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Ok... i'm a junior in highschool and i will go straight to the point.

Freshmen:

Honors Biology: B+ (4.5)

Honors Math: A (5.0)

English (1st sem, 2d sem): A+/A (4.5/4.0)

Global History: A+ (4.5)

Orchestra: A+ (4.5)

Art: A+ (4.5)

Health: A (4.0)

Spanish: A+ (4.5)

Sophomore:

Honors Chemistry: B+ (4.5)

Honors Math: B+ (4.5)

English (1st sem, 2nd sem): A+/B+ (4.5/3.5)

AP Euro.History: A (5.0)

Orchestra (selective) : A+ (4.5)

Painting: A+ (4.5)

Spanish: A+ (4.5)

Junior (so far my grades...):

Honors Physics: A (5.0)

Honors math: B+ (4.5)

Mythology: A+ (4.5)

AP American History: A (5.0)

Orchestra (selective): A+ (4.5)

AP Studio Art: A+ (5.5)

Spanish : A (4.0)

SAT scores:

taken in November, 2003 verbal: 680, Math: 730

Biology (oct, 2002): 620

Chemistry (June, 2003): 670

Senior classes: AP Biology, AP English, AP Government, economy, AP Calculus BC, AP Studio Art, Health, PA (project advanced) Psychology

Extracurriculars:

9th: ESL tutor

10th: Art Club, Student outreach, natural helpers, volunteer and Helen Keller National Center (had to be over 16 to become a volunteer), Nursing Home (also age requirement)

11: Art club, HRC, Student outreach, natural helpers, Helen Keller National center, attending American Sign Language classes, worked (rather gained experience?? volunteered??) at Korean Embassy in Washington D.C for 1 week..

this summer...i am going on American leadership forum camp, take Stanford "Education Program for Gifted Youth" classes (i don't know if i'm really gifted or not.....) and volunteer/work/intern at UN....

Status: Asian, low-income (must, absolutely, have to, apply for financial aid....), top 6% of my class...

Paul D. Schreiber highschool in Long Island, it's a competitive school (very smart kids...and tough teachers...) there are 8 intel semifinalist in this year's seniors... about 10 people get into Ivy each year.. (but many have legacy status too...Very rich kids except few minorities...like me..)

My school weighs the grades.. (4th quarter counts more than 1st quarter, 1 more point on GPA if you're in AP or Honors class)

I know that i have low SAT scores....SAT II, i cannot do anything about it, but i am planning to take SAT I again in May. I think my teachers and counselor like me but i don't really talk in class, so they don't know me personally. I hope i can write a solid essay and i am practicing.

i took all AP classes that a junior can take..

well..... a person in my grade could have taken honors foreign language but i was in ESL in middle school (and all others start foreign language in middles school) so i wasn't allowed to start taking Spanish class until highschool... and there are prequisites to go into honors class and i didn't have that...

My school makes student take tests in order to get into AP class and there are numerous prequisites in order to get into AP class...

But....colleges don't really care about the processes...do they??


What schools are good match for me?? PLZ give me advice..

Do i have ANY chance at getting into Ivy? (or am i dreaming....?)

By Sammgc68 (Sammgc68) on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 08:50 pm: Edit

As people have said many times on this board, everyone has a chance of striking Ivy gold (or pyrite, as the case may be). But I would think you have relatively little about you that stands out. Decent classes and grades, fairly low SATs, and okay ECs, although no leadership that I can see. I would aim lower, although as I said, everyone has SOME chance.

By Jadore (Jadore) on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 08:51 pm: Edit

if you want to get into an IVY:

SAT scores - improve, aim for a 1600, even if you think a 1500 will do
SAT II scores - you can improve them!!! take the american history/physics along with writing and math, aim for 800's --- the scores you have a very good considering you didn't take the AP class but there will be people who took the AP class and have 800's
Try for a good angle such as overcoming language problems and helping others do the same by being a tutor, etc. find something that works and that is also accurate

Right now if you don't really improve the standardized test scores I think you have a good shot at great schools such as UVA, georgetown, washington U, Wesleyan --- maybe Cornell, Northwestern, UPenn as reaches

By Jadore (Jadore) on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 09:23 pm: Edit

if you want to get into an IVY:

SAT scores - improve, aim for a 1600, even if you think a 1500 will do
SAT II scores - you can improve them!!! take the american history/physics along with writing and math, aim for 800's --- the scores you have a very good considering you didn't take the AP class but there will be people who took the AP class and have 800's
Try for a good angle such as overcoming language problems and helping others do the same by being a tutor, etc. find something that works and that is also accurate

Right now if you don't really improve the standardized test scores I think you have a good shot at great schools such as UVA, georgetown, washington U, Wesleyan --- maybe Cornell, Northwestern, UPenn as reaches

By Jskim3487 (Jskim3487) on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 12:21 am: Edit

does counselor-o-matic work? because it gave me 90% same schools to the ones you gave me!! and...i heard some colleges look only at your top 3 SAT II grades...so i am trying to get over at least 700 on math& writing.. what if everything turns out fantastic on standardized test? and does early decision or Early action increase student's chance of getting in? i heard those early admissions were mostly for rich kids with legacy...(which i am not) would applying to low-Asian population school increase my chance?

By Jskim3487 (Jskim3487) on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 12:22 am: Edit

and thank you very much!!

By Haruko (Haruko) on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 10:24 am: Edit

EA isn't just for rich kids.. it's for everyone. ED and ED increase your chances. Check old posts to find out answers to your questions.

By Candi1657 (Candi1657) on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 01:43 pm: Edit

EA is for everyone. ED isn't. If you desperately need financial aid, don't apply ED. If financial aid is less of a concern, do apply ED.