Should I Bother Applying to Yale?

Colleges & Universities Yale University
1

I wanted to apply early action via Questbridge, but I don’t want to put a lot of time into it if my dreams aren’t realistic…

So first off I am a white hispanic female from a low income family

GPA: 4.22 w (Maybe Salutatorian?)

ACT: 32 (R-36, E-35, M-27, S-30) (first time taking it and it was straight out of summer with no prep)

EC’s: Softball Catcher and 2nd baseman for all of high school

National Honors Society President

Student Council Vice President

Debate Club

Outdoors Club Vice President

AV Club Treasurer

Human Rights Club Vice President

Drama (lead)

I play violin, piano, guitar, ukulele, and sing

I was in FFA for a few years and attended many leadership competitions

I’ve had a job as a tutor and as a babysitter

I started a small nonprofit organization at my school. Students create stuffed animals in life skills class and sell them. All proceeds go to Leukemia Research and for every stuffed animal bought, another is donated to a child in the local children’s hospital.

I’m starting an outreach program in the poverty-stricken town my school is in. We plan to have a place where children can come for homework help.

I volunteer a bunch and have gone on mission trips to Spanish-speaking countries to help high-risk youth

I’m a Questbridge College Prep Scholar

I’m a National Hispanic Scholar

I started taking high school courses in 7th grade, so I’m ahead in math by a year and Spanish by 2. (I finished middle school with 5 high school credits and actually had the option to graduate early but chose not to in order to raise my GPA)

My school only offers one AP (Calc) which I’m taking in addition to AP Computer Science which I take online in my free time

Background:

I come from an extremely abusive household. My mother is very mentally ill and she, my brother, and I suffer from significant health issues. My mom actually dropped me off at a boarding school across the country this summer (she told me we were going on a short vacation) for revenge because I had her forcefully admitted to a mental institution 2 years ago after she had a mental breakdown. This worked out great for me as I was able to finally make good grades, join clubs, and become active in my school (Something I could never do before due to my lack of parental support). I have a plethora of random life skills and people skills I’ve acquired from moving around so much and taking care of my brother and me in the absence of my father and emotional absence of my mother. I come from a conservative background, however, I have developed my own liberal worldview through my experiences.

Interest:

I’m extremely interested in biomedical engineering and political science

Also, I’m interviewing there on the 9th.

2

Go for it. The ACT is on the lower end but it was math that brought down your composite. I think your background and ability to deal with adversity is a major plus.

3

Thank you!! I’m definitely retaking the ACT later this month and I’m actually going to study this time, so hopefully that increases my chances!

4

If you can increase the ACT, I think you’ll be in the ballpark and should definitely apply. Have match and safeties on your list that you are happy about too as Yale is still a reach for everyone.

If you are interested in biomed engineering, focus on getting that math sub score up.

5

Your scores are decent, but not spectacular (especially in math). Your best asset is going to be your essays (common + supplementals). You are still “in the mix,” don’t get me wrong…

As a Questbridge applicant, you want options for great FA (because QB money isn’t guaranteed prior to ED). I’m not sure that ED is the best option for you because you want options once you get the FA packages. If you ED, you miss out on being able to compare your FA options from every other school.

6

Honestly, the only reason I’m doing ED through QB is so they can have an idea of the obstacles I’ve faced in addition to my regular essays. I didn’t want to make the focus of my essays about my struggles, but rather on who I am and what I’ve accomplished. If I don’t get good FA, I’m very willing to take out loans. Yale is my absolute dream school and its worth it to me. If I don’t make it in I’ll either take a gap year to build my credentials or attend a community college to get my prerequisites done for a low cost.

7

Thank you for the advice! I’m definitely going to prepare like crazy for the upcoming ACT. I think with enough preparation I can manage a 33 or 34!

8

I thought if you matched Questbridge your scholarship will pretty much cover everything. In any event, if you get into Yale and you are low income, the FA package will cover you 100% through grants.(no loans).

9

I agree with BKsquared here. If you’re not paying a dime if you get Yale. My question is why ED when you’re looking for the best FA package?

10

I admire you. Keep us up to date. I think you are a strong contender for Yale and other top schools.

11

You need to raise your scores (especially in math). Then you need to concentrate on your essays and your interviews. Scores aren’t everything. You seem to be a fairly solid applicant, otherwise. Clean up the math scores and write killer essays.

12

The M 27 and S 30 won’t help you with a stem app at Yale. It’s an election year, have you been involved in local or state politics or with any advocacy alongside adults? The HRC is a school club.

Your family story would show in the Q app. But it won’t replace the right strengths for your academic interests and the right essay other than the Q about background.) And you didn’t tell unweighted gpa. Adcoms look at rigor and letter grades.

13

That is how it works, however only 37% of Questbridge applicants are chosen as finalists, and only 15% of those finalists are matched. I decided instead to forgo the matching process and just forward my QB application (including my commonapp) directly to Yale ED, as my chances of getting in through it are significantly higher than if I were to only participate in the match (around 5.5% to get into the program and matched vs 15% with ED). Plus if I get into Yale, I understand that they meet 100% of your financial need. Also, I wouldn’t want to risk matching with a school that I’m not particularly interested in (Ivy or not). I really only want to risk going for Yale, not because of its reputation, but because of its atmosphere, community, and the sense of global citizenship that reflects in the students and administration.

14

I’m not necessarily looking for the best FA package, I just want to get into my dream school! I only went through QB so they could have a better understanding of my experience in addition to my regular application.

15

Thank you! I most definitely will!

16

Thank you for the advice!

17

Kudos for making it this far with QB. I’m not sure that I can support your Yale ED decision, and I understand your reasoning. I honestly hope that it works out for you.

18

I agree. I think that although BME interests me, I may end up solely focusing on Political Science. I’ve tried to get involved politically, but unfortunately, the strict, Catholic boarding school I go to doesn’t allow me to participate in anything political unless its prolife-related. I even have to be careful about posting online, it could be traced back to me and I could get in trouble for “negative associations with their school”.
I also took the ACT with absolutely no preparation right out of summer, so I’m fairly certain my next score will be significantly higher.
I’m doing the common app in addition to my QB app so I can focus more on who I am and what I’ve achieved.
My school doesn’t send out or calculate unweighted GPA’s, but I can only guess I’m around a 3.8.
Thank you!

19

Thank you so much! If you have any other suggestions, I am all ears.

20

If you’re QB, you should really consider the effect that student loans may have on you in the future.