Am I Yale material?

Colleges & Universities Yale University
1

<p>I’ve been lurking around here since my freshman year, but now that I’m finishing up my Junior year, I’ve finally mustered up enough courage to post my stats. </p>

<p>Frankly, I’d like an honest opinion of whether or not I’d have a shot at getting into Yale.</p>

<p>Background:</p>

<p>Daughter of immigrants from Poland/Ukraine (albeit very well educated immigrants- both of my parents are physicians; still- no legacies in the US). Still spend quite a lot of time in Europe and have EU citizenship. Speak 5 languages (potential hook?)- Polish, Ukrainian, and English with native fluency and pronunciation, Italian and Russian with good fluency, etc., but not native. </p>

<p>I plan on majoring in political science and either sociology or philosophy in college.</p>

<p>Live in NJ, attend a tiny Catholic all-girls school. Though they don’t rank us, from what I’ve managed to gather, I’m probably in the top 10%, possibly salutatorian (or even valedictorian, if next year goes well.)</p>

<p>GPA: 4.2-something weighted (should be around a 4.3 after my last trimester)</p>

<p>Have taken all the honors/AP available. I skipped Italian II Honors after a very intensive summer course in Italy.
This year I took the only 2 APs offered to non-seniors:
AP U.S. History and AP Lang. & Comp. (I’m hoping for 5s, or at least 4s)</p>

<p>Next year I’m taking:
AP Lit. & Comp.
AP Psych
AP Physics
AP Italian
AP Euro
Calc Honors (maybe AP Calc, but math isn’t my thing, really)</p>

<p>I’m also doing a guided study on Dante’s Divine Comedy, culminating in a 30-page thesis.</p>

<p>PSAT: 219 (National Merit Commended/Semi-finalist may be in the works)
SAT I: 2200 (800 v, 760 w, 640 m) (hoping to raise the math in the fall)
SAT IIs
US History: 800
Lit: 760</p>

<p>Clubs/Activities/Etc. (as of Junior Year)</p>

<p>Academic Team, 2 years (Varsity Captain)
Forensics, 3 years (Extemporaneous Speaking- 2nd place at regionals this year, going to Nationals this month)
Italian Club, 3 years
Italian Honor Society, 2 years (Treasurer, President next year)
Photography Club, 2 years
Echoes (Literary Magazine), 1 year (Editor)
Philosophy Society (Founding Member), 1 year
United Cultures Club, 2 years (Eastern European Captain)
National Honor Society, recently admitted</p>

<p>Senior Citizen Computer Outreach, 1 year (1-2 hrs/week)
Various school fundraisers, most notably organizing a library drive
Tutoring in Italian, help in organizing Italian lessons for lower levels
This summer, I’ll be teaching children English in Poland (about 100 hrs. total)</p>

<p>1st Place in Physics at Science Fair
1st Place in 2nd level Italian competition (annual ITANJ event)
Various High Honors, Italian awards, etc. on school level (“Distinguished Scholar,” etc.)
3rd Place at World Cultures Day tournament at Montclair State U.
Semi-finalist in NJ Scholar Program
Will be published in 2nd edition of “Blue Jean Buddha,” an anthology of essays by young Buddhists/religious seekers)</p>

<p>Summers
Freshman: 1 month in intensive immersion course in Italy, otherwise in Poland with family
Sophomore: 1 month in intensive immersion course in Italy, otherwise in Poland with family
Junior: 2 months teaching English to Polish kids, 1 month touring Eastern Europe/Bulgaria</p>

<p>Hmm… I also read philosophy, political commentary, and economic theory avidly, and can make funky Ukrainian gerdany (beaded jewelry) and recite A. C. Swinburne, Nietzsche, and Marcus Aurelius on demand. I’m also quite the Italian cook and am active in my local Libertarian Party (plan on being more active in the fall). Should make for interesting interview material…</p>

<p>Ah, yes and I’ve played the Ukrainian flute (sopilka) for the past 8 or so years, performing regularly when I was a tad younger. </p>

<p>Occasionally, I go to <a href=“http://www.jewishgen.org/[/url]”>http://www.jewishgen.org/&lt;/a&gt; and translate documents from Ukrainian or Polish to English for American Jews researching their Eastern European roots. This tends to be done around 2am, mostly on impulse, but I find it very satisfying, even though I’m not Jewish.</p>

<p>Well, if I remember anything else, I’ll post it. Any and all questions are welcome, as is any and all advice. Otherwise, I’d be interested to see if you’d consider Yale a good match for me. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You don’t sound like you’d be out of place.</p>

<p>On a side, non-pertinent (or would that be impertinent?) note, one of my best female friends at Yale is Polish.</p>

3

<p>“Tez mam rodzice z Polski.” Yeah, your credentials are rather impressive.</p>

4

<p>You sound like the type of applicant Yale would admit. Just make sure you put together the best application possible and highlight a few other major strenghts in addition to languages. I also speak Russian and used language and culture as part of my hook. PM me if you want any advice or have questions.</p>

5

<p>I think Yale requires three SAT subject tests… everything else looks awesome.</p>

6

<p>really impressive. if u have good essays/recomendations/interview than u COULD be yale material.</p>

7

<p>Yeah, I have at least another SAT II to go. I’m registered for 2 for June 4. Probably World History, and perhaps Math IC or IIC. Not looking forward to the math. Anyway, thanks for all your comments so far.</p>

8

<p>I guess I will see you in 2006! Hehe…I don’t see why you wouldn’t get in. You have impressive, unique credentials, and as long as you ‘spin’ your application to reflect your uniqueness, you shouldn’t have any trouble. ;)</p>

9

<p>Have you taken an SAT prep course at one of the big places (won’t mention names here)? If you haven’t, that would probably ensure your math score is even higher than studying on your own.</p>

10

<p>Just get a study guide and brush up for a few weeks. You really shouldn’t waste the money on the prep course.</p>

11

<p>Sorry Vivaldi, I have to disagree. I never took one of those courses, but I now tell people to take them because it’s much more structured and effective for most people than studying on your own. </p>

<p>The fault lies with the unreasonable emphasis placed on the SAT by universities like Yale. A decision can be changed by a difference of50 points–think of 660 versus 710 or 710 versus 760. These courses generally lead to an increase of at least 50 points each on the verbal and math. Which shouldn’t even matter since 50 points is almost meaningless. So let’s lobby the universities to stop empowering SAT prep companies!</p>

12

<p>As long as we’re on the topic, would anyone mind telling me how this looks? Yale is my first choice school…</p>

<p>SAT (new)
Reading 760
Math 750
Writing 690 (hope to improve next fall)</p>

<p>SAT II
Writing 800
Math IC 670
taking US History, Literature, and Math IIC next week</p>

<p>5 on AP Euro exam; took both AP English exams and AP US exam this year; will take AP Calc BC, AP Art History, AP Comparative Government, AP English Literature, Honors Spanish Literature next year</p>

<p>my school doesnt do GPA… I have approximately a 90 average for the year (classes are not weighted) and won the Williams Book Award</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-I was treasurer this year and will be President of Community Service and worked for a term at an elementary school’s afterschool care program, as well as Vice-President of another community service/leadership group on campus, have been involved in social services programs in the Hartford area
-Drama- have worked as an actor and a “techie,” member of drama club, had lead in school play as a junior
-Writing- have had an Op-Ed published in a major newspaper (Hartford Courant), was my school’s nominee for the National Council of Teachers of English competition, Associate Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, internship with school marketing department (writing copy for school publications), and have received other writing prizes
-I also had the #1 score in my grade on the American Math Competition 12 exam and #1 in my school for the American Invitational Math Exam (that score was a 1 out of 15… so let’s not discuss it then)
-I am participating in Junior Statesmen at Georgetown this summer… not sure if that helps</p>

<p>I’m worried that I don’t have any way to “spin” my accomplishments… and that they pale in comparison to others’. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!</p>

13

<p>

You can improve just as much by studying on your own. In college, you won’t have a tutor to bring your C up to a B - you need to work out the structure yourself. Get used to it now, and do it for ~$15.</p>

14

<p>Really impressive resumes!!! I thought most colleges including Yale were not requiring the new SAT writing section for this year’s juniors…</p>

15

<p>I guess this is the Yale thread…any advice would be greatly appreciated. Do I need to spend time and money improving my standardized test scores?</p>

<p>I’m an Iranian female and bilingual in Farsi and English. I probably won’t be applying for financial aid as my parents make too much.</p>

<p>4.0 GPA (unweighted–my school doesn’t weight GPA)
Rank–1/436
2250 SAT (690 math, 760 writing, 800 critical reading)
Taking the SAT II’s in a week
33 ACT (should I submit this instead of the SAT?)
APUSH sophomore year (4 on exam)
AP am gov, ap calc ab, ap physics b junior year
next year aps–euro, spanish, english</p>

<p>ACTIVITIES/AWARDS</p>

<p>Student of Today Award–Masonic Lodge (11)
I’ll probably get national merit semifinalist at least, PSAT 223</p>

<p>Journalism
–Editor-in-Chief of school paper (11, 12)
–intern in entertainment section of town paper (11)
–dow jones summer institute for minorities in journalism (18 students selected for program from two states) (11)
–selected for the oklahoman’s newsroom 101
–Scholastic Writing Award in Journalism (11)
–1st Place Journalism Category of Rose State College Writing Contest (11)
–Semifinalist–Hemingway High School Journalists Award (11)</p>

<p>Debate/Speech
–National Qualifier in Domestic Extemp Speaking (11)
–State Qualifier in LD debate and DEX
–Numerous Local awards
–NFL member of superior distinction (11)</p>

<p>Community Service
–As part of a committee, planned a 3-hour conference to bring teen issues to politicians’ minds (approximately 25 hours)
–Communications Chair of School Speech Tournament (45 hours per year)</p>

<p>Leadership
–NHS Vice President (11)
–Young Democrats Secretary (11)
–National Forensic League Secretary (11) and President (12) </p>

<p>non-tangibles
excellent recommendations from my counselors and teachers
excellent essays</p>

<p>OTHER (maybe the most important):</p>

<p>I was accepted to the Telluride Association Summer Program for this summer. They accept about 9% of applicants each year, and it’s sometimes seen as the humanities version of RSI. It’s for six weeks, completely free, and one of the most prestigious summer programs in the country. Honestly, if I hadn’t gotten into TASP I don’t think I would’ve had a chance of getting into Yale or whatnot, but now, I think I have an okay shot. It’s just those damned test scores…they’re good, but they’re average for Yale, I think. Considering my resume, should I raise my scores?</p>

<p>My main interest is obviously journalism, which I plan to pursue as a career. I need to know if I should retake the SAT I. My low score was in Math, but since I don’t want to go into mathematics/science, should I retake it?</p>

<p>Anyway, thanks for the help.</p>

16

<p>Don’t stress out too much about SAT scores. My roommate this year didn’t clear 1400 (we didn’t have this fancy-schmancy writing thing back in the day…). Get them as high as you can, but make your application stand out. I think the rule of thumb is to take the SAT again only if you think that you can improve your score by a significant margin. If you’re looking at a 20 point improvement, it may not be worth your while. Also, if you take math Ic or IIc and score well, then the adcom should know that you can crunch numbers!</p>

<p>I’m not sure if prep courses for these standardized tests are necessary unless you really require the structure provided by the course. If you can sit yourself down and do a lot of practice tests and study the concepts that you’re not getting correct, you should be fine. I’m personally about to start a Kaplan course for the MCAT because I know that I need the structure to tackle so much material. However, I didn’t find such a regimented format necessary for the SAT or the SAT IIs when I was in high school. Just my 2 cents :).</p>

17

<p>junetorbati - i think you will stand out to the committee, you definately have the right idea in organizing your accomplishments by interest/activity and you show a clear interest in a few major things. You SAT scores are fine - as long as you don’t plan on stressing an interest in math/science which you’ve obviously not done.</p>

18

<p>yes you are yale material. Hundreds of thousands of students like yourself are, the only problem is, yale just has room for a tiny fraction of them</p>

19

<p>I don’t think there are 100,000 students nationwide with credentials as impressive as these.</p>

20

<p>For an idea of what you are up against, trot on over to the ‘pr stats’ website and read the stats of those rejected and waitlisted for the past two years. Half of the 20,000 apps will look similar or better.</p>