I’m really hoping to get into an elite school, however I’m not sure if my stats are good enough to get me considered for some prestigious schools (HYSP etc). Could you guys please let me know how I’m doing and if it’s worth killing myself for the next year to try and get into these schools.
State: CA
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Income: <80,000
Hooks: N/A
Stats:
GPA (unweighted): 4.0
GPA (weighted): 4.7
SAT: 2270
SAT II: Taking Math II and World History in June
ACT: N/A
Course load:
-Max weighted classes offered by school in ninth/tenth grade
-All AP or Honors except for Leadership in eleventh/twelfth grade (scheduled)
EC/Awards:
-Varsity letter (basketball)
-current ASB Vice President
-ASB President-elect
-Model UN Club President
-NHS/CSF active lifetime member
-History Bowl National Qualifier
-Geography Olympiad National Qualifier
-WEB Leader
-Founder of UNA-USA Chapter at my school (service club)
-Self-teaching Latin
Summer Activities:
-Summer Camp Counselor (paid)
-Intern with a CA Assemblyman (unpaid)
-Intern with influential NGO (unpaid)
I’m extremely interested in politics, government, and geography so that is something I would most likely major in. Right now my list of reaches are: Harvard, Stanford, Duke, UChicago, Columbia, and Washington in St. Louis. Am I on track to have a shot at those schools? Does anyone have any suggestions to improve my chances?
Thanks in advance for your help and if you have any questions feel free to ask!
No one can say for sure whether you can get in or not. Is it a reach? Yes, it is a reach for anyone. However, I do think you should continue to work hard and maintain your grades and put your all into your all into your essays. If you do that, I don’t see why you wouldn’t have a chance.
You will definitely be in the mix. Make sure to study hard so you get good scores on your subject tests. And keep up the grades (they are VERY impressive). Your EC’s are good and definitely show your interest in history. Could you be captain of the basketball team next year? That always looks really good.
Make sure you develop good relationships with several teachers and your counselor so you’ll get some outstanding recs. Also, like the previous poster said, work hard on the essays.
Good luck!
Another piece of advice: pick one school you really like and apply ED. That will really improve your chances.
@a20171@CCuser528 Thanks for your help! I’m fairly certain I’ll have good essays and recs so that should help a little, but the system is always going to be fickle and you never know what’s going to happen.
I’d definitely put in the effort over the next year to try and get into some great schools. While there’s no guarantee you’ll get into the schools you listed, (although your stats are certainly in line) you have as good a chance as the other well qualified applicants, and you also have a shot at some other elite schools that you didn’t mention.