Chances for any Ivy

Chance Me / Match Me
1

About to become a senior and extremely nervous… I have a few safety schools lined up but my dream is Princeton or Berkley (Vanderbilt is another). I’m a Hispanic female and looking for some type of science/ engineering major, but I’m undecided.
My grades are stellar, all straight A’s, all honors/ap/de classes, top of my class , SAT in the 2300s, etc., but what’s bothering me is my extracirriculars…

I am current president of National Science Honor Society and president of anime and I have directed a service project with anime by working with children in hospitals
I’ve been treasurer of French club, advanced health, math honor society, Asian club
Over the summer I have a secretary internship for a lawyer, volunteer at local library
Can speak Spanish fluently, plays piano, (I don’t know how to incorporate art, I’ve done many online commissions and draw frequently)
Have an independent service project for Colombia
Went to a leadership/forensics conference in Washington for a college credit
A lot of volunteering… Over 400 hours, much organizing donations for homeless shelters and helping animals, tutor kids for math
Assisted with every homecoming ideas designs etc.
Leadership club at my school every year
I honestly don’t think it’s of high enough caliber. I have academics I think, and I do have a lot of service and a project, but I don’t know if I’m outstanding in leadership. I have several positions and have started things, but nothing like a commissioner of s conference or etc,

Any tips or advice or gauging of chances?
Thanks!

(Honestly worried about being in anime though… I knew someone who was in anime and got into brown, it sounds like waste of time but here we help around the school and service projects, etc. , and I don’t know if drawing is even qualified… I don’t know where I stand at all)

2

First question- can you afford the EFC for theses schools? Berkeley is very expensive OOS and you won’t get any aid.

Then apply to Vanderbilt and Princeton but also apply to 3-4 match schools as well as 2 financial safeties. You have great stats. You should be able to get into a top school but the competition is fierce. You would likely have a great shot at a top engineering/science school that wants to increase the number of femal students.

Your EFC are a bit all over the place. Is there a common theme that links what you have done? If anime is a passion, then maybe really embrace that.

3

Thank you for responding!

I will answer the financial part of the issue later (thank you however! I have looked over it with my family before, Berkley was a major dream… For me it’s Vanderbilt and Princeton. I will look into the match schools, I have safety schools already lined up for Florida for aid)

My issues is the extra curriculars. My main goals to exemplify were service, cultural expression, and leadership. It’s why I joined the cultural clubs in my school (French, German, Asian, anime) and participated in services there or helped start them, my service project is also for Colombia
It’s a bit difficult to tie together, because my treasurer positions were all gained in the beginning of the year for my interest in accounting/banking/economics. My involbemnt in both math/science activities I hope will help (advanced health, math honor society, science honor society, tutoring, leadership conference for forensics/CIA, best in class for all math+science classes (pre cal h, physics h, ap environmental, biology h, geometry h, algreba 2 h) is more goal based, and the other clubs are more interest based (arts+culture). Piano and the internship are hard to connect. The internship is for an immigration lawyer because a friend of mine recommended it to me and j needed some job experience. The secretary part is the issue.

All of the clubs except Asian club have done service projects that I have participated in.

I know this is quite a stretch and is not exactly a ‘well rounded’ theme due to its supposed randomness, but i will try to connect them somehow, hopefully service wise. I don’t really like anything in particular, drawing is a hobby, piano is a hobby, etcetera.

My apologies for my lack of preparedness and extreme variety. I believe some research is in order for me to fully understand my acbivements and chances, however, your response was both encouraging and informational. The best thing I can do is connect them, however, do you believe what is have is substantial enough alone? I believe I have quantity but not exactly quality.

4

I was going to say you have no chance, but you might make it in because you’re Hispanic. Also, your extracurriculars aren’t as bad as you might think, they’re not great but they’re decent.

5

I agree ECs are your weak spot. You are part of a lot of clubs and have done service projects. But theses seem pretty generic. I know a lot of the honor societies at my DS school don’t really do all that much. Do you have any hands on science or engineering experience, like robotics? Your ECs don’t really scream future engineer.

Were you involved in any of the music programs or sports programs at your school? Did you take art classes and do well in competitions? Have you completed an anime book perhaps?

If you are in a college interview setting, what would you talk about? I know nothing about anime but I don’t think it is necessarily a waste of time or that you have to justify anime club with service projects especially if you do have a passion or talent for it.

6

Haha yeah I understand. It’s definetly a dream dream school- I have a lot of safeties. Thank you

7

SAT > 2300? Straight As? All AP or honors courses? What’s not to like? You’re a competitive candidate to apply to any school in the country. Whether or not you’ll get in to any particular school is an open question. Ivies and their near-peers are unpredictable in admissions. Make sure you apply to a sufficient number of schools. Don’t place all your eggs in one basket. Make sure you can afford the schools that do accept you. But if you apply to a number of top schools, it is likely you’ll have some good results.

You’ve expressed concern about your extracurriculars. Here is the pertinent question: Are you doing what you want to be doing? If so, keep doing it. If not, why not? Don’t worry who you’re impressing - or not impressing - with your extracurriculars.

8

You are a solid candidate, and as folks have previously mentioned, these are very competitive schools, and as such, no assurances past to say that you are in right in the mix. As to scholarships, there are a mix of things you can do–by way of example—see:https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions/financial-aid/types-of-aid/scholarships/outside-agency-scholarships/scholarships-for-mexican-americanhispaniclatino-students/

9

I think an Hispanic woman, interested in STEM, with your academic chops will interest every admissions officer in the country. That doesn’t guarantee an acceptance to Princeton or Vanderbilt, but I can almost guarantee that your application will be given due consideration. That’s the best anyone can ask for in the current college admissions game. Berkeley cannot weigh race or ethnicity in admissions, and their “local context” policy for enhancing diversity only applies to CA residents. Given how selective they are for Engineering/STEM anyway, it might be a bigger reach than the private colleges. What about CalTech, MIT, Harvey Mudd, RPI, Drexel, Northeastern, Pitt, Tulane, Rice, and Washington U?

10

Also take a look at Cornell and Duke. Duke fits in more with the Vandy and Princeton vibe I think.

GTech is a neat school for STEM, too.