<p>He also got into Yale</p>
<p>I’m a URM with a 2300+ superscore, and I didn’t get into Harvard or Yale. I don’t think the rest of my application was as strong, especially my ec’s and maybe my GPA.</p>
<p>However, there was another URM at my HS who got in everywhere he applied (HYPS, Berkeley, UCLA, USC, etc). Even though his SAT was lower than mine (~2100), the rest of his app was just as good or better (~4.0 UW, great musician, etc.).</p>
<p>So, once again i guess, just having a couple of hooks doesn’t guarantee anything. Having a well-rounded app with a couple of hooks gets you a lot farther.</p>
<p>I’m URM, but I’d say it helped me, not merely listing the fact I was URM, but weaving a URM theme into my entire application.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Thank you for confirming what many of us have been saying for at least 5 years. 
!</p>
<p>I also believe that URM status can be a huge advantage. I know a young lady who was admitted to Stanford with a SAT I of 1300 (yes, out of 2400). I can’t remember her exact GPA but it was definitely lower than the norm. My daughter was rejected by Stanford with a SAT I of 2340, 3 SAT II’s amounting to 2350, a 4.6, and terrific EC’s, awards, and recs. My daughter was admitted to some other incredible schools and received some major merit scholarships (e.g. Trustee Scholar at USC and Regent at UCLA), but clearly Stanford, at least, is willing to lower the bar to admit URM’s. It’s good though. Diversifies our universites and allows underprivileged kids an incredible opportunity.</p>
<p>You do know that other girl who got into Stanford could very well have written a damn fine essay, or had steller ECs.</p>
<p>So getting back to the original question: </p>
<p>We’ve been hearing since 6th grade that getting good grades in IB was tantamount to automatic acceptance at almost any college in the land, with a probable full-ride to boot. Not so much.</p>
<p>how about because my friend from x years ago got into y, and I did exactly everything he did, I’ll also get into y</p>
<p>well, i just had something to say about the valedictorian point
they cant admit all of them so obviously being a valedictorian isnt like “for sure” that your getting in.
there are like how many high schools in the US? so that would make how many valedictorians? there wouldnt possibly be enough seats for all of them. impossible!</p>
<p>actually, i have 8 quality ec’s, which include 2 first place awards, and 3 officerships, with an average of 3 years in each, so you can do a lot of ec’s if you do it right, and does anyone know if they actually recalc. your gpa unweighted using only your core classes?</p>
<p>i think that’s nonsense. i could have fallen asleep on the sat and got better than a 1300, and gpa is very important. it shortchanges all the kids who busted their asses for four years to allow in someone who is clearly underqualified. the most important part of any admissions decision is “can this kid handle the work?” and i don’t think that this person can handle it, nor do i thin they should have even applied to stanford. i know someone who was gettign recruited to stanford for sports, but was super underqualified, but had ok grades, played sports, and was a minority. but then a genius who had a 4.7 gpa 2400 sat, 13 800’s on sat 2’s, 8 5’s on ap’s, and was captain of the fencing team got into every ivy league, but rejected form stanford</p>
<p>oops sorry, i forgot to quote the messages, but you guys are smart enough to figure it out, i hope</p>
<p>“except for the tons of clubs aspect; you want 6 quality ones”
lol, what?!</p>
<p>I would DEFINITELY disagree.</p>
<p>Complete idiots get athletic scholarships to top tier schools (UC Berk./USC/U Mich) all the time!</p>
<p>Being from South Dakota. Or North Dakota.</p>
<p>Being told by every adult around you that you are a shoe-in at Harvard.</p>
<p>Thinking you are a musical prodigy because you can play piano or violin better than everyone else in your school.</p>
<p>Being told by the representative at the college fair that you are exactly the type of student they are looking for.</p>
<p>Getting a letter from the Admissions Dean at Yale addressed to you specifically, inviting you to apply because you showed up on their screen.</p>
<p>EC’s definately. I have way too many and messed up my high school years somewhat.
The most important factor is standarized tests and class rigor. URM definately helps is you are like a Tibetan refugee</p>
<p>ECs are important, but I think what people miss is that it’s quality of the EC that counts, not quantity. </p>
<p>Ad-com looks at an app with two or three ECs that the applicant has been involved in for many years, where they have grown and learned, where they have shown leadership and commitment – in other words, they are passionate about it. Ad-com looks at another app with 8 or 10 ECs, all begun midway through soph year, heavy on titles (President of multiple clubs), little activity beyond meetings. Admissions officers aren’t stupid, and they can easily tell the difference between someone who is pursuing a genuine interest, and someone who’s trying to build an impressive resume. Guess which one they like better.</p>
<p>
Hyperbolic overstatement much?</p>
<p>
I hope that her ECs included curing cancer because a 1300/2400 SAT scorer getting admitted by Stanford is absolutely ludicrous.</p>
<p>i agree with monstor!</p>