Question: My daughter applied to several Ivy League schools in addition to her safe schools. She has a 3.97 gpa, several AP classes and honor classes throughout HS. Played tennis and attended the National Leadership conference at Harvard during the Summer of 2014. Her essays were outstanding, according to her teachers. plus great recommendations.
Outside of school, she created a website at the age of 14 for writers and publishers to showcase their books. The only issue is her SAT score which is 1860. Does she have a shot at getting into an Ivy?
Depends on her other activities but she definitely is in the bottom 25% of the pool SAT wise. However, that is not the be all end all. My son had a 2050 with 750 math, 750 Writing and 550 reading. He never reads. His school, Georgia Tech, did not care about reading as they are a tech school and admitted him to their Honors program based on the strength of the essay he wrote so she has a chance.
The SAT score is all too often considered as an indicator of whether the candidate has a chance of getting admitted to a very selective college. It also serves as an indicator of how well the student will do at the college. AP test scores serve a similar function. The post states that the candidate took some AP classes but does not indicate test scores. So the ‘low’ SAT score may be an indicator that the candidate will end up with a “lowish” GPA at the college. This can effect job and career prospects. If so that Ivy is not a good college choice.
Isn’t the National Leadership conference something that is sent to everyone? I got something called the National Student leadership conference last year inviting me to attend it. I looked it up and the invitation is sent to a lot of people so I decided it was a scam and didn’t attend. Actually, it was in an ask the dean topic where you even said to not put it on the application.
But then in the next paragraph chanced as “unlikely!”
Anyways, agree, without a huge hook like recruited athlete in football or basketball, chance is .001 (outside of football or basketball, it’s unlikely even full coach support could get someone in with that low of an SAT).
(It’s not zero only because it might get stuck to another application an inadvertently carried into the ‘admit’ pile )
Realistically that SAT score is too low. She would need someone to support her application to get it through admissions. If she played national tennis tournaments and did well in them then then having a coach support her application is certainly an option. I know 2 students at IVY schools that were both recruited with SAT scores in 1800’s.
My cousin had a world distinction in O levels biology and maths, and a world distinction in A levels futher maths…right after undergrad at NUS…he was offered a direct PhD at MIT with 150% aid. His extra curricular were very light but he was a killer in maths. So you cant really say anything about ivys…they pick who they want.
I agree - never know with an IVY. Just consider it a reach school and apply. Maybe your D can write an outstanding essay. Many of the IVY’s also recommend taking the SAT subject tests.
bilal11, Why wouldn’t you expect that your cousin would be admitted for doctoral training after getting “world distinction” in A levels and after graduating from National University of Singapore? How does that relate to the situation of this student and entry into Ivy League schools for college?
@bilal11: PHD admissions are totally different from undergraduate admissions. Ec’s aren’t factored in but research and a high level in the chosen specialty are important.
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