Yale, Georgetown Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

SAT I (breakdown): 770 CR 620 M 800 W (2190) – likely not submitting
ACT (breakdown): 34 C (35 E, 36 R, 30 M, 34 S)
SAT II: 710 Bio E (retaking), 710 World History, taking U.S. and/or Lit in May.
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 10/450
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP World (5); taking APUSH, AP Language, and AP Bio this year–expecting 5’s
Senior Year Course Load: AP Literature, AP Psych, AP Spanish, AP Gov/Pol, AP Macroeconomics, AP Stat, Philosophy/Genocide, Creative Writing

Subjective
Extracurriculars for Senior Year: School Newspaper (Editor-In-Chief–I worked relentlessly over the last year to improve the paper, which I will elaborate on in my essays), Literary Magazine (Editor-in-Chief), National Art Honor Society (President), Foreign Policy Club (President), National English Honor Society (President), Member of Library’s Executive Board, Peer Advisor/Mentor for a state-wide organization dedicating to raising awareness for women’s issues

Volunteer/Community service: 200 hours (Nursing home), 300 hours (library)

Summer Activities: 10th grade–Unpaid internship at a Congressional campaign office, photography classes, volunteer work

Work: Unpaid internship at a Holocaust/Tolerance Museum, self-started portrait photography business

Programs: Notre Dame Leadership Seminar (Global Issues), Empire Girls State delegate, Champlain College Young Writers Conference, various photography programs

Awards: Teen Ink Editor’s Choice Award (published in their online and print magazines), Student of the Month, National Spanish Exam (Honorable Mention), won several local poetry/photography competitions, likely National AP Scholar-- waiting to hear back from AFSA and The Atlantic/College Board essay contests

Miscellaneous: I published a children’s book (written by myself, illustrations by one of my peers) that raises awareness about celiac disease (which I have) through an American Revolution analogy. It was completely funded through Kickstarter. I’m selling it through nonprofits and at local grocery/health stores, donating the proceeds to Columbia’s Celiac Disease Center. I’ve gone to several fairs and spoken to celiac disease groups to promote and sell my book.

Other
Intended Major: International Relations
State: NY
School Type: Public suburban
Ethnicity: White
Gender: F
Income Bracket: 150k
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): no sir

Where I’m applying: Yale SCEA; RD Georgetown, Penn, Brown, UCLA, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Northeastern and several SUNYs.

I know chance threads are crapshoots, but if anyone could offer insight on the college admissions process, my resume, and (of course) whether I have a shot at these selective schools, I would sincerely appreciate it.

2

You have as good a chance as anybody else, but for those schools that chance is slim (just like anybody else).

3

You are very much in line with Gtown, and less so for Yale, and I’m calling it a fair reach. Bigger thing to establish for yourself, and moreover convey to the admission’s folks, is why Yale? Most kids apply from the perspective of what the university can do for them, at a place like Yale, they want to know what you what you add to the community? To be clear, they are not talking about grades and scores (everyone has them as a basic assumption), rather they want to know how much you understand about the place, and how you would both fit in and add to the texture and composition of the university.Good luck–

4

You are a strong candidate for both. Obviously it’s easier to get into Georgetown than Yale, but you area a reasonable applicant to both.

That said (ALL Ivies are a reach for EVERYONE):

Yale - Reach
Georgetown - low reach
Penn - Reach
Brown - Reach
UCLA - match
Berkeley - low reach
Johns Hopkins - low reach
Tufts - high match
Northeastern - match
SUNYs - safety and match

5

Wow. I am speechless by how nice you seem. Regardless of university education, that quality will lead to your ultimate success in life. You have excellent ECs, especially for the type of field you intend to go into. With your grades, you will be competitive at all of the schools listed. Georgetown, I feel, will be the most difficult to get into, but you still have a good shot. Good luck!

If you can, chance me back: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1767790-how-can-i-improve-my-chances-for-columbia.html#latest

6

Thanks everyone for your insight! I forgot to mention this on my original post–but through the women’s rights organization I work with, I facilitate/lead workshops for middle-school girls on issues such as self-esteem, peer pressure, academic stress, etc.–definitely something I will highlight on my application.

@boolaHI, is there anything I can do to strengthen my application within the next several months? Or is it more imperative to focus on the essays, as you mentioned? I’ve visited Yale twice and have spoken to several alumni over the last year–one of whom I have a strong personal relationship with, and offered to vouch to me when it’s time to submit applications.

7

I would say that your extracurriculars really stand out- the children’s book along with everything else that you have done are fantastic! However, there seems to be so many things (like how you are president of so many clubs) that I think the admissions officers might wonder about their depth. That being said, I think you have above average chances at Georgetown and Yale.
Chance me back?

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1768919-ivies-nescacs-georgetown-will-chance-back.html#latest

8

@thinkingtoohard Thanks for the feedback! I actually just found out one of the clubs is being disbanded due to budget reasons–aside from that, however, I was thinking of turning down one position because it was mores symbolic than of substance

9

Ivy leagues: reaches
UCLA/UCB: low reach. UCs reject high GPA students every year so saying they are matches would be too hopeful
Johns Hopkins: low reach
Tufts: match
Northeastern : match

10

just wanted to emphasize that I’m applying to Yale SCEA–is it still as much of a reach as it would be if I applied RD?

11

Doesnt matter.

12

bump

13

bump. I have a few questions regarding georgetown if anyone could answer :slight_smile:

14

bump

15

Both schools are very hard to get into, but it seems that you have the right stats :slight_smile: good luck!
chance me? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1773961-upenn-ed-2016.html

16

I go to Georgetown SFS, what is your q? And you have better stats than I did with the exception of SATs, so I think it’s safe to say you have a really good shot.

17

I think you have a compelling story and I loved hearing about the book you wrote and are selling to raise awareness for Celiac Disease. Please make sure to incorporate this into your essays because I think it’ll really set you apart from other applicants and give you a different dynamic. You’re a solid applicant and I think you have quite a good shot at many of these schools. They are unpredictable, however, so take this with a grain of salt. I think you could very well get into Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Berkeley, and UCLA. However, UC’s will be full pay for your family since you are applying out of state (around $50,000 a year) so make sure you’d be able to afford that for a UC. The others including Yale, UPenn, and Brown could really go any way. Maybe try raising your ACT a bit more to increase your chances, maybe to a 33 or 34 which won’t be that much of a jump from your current 31. For international relations, I’d also look into Columbia, maybe Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy.

I just finished my admissions season and would be glad to offer any advice or answer any questions you might have! :slight_smile: Full Disclosure: From your list I was rejected from Yale and UPenn, Accepted at Georgetown and Berkeley, and wait listed at Brown and Columbia. At the end of the day though, I committed to Princeton.

18

@energia Does religion have a strong presence on campus? I attended an info session last fall and didn’t get that impression, but have also heard otherwise. thanks!

19

@Homeless2Princeton I definitely want to elaborate on my book/CD awareness in my app. My guidance counselor suggested sending in the manuscript as a supplement (it’s not very long), but it seems like certain schools–Yale specifically–discourage that. Could you speak to this at all?

Also I did get a 34 on the ACT, although my math score (30) is significantly lower than the other sections so I’m retaking in June.

Thanks for your insight, and congratulations on Princeton!! :slight_smile:

20

Georgetown is: a university, Jesuit, Catholic. In that order.

There is no evangelism, if that’s what you’re asking. If you go to Georgetown, religion will occasionally be talked about (usually by faculty or as it pertains to the “Problem of God” course), seeing the crucifixes adorning Healy Hall and some classrooms will be unavoidable, and that’s a good thing. It has to juggle a growing role in a secular world and preserving its heritage, and that is beautiful to me. Aside from those encounters with religion that you should expect in such a place, it can be as small a factor in your life as you want it to be. For most students at Georgetown, it’s a non-issue, and if that’s what you want, you will feel at home.

In any case, I don’t think you should actively avoid religion. Engaging with it on an academic and cultural level is an important part of being a healthy and informed adult.