<p>My situation is kind of weird… I was #1 when I first submitted my app, but then I dropped to 7 by the time the midyear was sent. </p>
<p>I got in, so I guess “yes.” Above average ACT and SAT scores, by the way. 33 ACT, 750 Chem, 760 Math II.</p>
<p>I am barely in the top 10% of my class, and I got in. (non-athlete, white, no legacy, public school, hardest area in northeast to get in).</p>
<p>I did get a 2250 on my SATs. I know that’s good in general, but that’s only 50 points above average.</p>
<p>What if you’re aren’t in a scout group, like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts but you have awesome volunteer hours and have even gotten an award for it from the city and you’re good at debate. Is there anyway you can show leadership without having to start scouts training so late?</p>
<p>2140 SAT/ Only top 20% at best in small school (double digits). Its possible, but know that I got in (barely) off the waitlist</p>
<p>@diligentbunny: I am neither a Boy Scout nor a valuable contributor to my community in any way. I’m the president of my local youth’s ACS chapter, and I do events like RFL and Making Strides, but I am far from an active service-person. AND: I was about 30th out of 420…not exactly val/sal. AND I’m white, wealthy, and from Fairfield County, CT, aka, the hellzone of New England for any college applicants. AND my interview was awful. Actually, it’s a miracle I got in! If I can do it, so can you. Just make sure they like you!</p>
<p>My high school didn’t rank, but I wouldn’t have made the top 10% if it had (of course, 10% of my graduating class was five students). I had acceptable-but-not-stratospheric grades, high test scores, a reasonably impressive art portfolio, decent extracurriculars, and a quirky, well-written essay (though not, in retrospect, as stunning as I thought at the time).</p>