Will International Baccalaureate full diploma boost my admissions chances?

<p>the valedictorian had a 99.74 avg, member of NHS, member of FNHS, 2300 SAT, 34 ACT lot of community service because of IB thats really all i know… If i go through the IB program and keep the 90.5 avg that i have will i be good enough for Notre Dame or University of Virginia?
G.P.A=90
SAT=2000(projected low)
ACT=30(projected low)
E.C’s
Challenger baseball volunteer(helped special needs children play baseball) 11th
small gas engines club secretary 9th grade
Auto club secretary 10th grade
DECA member 10th grade
DECA President 11th 12th grade(schools business club similar to FBLA)
French National Honor Society Member 10th grade,12th grade
French National Honor Society Grade Level Representative 11th grade
Freshman Football 9th grade
jv football 10th grade
Varsity football 11th, 12th grade
travel hockey 9th grade
house hockey 10th, 11th, 12th grade
Little league baseball 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade</p>

<p>Awards/honors
Olde English F Award 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade(must have 3 extracurriculars, 85 average minimum, 85% attendance in school)
DECA regional winner 10th, 11th grade
nominated for Notre Dame Alumni Club Junior of the year award</p>

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<p>Well, here’s another thing that your friends don’t know: Those schools are reaches for everyone. Even IB Diplomas (which BTW is not the same thing as “taking a few IBs”). Those schools regularly reject valedictorians and 2400 SATs. So yes, that is not at all surprising. </p>

<p>That doesn’t mean that IB won’t help with admissions at the vast majority of colleges. Because here’s another thing your friends may be unaware of: There are some really excellent schools that aren’t in the Ivy League.</p>

<p>“the valedictorian had a 99.74 avg, member of NHS, member of FNHS, 2300 SAT, 34 ACT lot of community service because of IB thats really all i know”</p>

<p>Yeap your valedictorian is highly qualified but his rejection doesn’t surprise me too much either. I think you just have to realize that no one is entitled an acceptance to top schools, even with stellar academic performance. Once again, I suggest you look at the admission postings of the schools you are talking about. It’s really a crap shoot for everyone.</p>

<p>anyway, keeping a 90~ average in the IB program looks very good for UVA and ND</p>

<p>what is unique but looks good on a college resume for an activity? Like starting a business maybe?</p>

<p>You’re thinking about it the wrong way. There’s just about zero chance you’ll think of something no one else has thought of. And even if you do, adcoms can smell the “I did it to look good on the application” activities a mile away.</p>

<p>The reason adcoms care about ECs is that they want to know you better. What do you love to do? What’s interesting to you? What are you good at? What problem do you see that needs solving? Who needs your help? Any of these questions can lead you to an EC which will ring true on an application.</p>

<p>A good EC is one that shows what you’re passionate about, how you’ve grown as a person, how you share your passion with others, how you’ve developed leadership within that EC. My D only had one major EC, but she’d had it for many years and taken it in many different directions. Her history in this activity told the colleges a great deal about her as a person.</p>

<p>good point i guess i am pretty set in my ec’s then because they are pretty focused?</p>