Hi, I’m a rising senior and I’m looking for input on what others think my chances at getting in to Yale and Dartmouth are. As a side note, 2 of my aunts, my grandfather, great uncle, and great grandfather all attended Yale.
SAT: 2220: CR: 770 M: 650 W: 800
ACT: 33
GPA: 4.0- my most outstanding worry about my application is my GPA. During my freshman and sophomore years I faced a serious medical issue that prevented me from performing to the best of my abilities in school and extracurricular activities. Needless to say, this brought down my GPA. My counselor will write about my struggle and my common app essay will also detail what I went through, but it is still an inconvenience.
Courses: I will have completed 8 APs by graduation: AP bio, AP Lang, AP Spanish lit, AP lit, AP government, AP calc AB, AP psych, and AP art history
AP scores: bio: 4 Spanish: 5 Lang: 5
Extracurriculars: varsity cross country, varsity track, math club(pres.), beta club, charity through medicine club, best buddies club, member of school newspaper, volunteer with the lost dog and cat rescue foundation, volunteer as a Sunday school teacher, volunteer on local campaigns, working with my school’s priest to start a service trip to the DR next summer
Work experience: hostess at a local restaurant, intern for a congressman on Capitol Hill
My recommendations should be very good because I have chosen two teachers who know me well and who I get along with very well.
Writing is my strong suit so my essays should enhance my application.
Let me know what you think! Thanks!
Safeties please…
Virginia Tech (I’m a VA resident) and Villanova are my two safeties and I’m applying to a few other schools as well.
Do not worry about your GPA, your medical condition makes it that much more impressive that you managed high grades and scores! It may even end up working in your favor (universities like seeing people overcomes adversity).You seem like you have a good shot at both (of course these are ivies so no one is guaranteed a spot by any means).
The admissions process is a crapshoot, and you might as well apply. You never know what is going to happen.
If admissions officers overlook your weak EC’s because of your medical condition, you might have a chance, though I’m not sure if your aunt/uncle attending Yale yelps you at all (it might only count for parents and siblings). Your SAT (CR+M) is a tad low for Dartmouth and Yale.
Are you an URM by any chance?
Your aunt and uncle do not count. At some schools you count as a legacy if a grandparent attended, but I don’t think that holds for Yale. There has been some debate on this subject:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1583391-am-i-a-legacy.html
^You know that list of activities you have up there? Pro-tip, pick your top 10…those are the ones that count on common app