Chance Junior for Yale?

Bestillandknow0
Sun, 20 May 2012 12:59:34 +0000

Hey, I feel like my stats are fairly solid, so I’m just curious. I’m currently approaching the end of my Junior year.

My first choice is Yale, planning to apply SCEA. It is far and away my first choice. However, Other schools include :
Princeton
Tufts
Bowdoin
Colby
Amherst
Williams
Brown
Stanford
Dartmouth
Bates
UVA
Duke
GW

Working on safties, but that’s the list as of now.

Background info:
Gender: Male
Ethnicity White
Income: Not sure, no need based aid though
Location: PA, USA
School: Small competitive private
Hooks: Legacy to Yale (Mom does alumni interviews) Dad went to Wharton grad, Interactions with squash coach.

Objective:
SAT I: 2160 first try, 2330 (800 CR, 750 M, 780 W) second try
SAT II: 750 Chem soph year, took Lit in May (awaiting results) and deciding between Bio/US History/Math II for June
ACT: N/A
Unweighted GPA: 3.9
Weighted GPA: 4.65
Rank: School does not rank, but Cum Laude Junior year (top 10 in class). If I had to guess I’d say probably 3 or 4 in class

School DOES NOT OFFER AP or IB courses, but I have taken most rigorous (all honors when available) course load including 3 honors frosh year which is technically not possible, but due to transfer from another school I was able.

Projected Senior course load:
Honors English
Honors Econ (micro/macro)
Honors Stats (took Calc Junior year)
Honors Physics
Honors Latin V (Poetry/Prose)
Astronomy (not honors, but honors not offered and astronomy is a passion of mine. It’s also taught by my favorite teacher)

Awards thus far:
Freshman year:
Physics Award
Hattersley award (awarded to varsity team with highest combined GPA)

Sophomore year:
Nothing of note

Junior year:
Cum Laude society induction
More to come

General:
Varsity Letters in Cross Country and Track all 4 years, Squash Junior/Senior years (10 total)
Captain of all 3 Senior year, Leadership on XC junior year due to lack of seniors

“Iron man” award projected, for 3 sports all 4 years of high school.

Subjective:
Leader of “Musicopia” organization (on student board, one of two reps from my school) all years, President of board next year. Music charity organization which donates musical instruments/lessons to underprivileged kids in the area.

Piano 13 years. Played numerous benefit concerts/fundraising events for charities.

Trumpet 9 years. Play in my local youth orchestra (selective, audition based), the PYAO, both Junior and Senior years.

School Jazz band all 4 years, captain next year.

3 sport athlete

Auditioned for select vocal ensemble, results pending

Attended a camp for 8 years, counselor this year. Very important/passionate thing for me and it is something I love doing, not something for college credit in any way.

Recommendations will come from a Junior English teacher/squash coach who is the nicest person on the face of the planet/loves me, and my freshman physics teacher, who also teaches my current senior elective electronics class and who will also teach my astronomy class next year. A great teacher, mentor and friend.

Counselor rec will be solid. Counseling office is very professional and knows me personally, my counselor is very friendly/admiring of me.

I have also talked to the squash coach, who said although not a recruit, he would put in a soft letter with admissions. Another hook I guess.

Essays will focus on either:
A Balanced lifestyle and keeping different interests in balance based on my ecclectic interests
Mixture of Arts and Science (my two passions) and how great scientists required amazing creativity as well to succeed in their fields.

Long winded, but I wanted to be comprehensive.

Thoughts?