36 on ACT but worried about college essay writing skills. Chance me?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

HI, I’m a new user on CollegeConfidential, and I’ve been curious about my chances of getting into the Ivies and other schools. I’m a senior in high school in Arizona.

Some academic stats about me:
ACT - 36 on English, 35 on Math, 35 on Reading, 36 on Science, 8 on Writing, 32 Combined English/Writing, 36 Composite (Only 17 36s in Arizona out of 33,000.)
PSAT: 215 (Hopefully above the National Merit cutoff for Arizona)
Current unweighted GPA: 3.842
Current weighted GPA: 4.562
I’ve taken 3 AP tests (two 4s and a 5) and I’m planning on taking 6 at the end of this year (hopefully to get the National AP Scholar Award).
Class Rank: 35 of 628.

Extracurriculars:
I’ve been a member of advanced choir four for years in high school, both in class and in after school ensemble.
Choir council board member for 2 years, and co-president this year.
Admitted into regional honor choirs twice.
Member of NHS for two years.
Extensive training in a clinical cardiologist’s office (my father’s).
Treasurer of my school’s AP Student Association.
Treasurer of my school’s Bowling Club (Varsity).
150+ hours of community service.

Additional (possibly superfluous) information:
I’m Caucasian and agnostic.
My high school offered the IB program but i didn’t pursue it (which is bad but it was so I could stay in choir).
I have old parents (65 and 76), and I am only 18.

Now, my top choice school is currently Yale and I plan on applying early action. I’m also interested in the B.S./M.D. programs offered by Brown. Wayne State, Case Western Reserve, and University of Miami. Other schools on my list include: Harvard, Dartmouth, Oberlin (legacy), Vassar, University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, Do I have any significant chance of getting into these schools/programs?

I’m also concerned about my essay composition skills for my Common App essay. I am not a good writer and am worried that this will severely hinder me in getting into higher institutions of education. Does anyone have any advice for me? I’m open to any suggestions, questions, and comments. Also, if anyone would be willing to edit my Common Application essay, I would greatly appreciate it.

(Also, if I am breaking any rules or site etiquette by posting this, let me know and I will remove it immediately).

2

“I’ve been curious about my chances of getting into the Ivies and other schools.”

Ivies and other “top” schools: Low chances unless you have hooks.

Do your best then pray!
Good luck

3

Receiving the National AP Scholar award won’t mean much because you won’t find out until after you receive your scores back in July.

4

You’ve picked some very tough schools to reach for. Our public HS usually sends someone to Harvard, Princeton, Stanford each year (usually someone ranked 1-4) but for some reason has no luck with Yale. Have you looked at your school’s Naviance? Also, given your parents’ ages, have you talked to them about paying for both college and medical school, and do they have some sort of trust arrangement for you if the worst happens and they should pass away before you’re done? Sorry to ask such a blunt question but it seems appropriate. Also as OOS at Berkeley you won’t get any FA to help with the OOS portion of the tuition.

There’s lots of info on premed applications on this forum if you search for it. My kid is not premed, but everything I read says your undergrad GPA is extremely important, more so than how prestigious an undergrad college you attend. So you may want to rethink your list to include schools that are closer matches where you can be more confident of achieving a high GPA.

Barrett and UofA Honors seem very reachable by you and you will almost certainly make national merit and get merit money from them.

5

I’m not as pessemistic as others about your chances at Yale and other top schools. At first glance though, your EC’s are not at the same level as some students appyling to BS/MD programs. The fact that your caucasion is relevant the fact that your agnostic is not although I’d leave that off a Notre Dame application. Your profile comes across as someone who is very, very bright but a bit introverted or at least not president of a bunch of ECs and blazing trails creating new organizations. I have two pieces of advice - there are two exceptional books on writing admissions esays and a bunch that are useless or even harmful. Read “On Writing the College Application Essay” by Harry Bauld and “Conquering the College Admissions Essay” by Alan Gelb. Second, consider hiring an admissons consultant but a good one to help you position yourself better. A company called College Transitions looks interesting and they are based in Phoenix. Top Tier Admissions is excellent but expensive. It might seem unfair, but your going to need a bit of a boost to get into Yale. If you would like I have written a book on seletive college admissions that is being edited right now. PM me and I can send you a copy if you like. My D was in the same boat as you last year, top test scores strong academics but the wrong demographic and EC’s not state or national level

6

Also doesn’t your high school have someone in guidance or a “college and career center” who advises on essay writing?