SAT/ACT recommendations?

Colleges & Universities Yale University
1

<p>I’m a Sophomore - far out in the Middle Eastern peninsula of Qatar, studying in an Indian school. I’m currently prepping myself to leave this Godforsaken desert for a life of intellectual enrichment in the fair grounds of New Haven.</p>

<p>My biography will bore you - so let’s begin with my stats.</p>

<ul>
<li>Freshman year - GPA - 9.6/10 (4.00 unweighted, by American Standards.)</li>
<li><p>Sophomore Year - Expected GPA -9.8/10 OR 10/10 (The suspense is killing me.)</p></li>
<li><p>National Debating Champion, Two-time National Best Speaker at QatarDebate. (One more title and its a national record, I think.)</p></li>
<li><p>National Quiz Champion - Bournvita 2012 and Vodafone Brianhunt 2013 </p></li>
<li><p>National elocution Champion - ranked Qatar’s Top Youth Speaker. Also three-time winner of Qatar’s Best Communicator award. (The award’s been held just 3 times.)</p></li>
<li><p>National level Essayist - awarded by the Supreme Council of Health, among others.</p></li>
<li><p>Founder and Chairman of We.Debate - a debating and intellectual Non Profit organisation.</p></li>
<li><p>TEDx licensee and curator - youngest in the Middle East.</p></li>
<li><p>Interned at Youth’s Got Talent (a talent show) - as the manager of the event.</p></li>
<li><p>Writer for Campus Magazine - Qatar’s only student magazine.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>-All India Mathematics and Science Olympiad.

  • Distinction & placed in Top 10% - 2011</p>

<ul>
<li>ACER International Examinations (English).</li>
<li><p>Distinction & placed in Top 3% - 2006</p></li>
<li><p>University of New South Wales International assessment (English) </p></li>
<li><p>Distinction - 2008 </p></li>
</ul>

<p>-University of New South Wales International assessment (Science)

  • Distinction & placed in Top 10% - 2008</p>

<ul>
<li>Research exhibited at the Qatar National Students’ Research Fair - 2012</li>
</ul>

<p>Now, here’s the challenge - I’d like it if you could recommend a SAT/ACT score that can complement these ECs and help me get into Yale. Now, I am perfectly aware that it is a reach. But I need to keep realistic goals. I might be smart enough to pass my classes with good grades - but I doubt I’ll get a 2300+ SAT score. I’m no Einstein.</p>

<p>Much thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>The challenge in answering your question is to avoid a snarky response. A 2300+ is not required, but then again, neither is a 2300+ a sign of genius. Generally speaking, a higher score is better than a lower score and there is probably some score sufficiently low to cause an automatic rejection, but I wouldn’t fixate on that. </p>

<p>My suggestions:

  1. If you don’t have access to taking PSAT and PLAN tests, get some books and determine whether you’re an ACT or SAT “type.”
  2. Study for the test that you’re a fit for.<br>
  3. Take the test and if the results are very good (based on Yale’s or another desired school’s published stats), spend your time on something else.
  4. If your scores are not quite good enough, study and retake
  5. Spend the rest of high school doing things that engage you intellectually, whether or not they look great on a resume. </p>

<p>Just my opinion, ymmv.</p>

3

<p>International admissions are tough. Shoot for a 2300+ or a 35+. Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Awards or honors prior to your first year in high school are not relevant for college admission. Regardless, congratulations on all your achievements so far. I believe that your “biography” will be of more interest to Yale than think. Debaters and high scorers are a dime-a-dozen in the Yale applicant pool. What do you, as an authentic person, bring to the table?</p>

5

<p>Leave off the UNSW/ACER tests as your debating stuff is far more impressive. The other applicants applying will have High Distinctions or Medals (I personally didn’t put down anything equivalent to less than a Medal on my application, and I don’t think that many people would list Distinctions). Just do the SATs/ACT and hope for the best score you can get.</p>