crammed into my senior year will this be a red flag?” You also state that you slacked off until junior year. When combined with a lower quartile test score your application “may” suggest a narrative of someone who lacks the academic abilities and consistency required to thrive at HY and or a lack of authenticity and consistency in your ECs (that school’s like Gtown focus on per your other thread).
There is no escaping the reality that a lack of effort, an appearance of checking the box for ECs, and lower quartile test scores will have a major impact. In isolation they can be overcome by other factors but collectively probably not.
But you know this I am sure.
I am not looking to kick you while down, but you are parsing information among several threads in the hope of getting reassurances. I would prepare for the worst and hopefully some of your lower targets on other threads come through.
For kids without hooks the process at super elite schools is pretty efficient. You have to be strong across the board. The totality of what you have posted across CC suggests that you know you are deficient in several areas. Please learn from the experience and know that no matter what the outcome and where you wind up attending you remain in control of your own destiny.
Lastly given your profile you may wind up wait listed at several schools. Don’t take your foot off of the pedal!!
Once again good luck.
I’m from the UK and never have/ never will take SAT/ACT (I personally think they’re ridiculous tests that measure little other than how well you have acquainted yourself with the test format/ style of questions); I’m only applying to UChicago (in the US) as a result.
I am definitely far from an expert on this, however, from talking to College Advisors and even Ex Admissions officers from Princeton & Yale, SATs truly are one aspect of your application. Elite colleges could easily fill themselves up with straight 1550+ SAT scorers, but they don’t because only some of the 1550+ SAT scorers are suitable candidates.
The reason for the higher acceptance rates for higher SAT scorers is not, contrary to common belief, because colleges prefer you if you score a 1540 than a 1470, but because the 1540 scorer is more likely to be a good student in general.
Of course, a higher SAT & taking subject tests (& doing well in them) is beneficial if it helps add evidence to the fact that you’re an academically adept student who’ll thrive.
However, admissions officers can just as well overlook bad SAT scores if they see, from other elements of your application, that you’ll thrive - it’s just more difficult.
The only thing you need is for your application to not be thrown out in preliminary scan of your application. If you can get past that stage and your grades, essays, recs etc really do convey that you have the potential to become a future Nobel Prize winner etc, then your SATs can definitely be overlooked. And a 1410 should, in my opinion, be sufficient for your application to not be discarded in preliminary assessment of your application - they’ll probably trash the tons and tons of 3.0 GPA & 1200 SAT scores that come in every year.
The question is then, are you able to convey that you have the potential to become a John Bates Clarke medalist or Nobel Prize winner or Secretary General?
If you have time, I’d recommend retaking and in any case consider test-optional schools such as Chicago too.
Good luck!
Unfortunately, without serious commitment & accomplishment in other areas, a 1410 SAT score will be discarded in the first round at Harvard & Yale.