I'm an applicant from India, and have applied to Harvard(EA-Deferred), Columbia, Dartmouth, Yale, Princeton, Brown and UPenn, amongst the Universities.
I've also applied to the following LAC's: Williams, Bates, Colgate, Grinnell, Swarthmore, Reed and Carleton.
I want to major in Physics, and my scores and extra-curriculars are as follows:
SAT 1: 2150, CR=710(national percentile=96),Math=710(national percentile=94), Writing=730(national percentile=97);
Math Level 2:800(national percentile=88);
Physics and Chemistry: 770(national percentile=82 and 83 respectively);
My school transcripts placed me at the top 1% of my class for my 9th and 10th years. However, ranks have slid down badly over the past year.
My Co-Curriculars include:
30 odd wins at city, regional and national level at quizzing events, for one of these quizzes I received an award from the ex-President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
Several leadership posts at school.
Have won a few national level essay/creative writing competitions, and a handful of national/city level debates and/or Model United Nations conferences.
Over the past 2 months I have received decent ranks in 3 Olympiads, which are held in India, and 7 other countries in Asia(though I think South African students do take part too).
(I came State Rank- 3rd, International Rank-81st in the Science Olympiad,
I came State Rank- 12th, International Rank-323rd in the Math Olympiad,
I came State Rank- 24th, International Rank-420th in the Cyber Olympiad)
I have helped at a home for the elderly, and have helped to educate underprivileged children from city slums.
Played for my school soccer team.
Have certification in Piano and Music Theory till Grade 5 from the Royal School of Music London.
....etc.
I think my essay/essay type answers were quite strong and do me justice.
I was deferred by Harvard, but that notwithstanding, Yale is one of my absolute favourite schools and I didn't do my early app there because of the binding ED. So could anyone please chance me? Keeping in mind I need full/near full financial aid.
Yale is one of my absolute favourite schools and I didn't do my early app there because of the binding ED.
You must be confused as Yale's SCEA is "non binding". Read below:
If you would like an admissions decision by mid-December, you may apply under Yale’s Single-Choice Early Action program.The program is like other non-binding plans in that candidates who are admitted early need not respond to the offer of admission until May 1, and may apply to other schools for Regular Decision. Being admitted to Yale early would, for example, still allow you to compare offers of financial aid in the spring.
Yale’s Early Action plan is unlike many other programs in that if you apply for Single-Choice Early Action at Yale, you may not simultaneously apply for Early Action or Early Decision to any other school. If you apply early to Yale, you will be asked to sign the Single-Choice Early Action Agreement on the Yale Supplement stating that the only Early Action/Early Decision application you intend to file is Yale’s.
The time I applied to Yale was complete chaos, what with out terminal exams on then. Either way, I think the Regular Decision pool still leaves me with a fighting chance?
Well, the RD acceptance rate was 5.65% last year( second to only Columbia's 5.64%) and for international's I'm sure it's even less. Do you have a chance? Of course, but nothing stands out from your stats it would not surprise me if you were waitlisted or rejected. It all depends on what Yale is looking for to shape their class for this year. Good luck.
Stats are meh. EC's are meh. 2150 is the lower end of the range at Yale, so you need to have saved the world to qualify. Class rank needs to be 1, or you essentially have no chance. If you were top 1% in India, you should have gotten straight 800s for the SAT IIs.
Overall, I place you at about 1% chance.
i kind of gave my sat 2 in an absolute rush with minimal prep. In fact i was a walk in candidate, just so that i could have some scores to go with for ea. Never got a chance to give it again! Same goes for sat 1. But i.ve seen people with much lesser scores cracking duke and cornell, so doesn't harm to be hopeful? But thanks for the frank opinions there.
But i.ve seen people with much lesser scores cracking duke and cornell, so doesn't harm to be hopeful?
You can't really compare Cornell to Yale as it has the highest acceptance rate of all the Ivies at almost 18%. Yale's overall rate was 7.35%. Duke would be a closer comparison but still over 12%.
I realize admissions are not all about numbers but unless you know what the college is looking for for a particular year the best you can do to estimate your chances is look at the acceptance rate. See link below:
Columbia is close to Harvard and all the other Ivies with the exception of Penn are below 10% so I would say Penn would be your best chance of the Ivies you applied to. I believe the acceptance rates of all the LAC's you mention except Reed are also posted in the link above so you can compare those as well.
Like I know my stats are in no way stellar compared to Yale's usual pool of applicants, but its always good to dream big hmmm? 
