Columbia University, Duke University, Yale University!!

ivyseeker90 · 03-21-2008, 08:35 PM

Selected Colleges: Columbia University, Cornell, Duke University, Yale University,
University of Chicago, Northwestern
Standardized Tests: SAT I: CR: 650 Math: 720 Writing: 720
Total: 2090

Academic Strength: Unweighted GPA: 3.97 out of 4.0 11/643
Weighted GPA: 5.05 out of 5.05
Class Rank: 1 out of 643 students.
Extracurricular Activities:
Student Council-
Student/teacher basketball chairman. Mr Cougar chairman. both raise money for charities. (I'm running for President this year)

S.A.E. (volunteer club) -Heart Walk and Diabetes Walk, bought Thanksgiving dinner supplies for needy families, Teacher Appreciation breakfast, Special Olympics

Illinois Shotokon Karate - member for six years 2 hours a week purple belt

Math Team- one hour a week

Badminton - junior varsity

Foreign Language Honor Society

National Honor Society

Volunteer
Alexian Brothers Medical Center: greeter - help lost visitors around the hospital, deliver flowers to patients etc
Spring Valley Nature Center- Conservationist and Special Events Coordinator
Awards and Recognitions: My schools weighted gpa system is kind of weird, but since i have straight as in the toughest possible courseload im assuming the maximum gpa is close to my 5.03 My SATs are my goals
Class Speaker at eight grade graduation - i know it doesn't count but it shows my passion for writing
A Honor Roll all three years
Foreign Language Honors
Honors: English I and II, Chemistry, Bio, Algebra II, Gifted
A.P.: Human Geography (5), Trig/Calc, Physics, History, Calc BC, Chemistry, Lang and Comp, Spanish, English,

Other Information: Under-represented Minority? no
Location: Illinois
For my gifted project, I self-published a fantasy novel, 300 pages, and it was displayed at the gifted expo for our school district by the end of the school year. journalists, administrators and the general public are invited to see our creations. If anyone knows where i can really publish it, please tell!

im a junior and thinking of applying ed to columbia. chances?

I want to be a heart surgeon, so I would major in the medical field.. does this make my book less significant?

Also, right now I'm applying for a cancer research program at Northwestern/uChicago that pays me $2000 to research.

ivyseeker90 · 03-21-2008, 09:05 PM

Any responses?

applesandoranges · 03-21-2008, 09:15 PM

SATs are a little low for the ivies. EC's are pretty good, but not stand-out. I'd say Yale is a very big stretch (it is for nearly everyone, really), but you have as good a shot as most at the other schools.

ivyseeker90 · 03-21-2008, 10:04 PM

Thanks for replying!

p_hp_fan · 03-21-2008, 10:24 PM

Scores: bad
ECs: not good
Grades/Rank: great

To dramatically alter you chances you need to:
1. Turn into a "good" minority
2. Get higher test scores

In order of difficulty to get into:
Yale - big reach (probably close to impossible with those scores w/o a hook)
Columbia - big reach
Duke - reach
Cornell - reach
UChicago - reach
Northwestern - slight reach/possible slight match (you're pretty close to in here)

Sam Lee · 03-21-2008, 10:38 PM

SAT M, V, and ACT mid-50% ranges according to collegeboard.com

Chicago 670-770, 660-760, 28-33
Columbia 660-760, 670-780, 28-33
Cornell 630-770, 660-730, 28-32
Duke 660-750, 680-790, 29-34
Northwestern 670-750, 680-770, 30-34
Yale 700-800, 700-790, 30-34

padfoot · 03-22-2008, 02:56 AM

A 300 page novel from a potential pre-med student?? Holy crap how did you manage that? Quite a feat.

you'llsee... · 03-22-2008, 09:54 AM

retake SAT's

Mondo · 03-22-2008, 04:11 PM

It could make a big difference depending on if you are ranked #1 with many people or are you currently the sole valedictorian of your school?

tintin220 · 03-22-2008, 05:57 PM

You have a most peculiar weighted GPA scale. ^_^
That aside, try to get better scores, for Yale especially. Rank 1 is very nice to have, but that effect is blunted by your scores, which imply that your school in general is weak. A couple other ECs + awards couldn't hurt either.
Bring that score up and I think you have a shot. Remember, these schools are a reach for everybody. The best any of us can do is to stay competitive.

ivyseeker90 · 03-22-2008, 09:00 PM

thanks for all the feedback... what do you guys think of my ec's in general? weak or strong?

Particle_Man · 03-22-2008, 10:48 PM

Anybody who says your ECs are weak skipped the 300-page novel part. If you really wrote a decent book, I'd expect you to get in everywhere, except possibly Yale.

rob22 · 03-23-2008, 12:29 AM

If you can boost up your scores, you would have a very good shot at getting into at least a few of those schools (you never really know with some of them, like Yale). Your EC/GPA/Class Rank all are great ... a book? Wow, if you got that published that would be interesting. Bumping up your SAT I or even taking the ACT and seeing if you're better at that wouldn't be a bad idea. Also taking some SAT II's and scoring well wouldn't hurt either. Good luck, you have a very strong application.

ivyseeker90 · 03-24-2008, 12:53 AM

Well, is the book all that impressive considering it's SELF-published? I don't know, some people have told me that anyone can self-publish a book online, and that doesn't mean it's any good. Also, I want to be a doctor, so I feel I should have done a different theme for my gifted project (build a heart model over write a book).

ivyseeker90 · 03-30-2008, 10:35 PM

Bummmmmpppp.