Worried Rising Senior! Can I get into Emory, Vanderbilt, Duke, Wake Forest, GaTech, and/or UGA?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown):
ACT: 30
SAT II: Biology E (690), World History (700), Chemistry (650)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Currently 3.97
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 11 out of 698
AP (place score in parenthesis): Biology (2), World History (5), Chemistry (3), English Language (4), Macroeconomics (5), US Government (4), Calculus BC (not released), Physics 1 (not released), Psychology (not released), US History (not released)
IB (place score in parenthesis): Psychology SL (not released)
Senior Year Course Load: IB English Literature HL, IB Mathematics HL, IB Physics HL, IB Spanish HL, IB Environmental Systems & Societies SL, AP Statistics, (self studying AP Env Sci, AP Eng Lit, AP Art History)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP/IB Ambassador, AP Scholar w/ Distinction
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Orchestra, Senior Class Treasurer, Student Council Treasurer, Co-President of International Baccalaureate Club, Piano, Violin, Golf, Future Problem Solving, Student Leadership Team
Job/Work Experience:
Volunteer/Community service: Tutor for underprivileged students, recycling member of school
Summer Activities:

Other
State (if domestic applicant):GA
Country (if international applicant):
School Type:Public
Ethnicity:Asian
Gender:Male
Income Bracket:upper middle

Extra:

Taken National Spanish Exam all four years of high school
IB Diploma Candidate
One of the Top 8 finalists of Student Leadership Team Position for County
First Place Individual for FPS 2015
Various 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places or FPS previous years
6 Consecutive ratings of Superior in Piano Federation Compettion
2 consecutive ratings of Superior in Piano Guild Performance
Rated outstanding performer for both Bach Competition and Sonata/Sonatina Competition
2nd Place for Bach Competition in 2014 in the State of GA
Posse Scholar
Georgia Governor’s Honors Program Nominee 2014
National Honor Society Member
Senior Beta Club Member
National Spanish Honor Society Member
State of Georgia Merit Scholar
International Baccalaureate Middle Year Program Scholar
Superior Rating in Orchestra Performance for 3 consecutive years by the LGPE

Freshman Year
AP Biology
AP World History
Gifted Accelerated Geometry
Gifted Freshman Language Arts
Gifted Spanish 2
Symphonic Orchestra

Sophomore Year
AP Chemistry
AP English Language
AP Macroeconomics
AP US Government
Gifted Accelerated Precalculus
Honors Spanish 3
Philharmonic Orchestra

Junior Year
AP US History
IB English Literature HL 1
IB Math HL 2
IB Physics HL 1
IB Spanish HL 1
IB Psychology SL
IB Theory of Knowledge

Senior Year
AP Statistics
IB English Literature HL 2
IB Math HL 3
IB Physics HL 2
IB Spanish HL 2
IB Environmental Systems & Societies SL

Self Study
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics 1
AP Psychology
AP Environmental Science
AP English Literature
AP Art History

2

anybody please?

3

come on, some one please!

4

I am a parent, but my daughter is also a rising senior in an IB program. I have been researching all the colleges on your list except for the ones in Georgia. Like you, she has also been taking AP classes. Overall, you are doing great. Great UW GPA and ECs. Although your ACT is solid, it is a bit too low for Vanderbilt and Duke. I think the range is about 32+ for those schools. It is great that you have already taken some SATII tests, but these schools mostly like 700+ grades. I am not sure why you took biology and chemistry subject tests when your AP scores for those subjects were 2 and 3. Anyway, try to increase your ACT and you will have a better chance in getting to those schools.
One more thing, why are you self-studying so many APs? You have a lot of AP courses. At this point, you should focus on getting good grades in your IB courses.

Good luck to you.

5

Thank you so much for the feedback! I took the sat 2 for bio because of my unfortunate 2 on my ap bio exam freshman year. Just wondering, do the schools I’m looking at really look into/require sat 2? Also the other sat 2 were for college credit at Georgia colleges. For the self studying, since most of the ones I am self studying is either because I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity since they were similar to my IB classes or for college credit!

6

Duke and Vandy will be large reaches for an Asian male with your test scores. I think you are a legitimate match for everywhere else–with Emory being a marginal reach.

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@boolaHI So basically its my test scores that I need to improve?

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@lonetreegrad I replied earlier, but I didn’t @ you, sorry about that.

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@2016seniorga “Just wondering, do the schools I’m looking at really look into/require sat 2?”

Based on a list I have (not the most recent), Duke requires 2 subject tests if submitting only SAT, Emory, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, and GAtech do not require any. UGA recommends subject tests (so not required). Of course, you might want to check the schools individually. For schools that require all tests taken, I don’t think Score Choice rule applies for subject tests, so if you are not required to send them, I would not send anything less than 700 to any selective/top schools, especially if the rest of the application is great.

For AP courses. I have heard that you don’t need to submit AP scores unless you would want college credit. If you are already doing an IB diploma, you would be getting credit for those classes, so adding an AP for the same subject would not get you more credits. You have to look at each school separately, but some very selective schools will not give any credits for APs or IBs, but will use those for placements. Many of these schools do not accept anything less than 4 for APs and 5-6 for IBs.

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@lonetreegrad That’s good, since I am only submitting ACT scores. (Studying this summer to improve, so I’m definitley taking the ACT one more time!) For AP Scores many of these schools may require a 7 for IB Literature, but in my opinion, achieving a 5 on AP Lit may be easier for me! Also, since I’m am interested in doing pre-med, I haven’t been really banking on my science AP scores for credit (i.e. Bio and Chem) since I am definitely taking them again in college!

This might sound stupid, but does some of these college look down upon a B? Cause I have tried to maintain Straight As my whole entire academic career, but it was IB English Literature my junior year that hurt me, and my second semester IB Lit grade was a 89 (teacher wouldn’t round up).

Also, do you have any tips on improving ACT scores?

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@2016seniorga “do you have any tips on improving ACT scores?”

Just practice test questions and timing. DD got a 33 and then switched to SAT. She likes SAT more even though most people prefer ACT.

“This might sound stupid, but does some of these college look down upon a B?”

No, many people have a few B. I know a student who got into Harvard with a B, so don’t worry about it right now. By the way, he is an Asian male.

Try to increase your ACT score. Aim for 33+ and you would be much more competitive. These schools are mostly reaches. Also add some safety schools to your list.

12

In at UGA (apply early).

Then a stretch for Duke, Vanderbilt, Emory…it’s hard for everybody.

And a good chance at Ga Tech because of the in-state hook…but Tech is getting harder & harder to get into so don’t be too confident.

Wake Forest…hmmm…don’t know a lot about it…but i think your odds would be good.

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@SouthernHope any advice on how to make Duke, Vandy, and Emory less of a stretch?

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@lonetreegrad that’s good since all i’ve been doing is practice tests and questions and timing myself!

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If you can get your ACT up, you’ll have a shot at those schools. I think you can probably get into Wake and UGA, but Duke and Vandy are mid/high reaches just because of the test scores. Emory is also a low/mid reach. If any of those schools offer interviews (I think Duke does as well as Wake) I highly suggest participating in that as another way to show interest. I know many people who excelled in the interviews and got in to the school they aimed for, especially if you can show them how interested and unique you are.

16

Your GPA is stellar, but as everyone mentioned your ACT score could use some improvement. Beyond that, however, I think you are competitive for the top schools you mentioned (Duke, Vandy). My suggestion would be to look at other top schools across the country (if that isn’t a problem financially) because my logic behind the process is if you are qualified for them that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be admitted so the more you apply to the higher chance you will have of acceptance into a premier school. Another suggestion is getting an internship or job because you will gain both exp/money and it will bump up your application.
Duke – reach (as of now)
Vandy – reach (as of now)
Rest are target schools.

17

Wake Forest is test optional. They also offer a Presidential Scholarship for students who demonstrate a solid academic background with extraordinary achievement in dance, music art, theatre, and debate. There is an interview and audition, but I think Wake would be interested in talking with you.