Chances for Admission to Ivies/Other Top Schools (Stanford, Duke, etc..)

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Overview: I go to a large public high school in northern Indiana, with about 900 students in my grade. It’s generally known as the best school in the area. Every year, usually at least a few students go to Ivies/other top schools. I am going to be a rising senior.

Next year, I will continue to take all AP classes, by the way.

Academics: I have straight As. I am ranked 3/825 on the transcript, and have a weighted GPA of 4.442 right now.

Test Scores: SAT (old): 2290 - 800 Writing, 770 Math, 720 Reading ----- ACT: 35 (34 in Math and Sci, 36 in Writing and Eng.)
SAT Subject Tests - haven’t gotten those back, took US History and Chemistry. Felt stronger on History. What scores would I need on these?
AP Tests:

  • Calc AB (5) - US History (5) - Eng. Lang (5) - Human Geography (5) - US Government and Politics (5)
  • Music Theory (4) - Art History (4) - Chemistry (4)
  • Physics 1-C (3)

ECs: I am extremely involved with classical piano. I have played for over 10 years and work with a professor at University of Notre Dame currently. I win competitions every year, have performed as a featured soloist with orchestras, and have performed in venues all across the country. I have played piano solo in Carnegie Hall as a winner in an international piano competition, and have also performed in Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. In addition, I have worked with several highly regarded teachers in masterclasses and in clinics.
This is by far my strongest EC, and will be the topic basis at least for some of my essays.

Other ECs –
Tennis (Varsity Senior year)
National Honor Society - Public Relations Officer
Fine Arts Academic Superbowl - Captain
TEAMS Engineering Competition - State Champion, National Qualifier
Advanced Orchestra (principal pianist)
Quiz Bowl - varsity

Volunteer Work:
I volunteer at a center for the mentally/physically disabled, and also organize activities for the center.
I play piano consistently at a local retirement home, and started up a Happy Hour program there.
I also play piano at my local hospital.

Summer Programs: (if these make a difference?)
Colburn Piano Festival
Duke Energy Academy (Purdue U.) - full scholarship program focusing on the research & development of renewable energy
US Naval Academy Summer Leadership Seminar
Interlochen Arts Academy Piano Academy
Indiana University Piano Academy

Internship: I did an internship at my mayor’s office.

Let me know if there’s any other information I should have included. Thanks for any thoughts!!!

2

You’ve certainly got the stats and the ECs to make you competitive for all of the top schools, but so do thousands of applicants and these are all high reach schools, so you will need some matches and safeties.

Are you interested in a conservatory in addition to a BA? What are your plans with respect to music? What is your intended major? What can your family afford or are you seeking FA?

3

Wow, you have a great profile. I can give you an estimate on your chances for Duke. However a few more questions:

  1. What is your intended major?
  2. Trinity or Pratt?
  3. Will you apply ED or RD?
  4. What is your ethnic background (are you ORM)?
4

I would not go to only a conservatory; I would only do a conservatory program if it was a joint program (i.e. Harvard-NEC…but that is probably one of the most competitive programs in the world…). I am interested in biochem or nuclear chemistry at this point, although I honestly also enjoy history and writing.

I am really considering double-majoring in piano and then something else.
We would seek FA, and according to online calculators would get a lot of money from most Ivies.

5
  2. probably Trinity.
  3. I was thinking ED - isn’t the acceptance rate much higher for Duke ED?
  4. White, middle class male.
6

I think you have a great shot. There has been an effort over the last 5 years to attract more students to Duke who are interested in the arts.

ED will increase your chances by 2-3 fold.