Chance me for Harvard EA, Cornell, Columbia, Vanderbilt RD?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Test Scores:
-SAT: 1500 (760/740, essay 6/5/7 yikes) (single sitting)
-SAT II Literature: 730
-SAT II World History: 760
-AP 5’s: Lang, APUSH, German
-AP 4’s: WHAP, Chem
-In progress AP’s: Calc AB, Bio, Gov, Lit, Psych, Micro, Macro

Academics:
-GPA: 3.95 UW/4.23 W
-12 completed AP courses on graduation
-School does not rank students
-Highly ranked public high school in large Southern state

EC’s:
-4 yrs in marching band with 3 yrs in student leadership
-2 yrs (since inception) on school debate team. Played role in development of program.
-1 yr in NHS
-3 yrs in local youth honor orchestra with 2 yrs as a Principal Member
-3 yrs in school volunteer organization
-4 yrs in school pit orchestra
-4 yrs in school jazz band

Awards/Recognition:
-2019 Class of 2020 English Department Award (sole recipient)
-2018/19 School-level band program award (sole recipient)
-AP Scholar with Distinction
-Distinguished Speaker in local debate league
-2016 state-level award nomination for best pit orchestra (in contention for same recognition this year)

Notes:
-White, QuestBridge-eligible male
-Legacy at Cornell, probably
-Yearly EC commitments, as listed on the Common App, total 861+ hours
-Selected to special program for about a dozen students with recognized analytical writing talent in Junior year designed to allow highly qualified students to diverge from curriculum to pursue what they consider to be the best way to develop their writing
-Rec letters should be very strong

Thanks in advance!

2

What does ‘Questbridge’ eligible mean? Did you submit a QB app?

3

Honestly, if that’s your complete profile, I don’t see any hook. Plus your Weighted GPA may even disadvantage you. Don’t apply to Harvard EA. Maybe Cornell.

4

My household’s adjusted gross income is on the lower end of the scale. A QuestBridge application was not submitted. What I meant to convey is that I’m in a position where the amount of aid I’ll likely receive gives me a lot of freedom to decide where I study.

5

You have strong academic achievements, and would have recommended you apply to QB.

Meets-full-need schools tend to be highly competitive and there are no guarantees that you will be accepted to one. It is most likely that you will not be accepted to any of the schools you asked about.

Do you have a balanced college list?

Do you have safety school that is affordable?

6

I do. The schools I’ve listed here are my reaches.

7

Most Harvard EA spots go to legacy, athletic recruits, development (aka buy your way in) and diversity. The EA spots that go to otherwise unconnected white kids (probably ~ 100) are typically outstanding students with top tier academic credentials and often significant national level accomplishments.

An unconnected white male applicant should probably have stats at or above the 75th percentile to have any shot at at all in the EA round.

8

Your Cornell legacy can only be leveraged in ED.