Chance a worried 2014?

Colleges & Universities Yale University
1

<p>I’m a 2014 RD (Female attending small private boarding school in CT)
I know my chances are low :frowning: …but i’m tough so be brutally honest!</p>

<p>Courses and Grades
9th: Geometry Honors (A), Ancient World History (A-), Biology (A), English I (A), Spanish III (A)
10th: Algebra 2 Honors (A-), African History (A-), Chemistry Honors (A), English 2 (A-), Spanish Language AP (A)
11th: AP US History (A-), AP Spanish Lit (A), Precalc Honors (A-), English 3 (A), AP Biology (A)
12th: AP English Lit (A), AP BC Calc (B+), Physics Honors (A), Geology (A), AP European History (A-)</p>

<p>EC:
Varsity Swim 9-12
Jv Lax 9-12
Jv field hockey 9-10
Classical piano since 1st grade
Orange Key prospective student tour guide 9-12
School newspaper writer 9-12
Co-Head of peer tutoring club 10-12
New Student Mentor 10-12
Volunteer for meals-on-wheels at local hospital</p>

<p>Took summer undergrad courses at Harvard in Psych (A+) and Econ (A)
Enrolled in immersion classes in Mexico city</p>

<p>Work as paid intern in law office on weekends
Summer before senior year, worked as lab assistant in endocrinology research in harvard med school lab</p>

<p>SATs:
Math 760 CR 770 Writing 770</p>

<p>Subject SATs:
Math 2: 790
Spanish: 790
Chem: 780
Math 1: 740
Bio: 750 (taken after frosh year)</p>

<p>APs:
Spanish Lang-5
US - 5
Bio - 5
Span lit - 4</p>

<p>My 2 teacher references are VERY strong…one of my teachers who I’ve had for the past 2 years said that I’m one of the best he’s seen in his 20 yrs teaching.
I also got a reference from my Harvard Med. School Lab advisor.</p>

<p>My grandfather went to Yale, not that it really matters.</p>

<p>Thank you for your time~
-Lissy</p>

2

<p>are you applying early action or regular?</p>

3

<p>I’m assuming regular, seeing as you posted this yesterday and you would already know if it was early. </p>

<p>I was accepted to Yale on Tuesday, so everything I say is comparative with my application. </p>

<p>Colleges look at five major departments: Grades, SATs, extra-circulars, teacher recommendations, and essays.</p>

<p>Grades: Stop focusing on grades so much. Yes, Yale is only going to take academically viable students, but you clearly are and there is no need to go through grades one by one. In that department, you are set.</p>

<p>SATs: Your SATs and SAT IIs are much stronger than mine. Don’t worry about those either.</p>

<p>Teacher recommendations: Here is where you first have to realize that the very selective colleges are looking for more than extremely competitive nerds. They’re a dime a dozen and many valedictorians get rejected for lacking personality. If your teachers say you’re great, great, but colleges know you are only going to pick teachers who will say this. It is important that the teachers really know you and understand what it is that you can bring to an academic and social environment that others can’t (no offense, but I’m not getting much form your resume that tells me who you are). And no one cares if your teacher said you are the best ever. No one likes a braggart. </p>

<p>Extra-circulars: Again, you are ahead of the curve, but as far as how interesting the stuff you are doing is, it looks to me like you were trying to build a college resume, not lead an interesting life. </p>

<p>Essay: You didn’t even mention your essay. The essay is a HUGE part of figuring out who you are. I hope you didn’t write about something boring, cause that will kill you. Don’t make it about how good you are, but who you are. I wrote my Common App essay on playing ping pong with my best friend. It was amusing and gave insight into how I think. Don’t write about community service unless it is very very important to you. If you can make an interesting essay about making Ramen noodles, do that rather than talk about the time you saved a small village from a volcano. </p>

<p>Also, you are legacy, which actually helps you immensely. </p>

<p>In summation, I would not be surprised if you got in. I would not be surprised if you did not. From what you listed in your summary of yourself, I would say no. If you distinguish yourself as interesting and different form the thousands of other students who are nuts for grades and summer programs, your odds will increase dramatically.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Sorry - I forgot to mention the essay. I wrote it about how my best friend and I became true best friends during a disastrous camping trip.</p>

<p>I’m RD - mentioned at the top, but with my overly wordy personal summary I can see how it would get lost in translation :D</p>

<p>Thank you so much heyknights - your insights are very helpful</p>

5

<p>Your response made you sound more like a real person. That sounds like a good essay topic. </p>

<p>You are definitely qualified to get in.</p>

<p>Good luck. And do you by chance go to Choate?</p>

6

<p>No, not Choate.
BTW congrats on getting in EA!</p>

7

<p>Thanks so much. I’m still in disbelief.</p>

8

<p>Lissy: Your stats are fine, and being a legacy is a plus. Nobody can say who’s getting in or not (admissions are strange, and you’ve heard it all before – adcoms craft incoming classes :P), and worrying isn’t going to change your stats and app, right? I’ve seen far stronger candidates than myself getting rejected. Pour your heart out into your essays if you haven’t submitted them already. Best of luck and enjoy your senior year :)</p>

9

<p>Thanks for your advice, slakedlime!</p>