I am an asian girl with anxiety. I am an immigrant that moved to the U.S. when I was 10 months old and taught myself English. I lived in California for most of my life until moving to Alabama when I was 11 (so big changes). I also have been through deep financial difficulties and had to move around a lot, which exacerbated my anxiety.
Here are my stats:
ACT: 35
SAT: will be taken in august, predicted 1540
will most likely be national honor semifinalist/finalist
most likely an AP scholar w/ distinction
in the IB program with unweighted GPA of 4.0 and weighted of over 4.23
FBLA SLC 2nd Place Winner for Community Service Project 2017
Northern Alabama Affiliate Winner of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing, 2016
National Honor Society
Spanish Honor Society
ACS Technology Committee
Mu Alpha Theta
Multi-Cultural Club Vice-President
Ambassadors
County Youth Advisory Board Vice President
Volunteer 100+
Student Council Vice President
Key Club Junior Rep
Spanish Club Social Guide
Future Business Leaders of America Treasurer
attending Governor’s School (summer program) this summer
also acting as the volunteer coordinator at an assisted home living center for the elderly
helping to create a cultural center at a nearby community
created a World’s Fair the past two years at the school
applying to some state schools but chance me for
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford !!!, USC, Georgetown, Emory, Brown !!!, and UPenn
not sure what I want to study yet. maybe polisci/international relations, some social science or law
Hey! Based on what you have so far, you have an impressive amount of EC’s and grades. However, against the other applicants for the schools you’ve listed, you’ll look the same among them. By default, Stanford and Harvard are a reach. The other Ivies are a fair chance because they’re highly selective. You definitely have a higher chance with Emory, but I wouldn’t guarantee it.
Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket and try some other schools. Since you’re in Alabama, I’ll recommend going for UAlabama at Tuscaloosa and Troy University. There, you’ll experience the big-fish small-pond effect so that if you don’t get into the schools you want, enroll at the state school and then transfer over.
If you are expecting 1540 in SAT but with an ACT score of 35 already, you should skip the SAT and focus on the college applications. SAT 1540 is equivalent of ACT 34.
I worry your EC’s display diversity but not depth. I would try to do something that sets you apart so you don’t appear as a high state, generic candidate. Make sure you stand apart from the crowd because 9/10 applicants to these schools are qualified but less than 1/10 gets elusive acceptance.
Honestly your stats seem fine enough to have a good shot at an Ivy League university or equivalent. What you should focus on is your application, how to craft your EC’s, rec letters and essays in a way that demonstrates your academic interests and possible contributions you would make on campus.
These types of schools are also very unpredictable. I agree with @JMS357 that you should look at schools perhaps closer by and less expensive. If you’re planning on studying across the country it could definitely incur high costs. It would also be an easier way to stand out among your peers should you decide to transfer later.
What @studentathlete18 is saying is that many admissions committees take specialization into account. If your EC’s show little potential or focus for a major that you are applying for, it might lower your chances. You’ll probably want to use them in a way that makes it seem like you have already gathered a lot of experience in your chosen field.
Your stats are great and they definitely make you competitive for the Ivies. But your ECs seem all over the place. I suggest this summer narrowing down your EC list, maybe adding one or two more in the area that you’re interested in, and than building a cohesive narrative that shows your interests in your college application
Each of those schools is a high reach for everyone. You need match and safety schools that you like, not just your in state “it’ll do.” You know well enough that someone with your stats could end up with no acceptances, or one to their state school that they threw in because they thought it would do as a safety. Apply to a few schools that you like and can afford in the 30% acceptance range, and show interest. There are many great schools that are not just the top 20.
I would like to point out that ofcourse I have my state and safety schools in mind. These schools are just my reach schools that I was wondering about but thank you
It maybe how you listed them but your ECs are a little all over the place - you have technology, student govt, FBLA, honor societies, spanish/cultures, and volunteer activities. For poly sci, having technology and business is not common, so the colleges will wonder if you did it just for the application. Usually you’ll see speech and debate, maybe working with a local politician’s office, school paper or other writing work. You need to tie these together to explain why someone would do all these or just pick a few and talk about the depth. You’re in a little better shape than most because you’re from Alabama, figure Stanford will get similar applicants to you from California. Tighten up your ECs to show depth, also, did your parents go to college, that a big hook, especially for Stanford?
Don’t be sad about it, I thought I knew what I wanted and ended up switching careers after a few years out of college. Colleges don’t expect applicants to know what they want to do when they’re 18, that’s why undeclared is the most common major! Focus on the ECs and community service where you had the most impact, the officer roles where you were elected (colleges prefer elected to appointed) and work on how to express those in your app.