Harvard? Yale? What are my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Sorry if this is really long, but I just want to let you guys better judge by knowing what classes I’ve taken. I need the help because I’m the first to go to college in my entire family. ^^</p>

<p>Chinese-American female
Single family home (w/ mom and younger sister)
From the suburbs
Public school of 2000+</p>

<p>GPA: 3.980 unweighted
(All A’s except for 1 B in freaking drawing class! And that was just one semester, .5 credit, out of 26 credits I have right now.)</p>

<p>Rank: 32 of 409</p>

<p>PSAT: 70V, 67M, 74W, 211Total
98 percentile (so freakin’ close! makes me sad)
National Merit Commended Scholar (Yay. I win a pat on the back.)
SAT: 1450 (730V, 720M)
SAT II: Math IIC 680
Literature 690
Writing 570
(Major ouches here… I basically walked into the test center that day w/o studying at all, so I really had no idea what the tests would be like, but I retook the subject tests (in Wrt, Chinese w/ Listening, and Math IC) and the results will come in 11/19.)
ACT: 32</p>

<p>Classes:
3 yr of Honors English
1 yr of World Literature (college credit)</p>

<p>Algebra
Honors Geometry
Honors Adv. Alg
Pre-calc
Calculus (college credit)
Prob and Stat (college credit)</p>

<p>Biology Honors
Chemistry
Physics
AP Chem (AP test)
Astronomy
Oceanography</p>

<p>American Studies Honors
World History
Government (semester)
AP Economics (college credit)
AP Government (AP test)
Western Civ (college credit)</p>

<p>General Art
Drawing (The stupid B!)
Interior Design
2 yrs of choir</p>

<p>4 yrs of French</p>

<p>Intro to Law/Public Service
Creative Writing
Psychology</p>

<p>Activities:
Took private piano lessons for around 11-12 yrs
Freshmen class vice-president
Sophomore class spirit commissioner (Moved in the middle of sophomore yr so I didn’t really have the chance to run for office in my new school, unfortunately)
Vice-president of Japanese Cultural Club (11th grade)
Co-president of Japanese Cultural Club (12th grade)
Key Club
NHS</p>

<p>No employment. School work takes up all of my time…</p>

<p>So, what do you think? What do you think my chances for acceptance into Harvard or Yale would be? What other schools would be a good match for me?I know the biggest hurts for me right now are the SAT II scores (Please let me do well on the upcoming results!) and maybe my lack of outstanding leadership positions in the past 2 yrs. </p>

<p>I would like to thank whoever replies to this thread. You guys are really helpful.</p>

2

<p>Sushi:</p>

<p>The lack of ECs may hurt your chances for Harvard and Yale. Usually it is not enough to be in the middle-50%ile, if you want to be accepted at a highly selective college or university. If you have excellent recs and essays, it helps some. It does not makeup for the lack of leadership positions or ECs. The good news is that there are other colleges and universities out there that would welcome you.</p>

<p>You should look at a few of the schools below:</p>

<p>DePauw U
Bates
Trinity C
Mt. Holyoke
Hamilton
Scripps
Denison U
Furman
Mills
Lewis & Clark
Colby
Case Western
Wheaton (MA)
URochester
UWisconsin-Madison
Trinity U.
Villanova
URichmond
College of Wooster
Skidmore
Santa Clara U.
U. of the Pacific
Colorado C
University of the South
Rhodes
Lafayette
Lehigh
Gettysburg
Tulane
Oxford College (of Emory U)
Clark U
Hendrix
Beloit
Fairfield U
UMassachusetts-Amherst
Dickinson
Hobart & William Smith College
Centre
St. Olaf
St. Lawrence U
Rollins
Hampshire
Lawrence U
Earlham
Guilford
Agnes Scott
Marietta
Manhattanville C
Union C (NY)
DePaul U
Loyola (IL)
Manhattan C
Lake Forest
UMinnesota
UVermont
UNew Hampshire</p>

<p>Hope this helps you. Remember to pick Reach/Match/Safety schools. Also, consider ED II applications at schools that offer them, but make sure if you use that option, the schools is the one that best fits you. Just my 2 cents, for what it’s worth. Good luck on your apps. :)</p>

<p>PS–I assume you’re also applying to OSU or UOregon as a safety.</p>

3

<p>I think HYP are out of reach, sorry. Your reaches should be Penn, Brown, Columbia, Duke, Dartmouth, Amherst, etc. More matchlike reaches are Northwestern, Vassar, , Cornell, and Rice. Matches include Emory, WUSTL, UVA, Michigan, UNC-CH, etc.</p>

4

<p>you’re a good student and did well on sats, but your sat iis are iffy. you shouldn’t need to study for writing also unless english wasn’t your first language. i say try whichever schools like harvard, yale, princton etc that offer what you want… but get some safeties too.</p>

5

<p>Volunteered as Counselor and Instructor at a local summer day-camp tutoring program for elementary-aged students
Volunteered around 4 hrs every week at an elementary school library freshmen yr.
Volunteered summer of junior yr at a hospital.
Tutored middle school students in an afterschool program during junior yr.</p>

<p>I know this would not count, but I was ASB secretary in 8th grade. This wouldn’t go on my application anyways.</p>

<p>Fluent in Chinese. Can read, write, speak, and listen.
Have received education in Chinese for 12 yrs.
3 yrs in Hong Kong and 6 yrs of Chinese schools and 3 yrs of private tutoring</p>

<p>I did a senior project, presenting the lack of nutritional values in our school’s food to the Board of Directors of my school district, that stimulated my school district current project of improving the school lunch menus’ nutrition. There was an article on it in the newspaper (The Oregonian, which is not just some small-town paper).</p>

<p>No atheletics due to lack of time.</p>

6

<p>I’m going to echo what everyone else has said: you need to think beyond Harvard and Yale. You are a very strong candidate for any school besides the top 10-15. </p>

<p>Give one or two of the top schools a shot, but concentrate on finding 5-10 good schools that match you. How close do you want to be to home? Urban, suburban or rural school? Conservative, liberal, or moderate? What majors are you interested in? How much financial aid do you need? Do you want to be the standout student in a department, or do you want to be surrounded by your intellectual peers? </p>

<p>Your research and newspaper article sound quite unique. I would emphasize them in your applications. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Well, these are schools that I’ve definitely sure I will be applying to:</p>

<p>Williams, Williamstown, MA
Amherst
Rice
Bowdoin</p>

<p>What do you think?
Good schools?</p>

8

<p>Good schools but all reaches so choose some match and safety schools!</p>

9

<p>“I did a senior project, presenting the lack of nutritional values in our school’s food to the Board of Directors of my school district, that stimulated my school district current project of improving the school lunch menus’ nutrition. There was an article on it in the newspaper (The Oregonian, which is not just some small-town paper).”</p>

<p>This is good. You should capitalize on that. Harvard and Yale will not be realistic, I think, although 1st gen. college student status will help. But most importantly, you might be much happier at other schools. Look into LACs and smaller universities. They provide superb education in a more nurturing and friendly environment.</p>

10

<p>Sushi:</p>

<p>They are excellent schools. I am also applying to 3 on your list (Bowdoin, Amherst, and Williams). Again, you might want to have a few safeties. Good luck. :)</p>

11

<p>We have the same SATs and IIC. thats kinda weird</p>

12

<p>Writing 700
Chinese w/ Listening 790
Math IC 760</p>

<p>Well, I’m applying to a few reach schools but I’m getting some safeties as well. What do you guys think? Are my new scores going to help?</p>

13

<p>Yeah much better, but I still doubt Harvard Yale. They will be good for the other Ivies/ top LACS though. Williams, Amherst, Rice, and Bowdoin are a great start. Also, if you like those, you will surely like Dartmouth as an Ivy. Its a LAC ivy with a lot of individual attention plus the benefit of an active social life. I know my friend who went to Williams visited me a couple times and was shocked how tightknit the Dartmouth community was and the amount of spirit there. Also, look to Middlebury, a great match with a great overall experience.</p>

14

<p>Asian Pride!!! Good job on bringing up your scores, especially on raising your Writing score 130 points. Those look a LOT better than your previous scores although the Chinese w/ Listening won’t do you any good since your Chinese. I think you would have a good shot at Northwestern; it is an awesome school! Good Luck!</p>

15

<p>Judging by the comparison of your SAT’s and GPA, it seems like you go to a very easy high school. Might I suggest transfering? If you want any chance at all at any of the Ivys you will need to be attending a respectable school. Good Luck!</p>

16

<p>rishinha, u r dumb as hell. He has a good shot at attending an ivy.</p>

17

<p>hey, what is ASB?</p>

18

<p>“he has a good shot…”
You mean me? (Who is a she)</p>

<p>ASB stands for Associated Student Body</p>