<p>Hey!
I know there are innumerable threads on this subject, but please help me!
I have a complicated story…So…On the 9th and 10th grade I was at the second best public high school in my country, top of my class, but at the beginning of my junior year I had a breakdown and a month later I was diagnosed with depression, eventually I dropped out of school. For almost 2 years I battled depression, but I got to the roots of the problem and I managed to scrape myself off of the floor. Then I moved to another town and went to night high school. In my country night high school is 5 years, so I had another 3 to go. I managed to get ahead on my school work, I have taken a few exams and by the end of this school year I would have finished 2 years of school in one.
I always dreamed of going to college in the USA, a few years back I was shooting for the Ivies, but now, I am not sure where I stand.
SAT I : 2400
SAT II: 800 Bio M, 800 Chemistry, 780 Math II
ACT: 34
Rank: 10%
TOEFL (ibt): 112
I speak Russian, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. I have also taken the CPE (I got an A! Yey!), the DALF (96 points) and other tests of language proficiency (Italian and German).
I have a Cisco IT Essentials Diploma.
I have written a novel and I am expecting an answer from a publishing house in a couple of weeks.
I have a blog (fashion, philosophy, music).
I am a Red Cross (secretary for my regional center) volunteer(1300 hours per year). I also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity (helped build some houses). I also volunteered abroad, in Iceland (motor disabilities center), South Africa (helped in a regional clinic) and The Republic of Moldova (orphanage). I have also organized several fund raising marathons and balls (for the Oncology department at my county hospital and to fight obesity).
My mom and I have our own little business (event planning).
So…this is it…
I really want to get into a great college.
Next fall I would have to apply…
What are my chances?
What else should I do?
Please, help!</p>
<p>Well first off, your standardized scores are literally perfect. Your EC’s are also good, and you can probably pull off an awesome essay about your struggles. You never mentioned your GPA and course rigor, but if they’re the level that Ivies are looking for, you have a strong shot at admission.</p>
<p>Be certain your essay will convince even someone who thinks of people with depression as reject candidates.</p>
<p>First of all I dont think a person who dropped out of school for 2 years could possibly achieve 2400 on SAT. Its not about scores, it is about discipline.</p>
<p>Apparently she’s depressed.</p>
<p>Struggles help, but depression does not play well for admissions. You’re going to have to somehow convince them that depression is like the flu, and you got it. Admission officers are not going to like a depressed student at first glance, possibly. If you are telling the truth, your application is viable.</p>
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<p>You don’t know what you’re talking about. </p>
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<p>Depression is an actual medical condition, “like the flu.” While it is poorly understood by the general population, I am fairly sure that you have insufficient basis to say it “does not play well for admissions.”</p>
<p>The OP’s main problem will be conveying that his/her night high school is sufficiently rigorous, though to be fair I don’t know much about international or unconventional admissions. Though I would advise to ignore the advice of the two people above me.</p>
<p>Agreed. With a 2400, you’ve already got a 50% chance at admission, better than the two naysayers. You’re a strong candidate, and I encourage you to detail your earlier situation and mention how well you’ve rebounded.</p>
<p>Mentos, do you have any verification for the 50% admit rate for 2400s? I’ve heard various percentages, ranging from 33% to 50% and I’m not entirely sure what to believe.</p>
<p>Wow, Paula, that is such an incredible list of things that you have already done despite your unusual circumstances, and I’m sure you would accomplish some amazing things in life no matter which college you attend in the future.</p>
<p>I agree with others, you have an amazing record.
I believe that wherever you go, you’ll do a fantastic job, since you persevered even during hard times.</p>
<p>I’d tell you to apply other places too, to make sure you get into somewhere good. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>“Dwight,” I do not have bias, the general public does, as you said. This means it does not play well. Would you be more likely to hire someone who dropped out of high school because of depression?</p>
<p>Mentos, jumping to conclusions is not something a Harvard student should do. A 2400 does not guarantee a 50% chance, as a 4.0 does not guarantee a 50%. Unless if you have a poll that says so.</p>
<p>Homer do you have data to back up that claim?</p>
<p>Stop the bull Wedge, the only “claim” I made is that depression does NOT play well. No one in this world wants a child with depression, so don’t try to tell me it’s a benefit, or no effect at all. Refer to my post #11 for my previous statement.</p>
<p>Speaking of parenting… who would want to name themselves “WEDGEDOG”</p>
<p>It’s not data, but if you go around to conventions held by Ivy Admission Officers, they never forget to mention that perfect scores are not what Ivies are looking for (It’s definitely nice to have a perfect score, but the point is, it doesn’t guarantee you any percentage).</p>
<p>^------ +1</p>
<p>Homer, please just answer the question. Do you have any data on acceptance percentage based on a perfect SAT score? I’m not trying to attack your post, I’m just hunting for information. Attacks on my username are appreciated, please continue.</p>
<p>hey guys what starts with t and ends with roll? is it this post?</p>
<p>33-50% sounds about right, but well above the average 6%. 50% is sort of the well cited figure that I’ve heard. There was an article in the Boston Globe (?) a few years ago saying that 50% of applicants with 1600s get rejected. </p>
<p>Obviously, the pool has grown more competitive annually since the days of the 1600 SAT, lending credence to the suggestion that the rate of acceptance may be less than half. However, it’s also harder to get a 2400 than a 1600 (CR + M) currently, so the number of kids hitting the perfect score may have remained the same. Pulling up CB’s stats would help.</p>
<p>…And let’s get real. Admission chances increase, sometimes exponentially, with high scores, even at the high end of the achievement curve. As to homer314, don’t feed the ■■■■■, kids.</p>
<p>^agreed. Don’t be like Professor Quirrell; be like Harry!</p>
<p>Sorry, you guys have absolutely no idea what a “■■■■■” really means (Besides the literal meaning). To be honest, it’s kind of frustrating it to see everyone throw that word around at people they simply don’t agree with.</p>
<p>There seems to be two sides of the argument here (I’m disregarding the whole “depression” debate). No, a perfect SAT/SATII score does not guarantee you into an Ivy. Yes, a perfect SAT/SATII score gives you a very good chance into an Ivy. Now that I’ve phrased it this way, you guys might realize that they’re both true. As Mentos mentioned, higher your SAT score, your admission chances grow exponentially (Especially considering the standard deviation of SAT scores). However, it is rather ludicrous to guarantee that a person will be accepted into an Ivy just because of a perfect SAT/SATII score. As for this person, giving him/her a 50% chance of acceptance is reasonable, but it’s completely illogical to give anyone a 50% chance of acceptance just because they have a perfect SAT/SATII score.</p>
<p>See the reasoning?</p>