<p>~African American
~Took rigorous courseloads, but my school doesn’t offer many AP courses
~One of 2-3 blacks to take honors/AP courses
~Unweighted: 85.94 (Got Bs in honors/AP courses and As in electives)
~Weighted: 93.5
~SAT I: Old SAT of 1200 (580 CR, 620 M)
~New Sat of 1870 (600 CR, 610 W, 660 M)
~SAT II: 610 History, 600 Biology and 710 Math IIC
~Involved in community service (150+ hours), shadowing a doctor in the hospital, research in university department, baseball (JV) for 2 years, and three academic clubs (chemistry, physics and math)
~Planning to major in biology
~If it helps: suburban (good school but limited number of AP courses and very few minority students taking rigorous courses), my grandparents got poor education (immigrants) but my parents got high education as well as highly respected career in medicine, permanent resident (not an American citizen), my father is one of very well-known doctors internationally-he has been on many TV interviews, my parents make $80,000-100,000 a year</p>
<p>I have a friend that had a similar background to you. He is a black kid from a surburb and his mom makes a similar salary. This guy is an Eagle scout, he has gotten good scores on APs (he got a 5 on Govt in 10th), and he has won numerous national competitions in music composition and entreprenuership. His SAT scores are about 200 points higher than yours. He was rejected by HYP but was accepted by Cornell, Dartmouth, UMich, Johns Hopkins, Howard, and few other top schools. He got screwed on financial aid by all of the private schools (18K) but UMich gave him virtually a full scholarship so he is going there. </p>
<p>The fact that your parents are both professionals is, i’m sorry to say, a disadvantage. It will hurt your ability to get many minority scholarships from organizations. HYP will probably expect better test scores since both of your parents are highly educated. </p>
<p>But then again your parents are not U.S. citizens so this will make you stand out in the crowd. They are probably from West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana) no? A lot of the black students from the Pton april hosting had West African roots and they had an accent. So I think that helps. but remember you WILL most likely get screwed with the financial aid like my friend. Damn this is a negative assessment but that is my opinion.</p>
<p>Your low test scores and okay grades all but eliminate you from the pool. Seeing as you arent from a poorer family, they arent going to cut you a whole lot of slack. </p>
<p>Your school wont rank you in relation to other black students, only in relation to all students at your school. </p>
<p>I know many many black students in similar socio-economic situations who have higher scores and better grades and were rejected. Unless you have something absolutely fantastic to offer, like you are a published author or something, I wouldnt get your hopes up.</p>
<p>Assuming that black students have low, identical SAT scores, does Princeton prefer rich or poor students? How will my social status help me in college admission? Will it give me a boost?</p>
<p>No. If anything, they would prefer you if you were poorer.</p>
<p>Okay, but I read somewhere that selective colleges have more rich blacks than poor students. PLUS, “Black children from the wealthiest families have mean SAT scores lower than white/asian children from families below the poverty line…Black children of parents with graduate degrees have lower SAT scores than white/asian children of parents with a high-school diploma or less.”</p>
<p>If two equally qualified african american students applied and they had to pick one, they would pick the one whose family was poorer.</p>
<p>There are more wealthy african americans in selective schools because more wealthy people, white or black, are inclined to apply to selective schools.</p>
<p>Even if you say that the average SAT score of a black student is 200 points lower than that of a white student at a selective school (and at HYP the difference is considerably less than that), that would mean that the average SAT score of black students at Princeton would be 1300, which is 100 points higher than your score. I suspect that the average score of a black student at princeton is around 1380-1400.</p>
<p>In addition, a vast majority of Princeton (and H,Y, M, and S students) are at the very top of their class, black or white.</p>
<p>I hate to say this because I have similar stats and background with you Wow, but I do agree with other posters. It may be harsh, but it is true. You shouldn’t rely on your race because of AA program and your status to help you with your admission chance. Instead, you should rely on your abilities and academic performance. Just do what you can do, and I strongly suggest you to raise your SAT. Try to apply to P, and maybe you can get in or you won’t. Who knows? No one can tell you whether or not you will get in. It is up to you and admission officers.</p>
<p>Okay, assuming that I have new SAT score of 1950-2100, will I get in Princeton?</p>
<p>Take a deep breath and relax. You didn’t read my comment carefully- we cannot tell you because we don’t really know what is happening in the admission office. We told some students that they would get accepted, but they got rejected or waitlisted, and the students who were told that they had no chance got in. All I can say for now is that just raise your SAT, do everything you possibly can, and then apply. I also want to say that you DO have a chance- everyone has a chance, but it may be low or high-THAT everyone here or I don’t know. It is crapshoot-it is like a lottery.</p>
<p>if you pull up each of your scores to the low 700 range, you’ll be competitive.</p>
<p>I was accepted and I’m an African American Male with Math and Verbal SAT scores each in the low 700 range (low 1400 overall), but I had an A average in a lot of AP and Honors classes (Top 3% of my class). Since you have an unweighted B average you should get your SATs up (1350+ on the old test, so a 2020/2030+) and apply ED. Good luck.</p>
<p>yeah, applying ED can’t be stressed enough.</p>
<p>what is your class rank? alot people say you shouldnt rely on your race but truth of the matter is it does play a role and you can’t help but wonder how much of a role it will play in your admissions decison…i myself share a similiar background 2 u as my parents are w/ african imigrants (nigeria), both are doctors (income > 240/yr) had higher SAT/SAT2s/GPA many prominent ECs/leadership and i was spurnned by HYP…5 yrs ago being the son of an immigrant was a distingisuhing factor but recently there has been commotion, paticularly at H about the prominence of blk immigrants/biracial kids and the lack of “home grown” blks at in higher education…so don’t try to play up this fact to much on ur app…also try to get your SATs up to 700 each if possible and its a little late but try to assume more leadership positions…there are no guarantees but more often than not (not in my case :p) but a 1400+ SAT 700x3 top 5% blk class president, newspaper editor, 4 yr varsity swim team (etc.) will have a GREAT shot at HYP…but what do we know this is all speculation lol</p>
<p>20-30%, not sure</p>
<p>yeah, there’s no need to play up your race. checking the box is enough.</p>
<p>so am i okay?</p>
<p>WOW!!! Nobody is really disagreeing with me… i expected to be condemned. I have always felt that the SAT is really a reflection of the environment you were raised in and it seems like you should have higher scores…I meant to say this earlier.</p>
<p>Also, like the others said, class rank is very important . Almost all of my ivy league interviews were always very impressed with my rank (2 out of 467). My interviewer for Pton as a matter of fact said “Your rank shows that even though your high school(Crenshaw High in Los Angeles) has a bad reputation, you are pushing the limits to achieve and you are doing all you can do.” My school only has 12 AP’s, and only four of those AP’s are taught well. I took 4 AP’s junior year and 2 senior year. Many of the AP classes conflict with each other so I chose to supplement my 2 AP’s with college courses. Over the pass year I took Psychology 1, Speech 101, and Sociology 28. We don’t have AP Psych or AP Comp PoliSci so you just have to supplement your high school schedule with college courses. </p>
<p>You can’t go to any of the top schools and just say that your school doesn’t have many AP’s. They will say “What college courses are you taking?” You better have something to say when they ask… ESPECIALLY if you don’t have a part time job!!! You better be taking some courses at a community college… Its free anyway (except for the books)</p>
<p>If u are really dying to go to Pton, apply ED… that way your chances increase and you won’t be competing with most of the applicants (isn’t that how it goes?).</p>
<p>wow_98 - you have received some excellent suggestions, valid comments and overall great advice. If I were you, I’d take this info and do what you can. Try to raise your SAT, find a teacher who knows you and can highlight your achievments and personality in a recommendation, take some time to understand what you’re passionate about so you can write a strong essay then cross your fingers and hope for the best. For all the chances threads, the general formula is: If you want to know if you stand a chance, then the answer is yes, you stand a chance. If you want to know if you’ll get in then the answer is we honestly don’t know. Wishing you the best and all, but it’s time to stop asking and start DOING. Good luck pal :)</p>
<p>I am an African American female accepted ED with a similar socio-economic background and school environment as yours. My intended major is also Molecular Biology.</p>
<p>The African American pool of applicants to HYP is very competitive and you would have a better chance if you had As in the Honors/AP courses and a few more 700+ scores. You also have to show that you took full advantage of your high school offerings.</p>
<p>Try to raise your scores and apply ED. Good luck!</p>