I was in a position where I was unable to do any EC’s for the first half of my high school career, and currently I’m in and running almost every club available at my school. There are no STEM opportunities.
Don’t compare this OP to typical candidates who grow up in stable environments. She is top-notch for the environment she grew up in and for the opportunities available to her.
But Yale isn’t looking for an unstable background or working well within limits. Rather, what she did get up and do. And that’s not limited to hs clubs. Not is it about running “almost every club.”
We don’t know more about OP than what she’s told us. eg, what impact she really has. But we do know what sorts of pictures Yale looks for. Yes, if her hs limits her, they’ll uderstand. But still, with the lower current ACT subs, she has a picture to present-- more than the home difficulties.
OP, you run the HRC club, what does it actually do? Do you go home summers or on break, do anything while there? And are you on substantial fin aid, at this boarding school?
We educate students, ourselves, and the public about human rights and violations of human rights and raise money for causes. I’ve tried to do more within the club but the principal limits out options significantly. I go home summer and breaks but when I’m home I’m not allowed to have electronics or to leave the house (basically cut off from the rest of the world). I have a full ride to my school (30,000$).
After careful consideration and meditation, I have decided to enter the Questbridge match and forgo the SCEA. If I’m not matched, I will apply to Yale via RD. I believe I was preparing to act on impulse and I’m very grateful for those who provided me with advice on this thread that steered me in the right direction. I will have more time to raise my ACT score, make sure my essays are as refined as they can be, and to further develop my outreach program and charity organization.
Where ever you go, make sure it is somewhere you can graduate from not just get into.
How do other QB kids fare at Yale?
Do they have the support for a first generation college student?
WIll you feel socially okay there?
Is there support systems for QB students?
@annabellaadora You sound great to me and I will follow your story here at CC…great luck to you.
Yale has lots of academic support, not an issue for a kid who can recognize her or his needs. Many top colleges actually track kids they feel need this. It works. But the key is a kid who can “self advocate.” It’s a particular trait looked for, knowing when to seek that help, whether from a teacher, admin, or support center, the willingness to take the guidance. This isn’t something you state directly. It can show, sometimes via LoRs or the GC letter, and the attitude you convey.
OP, my concern is the charity group is about children needing homework help. I understand your hs limits you. But somehow, through all of the challenges, it’s good to show how you pressed limits. Not only operated within them. Think about that. It’s good the HRC work includes the public. You may want to play up that part, what your group does.
As for the college cost issue and loans, standard advce is not to take more than the fed student loan max, 27k over 4 years.
Be sure you’re looking deeply at what Yale looks for. Leadership qualities, not just titles. See what you can show.
I don’t mean to discourage you. But imo, kids need to get to the thinking level about how they match, not just what they want. You’re getting there.
^ This. Kids applying to elite schools need to be able to self-advocate. But, more importantly, they need to self-regulate. Don’t apply to a school simply because you have the grades and scores and that school has a great reputation. Apply because you understand that school and why you are a good fit for their cohort. If I had a dime for every high grade/score kid who got rejected from an Ivy because they applied for “prestige,” rather than interest I’d be insanely rich – and, I would be buying @lookingforward long term care insurance (Sorry, @lookingforward, I’m fiscally responsible, so no vacations or beach houses.)
I understand what you’re saying. I’ve had to be my own advocate for most of my life and I believe that reason alone is why I was able to achieve what I have in the past few years. I can see where originally in this thread I came off overconfident and stubborn, but truly that isn’t very characteristic of me. (If you check on the page before this post I decided to rethink things and take the sage advice given to me here).
The reason I went for so many positions in my school is that I had seen where so many potentially powerful clubs had grown stagnant and I wanted to have more influence so I could change that, not for the titles.
For example, the National Honors Society at my school did absolutely nothing asides from tutoring within the school and the partnered middle school. I ran for president because I wanted our group to have a greater impact outside of the school. The outreach program I’m developing is highly unconventional for my school and it was very difficult to get permission to start it and to raise the money for it. My school is set in an old mill town with low-income housing, drug trafficking, and crime. The streets even during the day are extremely dangerous, and the girls aren’t allowed out alone. Every day I see the school bus come and drop off dozens of kids to the dilapidated houses around us. I thought it was absolutely awful how an NHS club can focus so much on their people when they’re literally surrounded by suffering. It’s very unlikely that any of those kids have a real support system at home, and even more unlikely that they’ll be able to break the cycle of poverty and crime that they grew up in. We’re planning on collaborating with the nearby public elementary and middle schools and reach out to the kids to offer them not only homework help, but life help.
I understand that many kids applying to prestigious schools do so solely for the elite title, but I can assure you that this is far from my case. I’ve visited many colleges, but there was something about Yale in particular that struck a chord within me. I loved how the administration actually encouraged their students to get involved and to push the limits., something I had not ever experienced before. The people I met and spoke with actually cared about what happened in the world, even if it didn’t personally affect them. I met so many people that shared my passion for social justice and inclination to uphold global citizenship. So many people of different cultures came together in one interconnecting community! It was a sense I had not felt at any other school I had visited. I felt at home there, and honestly, it could be a community college and I would still love to be there. I really would like to hope that I’m a good match and they the admissions officers think so too, but if it doesn’t work out then it just wasn’t meant to be.
Ok. After the first paragraph, you could have the bones, edit and polish this for an essay. But to warn you, the line about Yale encouraging kids to get involved may seem generic, because many colleges encourage this. You don’t want to seem limited by not realizing this. There’s even a thread now about other colleges… http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/2103238-very-good-altruistically-minded-colleges-p2.html
I know you are limited, but you’d want to pump this writing up in the right ways, combine it with a narrative, then give it your own flourish. And turn it into the right angle (here, it’s an explanation.)
On one hand, you’ve told us (various posts) of these limits. A tippy top wants to see the awareness/compassion, vision, energy, follow through. Otoh, the stab you’re making is with little kids. Good. But we’re talking Yale. The best of the competition will have done more. I believe you can convert what you just wrote into something very positive.
Think about it. You now seem more activated, how can you tap this for the app?
But, see how you just personalized this. Not your limits but your drives to do more? You can use “show, not just tell.”
go for it!
Yale does not have ED but Single Choice Early Action (SCEA). If you are extremely low income (less than $60,000) your tuition, room, board, fees and some expenses will be covered in its entirety. You will probably also be eligible for a fee waiver for your application. So, if you want to apply, go for it. With SCEA, you do not have to give your answer until May 1 like the other schools and you can therefore look at other packages. But since Yale will probably be no cost to you, if you were to get accepted, it may be a viable option. One last piece of advice - Yale is a great school, but it is not a dream for anyone. It is a real place in the real world. It was good for me and good for my daughter, but it is not the right place for everyone. Please look at all aspects of it closely before making any decisions. You have to LIVE there for 4 years.
I misspoke, lol. I have done my research and I know and have been told that Yale is a great match for me. I grew up around the area (born in yale hospital actually), toured it, and nailed my interview there. I’m sure there’s always more for me to learn about it though, so I’ll be sure to do that. Thank you!
Just a little update: I’ve been selected as a Questbridge finalist, and as I ranked Yale, my application has been received by them. I find out December 3rd if I am accepted! Fingers crossed!
Congrats! Best of luck in matching with Yale.
Thank you!!
@annabellaadora - Yale student here. Best of luck!