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College admissions has gotten crazy to the point where even the geniuses of CC can't really guess whether you're going to Harvard or that Ivy League of your dreams.

Here's the deal. If you're looking at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, or any other elite school, you'll get a "you've got a great shot" if you have a combination of:

1500+ SAT and 3.8+ GPA (uw)
Medium Strong ECs(prez of a club, sports)
"good" essays and recs

Anything less, and the CC posters will say "ROFL no way." Keep in mind that if you're an URM, have a strong hook, or if you're one of those LEGACIES, then you still have a great shot.

The only surefire way for us to accurately gauge your chances is if you post your stats, ecs, gpa, AND YOUR ESSAYS.

Hope this helps eliminate a lot of extraneous posts.

By Conker (Conker) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 06:52 am: Edit

Good point. The truth is that HYP are not "crapshoots" as everyone here seems to suggest. That guy with the 1600 SAT and a million EC's didn't get into Harvard because he lacked depth and his essays and recs were probably crap. I've read quite a few essays on this message board, and I've seen only one worthy of the Ivy Leagues, much less HYP. Just because someone says "I have great recs and essays, I'm sure" doesn't mean that they do.

The essays and recs count for a lot more than you might think they do. The fact is that everyone who's applying to these top schools have a 1480+ SAT, 10+ AP's, 750+ SAT II's, and a 3.8+ unweighted GPA. Everyone is in NHS, everyone is the president of some club, everyone is on a sports team, etc. Doing these things isn't "special" anymore. Because of the staggering volume of apps with these same stats, you're not gonna get anywhere with them. They have pretty much become prerequisites to any college app.

By Amarsn (Amarsn) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 07:50 am: Edit

So for those of you who are Juniors, the most important part of your application is not the scores, stats, and EC's, although they are very important. The only way to really stand out from the crowd, (unless you really are the one with the IQ of 200 and perfect grades on everything you've ever done) is to sell yourself in your essays. Stanford even said to me when i was there, "Don't retake your SAT's. Spend three hours on a saturday rewriting your essays."
As you do the application process, whenever a good idea for an essay comes along, write it down. Before you send your essays to X College, have someone who knows you really well read it. Have them tell you if it's who you are like.

Because, unless you're one of the few people in the world who has no personality, an essay that reveals who you really are is infinitely preferable to a "i hope this is what you're looking for, so that's what i'm going to say," kind of answer.

And make sure you have at least two teachers who worship the ground you walk on.

By Subtrunks (Subtrunks) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 07:01 pm: Edit

Well guys I made it to Swarthmore and I want to know my chances at Harvard. Here are my stats

-----
I applied to Swarthmore College, Amherst College, Williams College, Univesity of Rochester, Harvard University, and University of Florida. I would like to know my chances of getting accepted to the afore mentioned institutions. I did participate in Open House weekends and those sort of events for Swarthmore, Amherst, and Williams. Those 3 schools paid the air fare for me to go check out their campus and what not. I don't know if that might have relevance in their decision making. So please let me know what the opinions in making it to the school.

Well my stats are

Background:
US resident
Hispanic
Bilingual

AP's:
Chemistry - 3 (i really messed up on that test)
Calc AB sub - 4
Calc BC- 3
English Comp- 3
Spanish Language - 5
Physics B- 4
Physics C Mech: Score to be determined upon AP examination.
Physics C E&M: Score to be determined upon AP examination.
Enviromental Science- Score to be determined upon AP examination.
Human Geography- Score to be determined upon AP examination.
Psychology-Score to be determined upon AP examination.
Enlgish Literature- Score to be determined upon AP examination.

SAT: 1310
*Verbal: 670
*Math:640
ACT: 27


SAT II:
Physics: 700
Math 2C: 650
Writing: 560

GPA Unweighted: 3.47 out of 4.0
Weighted: 5.3 out of 6.0

Activities & Awards:
AP Scholar with distinction
Baush & Lomb Scholar[U of R book award] (think i mispelled it but w/e i hope you all understand)
10th grade outstanding science student
Placed 6th in nation during 2002 TEAMS engineering competition.
Placed 4th in state during 2003 TEAMS engineering competition.
Worked at McDonald's for 5 months.
Lab Aide for sophmore year
150 hours of community service
Some other insignificant stuff


I'am 8th in a class of 1113. So that would be coutned as top 1 percent. I come from Miami Florida.

Transcript:
Freshman Year
Algebra 1: B
Honors English 1: B
Random Elective: B
Random Elective: B
Honors Chemistry: B
World History Honors: B


Sophmore Year
Algebra 2 Honors: A
Physics Honors: A
Lab Aide: A
Random Elective: B
English 2 Honors:B
Random Elective: B


Junior Year:
AP Chem:A
AP Physics B:A
AP Calc BC: A
AP English Comp: A
AP Spanish Comp: B
Honors US His: A


Senior Year: (Mid Year)
AP Physics C: A
AP Human Geo: A
AP Psych: A
AP Enviromental Sci: A
Honors Economics: A
AP Literature: B

Anything Written (these are earlier drafts and forget the names of the school used ..my essay=generic for everyone)
#1.
The JETS has been the most meaningful of my activities. Besides tutoring it is the only extracurricular activity that I embraced in my freshman year of high school. That year I was the only freshman that participated in the club and it gave me a chance to interact with upper class men and make friendships that I still hold dear to this day. I learned leadership skills from the experience gained being president and vice-president. I was given the chance to lead even though I was the youngest member in the club. Hence this year instead of running for president I decided to run for vice-president letting younger members of the club learn the skills necessary to run the club once my class graduates. The fact the only requirement to enter the club is interest in engineering and science also makes it meaningful to me. Honor societies and such place requirements on memberships that drive away potential members that can accomplish and further the club to new heights of accomplishment. The JETS is inclusive and allows its members including myself to grow and flourish as people. That is why the JETS has meant so much to me.

(i explained what JETS was ealier in the application)

#2
Every year in high school I have been awarded honor rolls for academic distinction. Sophmore year I was awarded the tenth grade outstanding science student award. That year my JETS club attended the TEAMS engineering competition and placed sixth in the nation. Junior year I awarded the Baush and Lomb science award in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and superior intellectual promise in the field of science. In addition that year we placed fourth in the state for the TEAMS competition. During the beginning of Senior year I received the honor of being named AP scholar with distinction because of my AP test scores from the previous year.

Numbers 1 & 2 just need to be grammatically correct and what not. Number 1 you can take your liberty and edit it so that the activity sounds "more" meaningful. Number 2 can be rearanged to sound better and what not.

#3
Why I want to attend Random School
A typical day in Miami is characterized by the seeping sunshine of multiculturalism that permeates all aspects of life in the area. A mist of diversity is present on everything that is touched by the rays of the sun. One can see that Miami is not a typical city. Miami could be considered the hub of latin America. A place were all hispanic cultures mix in a stew of delicant diversity. Yet Miami does not limit itself to offering a safe heaven to the thousands of new faces it receives every month. In fact, it could be said that Miami is one of the only places in the world where a group of friends composed of a South Korean, Colombian, Indian, Egyptian, and German American are united in "Salsa" lessons. This strange and exciting energy is evoked by all the differences that defy the status quo. The energy is not superficial, it digs deep into its surroundings just as the fresh and delightful odors of "cafeterias" permeate the landscape. Schools in Miami are quite different from the rest of the nation. From the English teacher that enjoys video games more than her students do, to the native born Ohioan that could not live without Cuban coffee and "gallo pinto" (rice and kidney beans) who occasionally brings doughnuts to his second period physics class; life and learning is truly different in Miami.

For all the great rises, there are even greater falls. The world is a vast field that must be explored and mapped on a individual basis. Its wonders lie in the eye of the beholder. Fear is the mother of all failure and fear of change has destroyed countless individuals. For one to be truly educated, to become a Renaissance man of the twenty-first century, travel and exploration are a necessity. A Renaissance man is one who is able to "make informed judgments and interpretations of the broader world around him and choose actions or beliefs for which they are willing to be held accountable." I yearn to improve my writing and hope to be inspired and socially aware as (famous alumn/ person associated with the school). To see the falling leafs of Autumn and be able to focus on the differences in my small world. To see snow. As negible as this seems, this is only one of the many things that should be experienced in a lifetime to become a productive and valuable citizen. A place such as (name of school) thousands of miles away from what is known and mapped by myself would be perfect to start a journey that lasts a life time. A territory so remote and alien to my eyes that the first thing that must be learnt is to adapt to it. A remote yet familiar place for the same diversity enjoyed in Miami is what makes (name of school) thrive. This is why I would like to attend (name of school). To have a home away from home. To experience the world and become a better human being in the process.Why I want to attend Swarthmore

Extra essay for amherst and swarthmore
A school is simply an institution of learning. That is what we are told to think. Since the conception of rational ideas there must be labels for everything that enters the realm of man. Yes a school is an institution of learning. The college experience is not just "going to school". For most it is a liberating experience that may open the door of one's dreams or unlock pandora's box. This depends on a number of factors. Your peers are paramount to cultivating and perpetuating a environment of enjoyable scholarly activity. Such an environment is lacking in my current school. There are great teachers and bright future leaders but the bond which ties such a system is loose, chaotic and at best indifferent towards the individual needs of the students, teachers, and staff. This lack of unity and fellowship is what separates good schools from great ones. My school is good. (random school) is renown not only for its academic reputation but for a small quaint size and amicable spirit. A spirit which exemplifies what is missing in my daily life. I as an individual hope to indulge in this spirit that (random school) emanates, if allowed attend.

By Robert456 (Robert456) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 10:05 pm: Edit

OK- you have posted that a million times already. Probably not, because your stats are so low, your minority status will not help so much. Maybe you have a chance, but I doubt it. HYP has plenty of minorities to choose from.

By Collegeguy (Collegeguy) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 01:45 am: Edit

Subtrunks,

I'll be very honest. Your essays are not near to what the Ivy League wants out of its applicants - they were a little forced, a little too impersonal, a little trite.

But see, I said all that assuming you're white/asian. Now I don't mean to disrespect you as an intellectual or anything, but your being Hispanic will help you TREMENDOUSLY with Harvard. However, you should also know that being Hispanic no longer carries the same "URM effect" as being African American or Native American. Taking a holistic approach, I'd say that you have a 45% (a little abitrary) chance of admission. Best of luck.

By Amylase (Amylase) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 07:48 am: Edit

hehe,

I don't think people will honestly sub their essays on CC. Why? what if adcoms come here and see your essay? they can then match you up

By Stargazrlilychk (Stargazrlilychk) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 09:21 am: Edit

i think u have a decent shot, and i think being hispanic is why. a friend of mine got into harvard w/ a 1250 SAT and like a 3.7 gpa b/c her parents are mexicans. however, u gotta remember that they do it by region of the country also, and im sure there's TONS of mexicans in florida. my friend was from PA, where there's like no mexicans.

By Yodisistim (Yodisistim) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 10:04 am: Edit

I couldn't even get into an Ivy league if I wanted to; they don't have my major (except Columbia for grad). The highest ranked institution for that matter is Northwestern which I won't apply to because of the Midwestern location... I think everyone with "decent" grades have a fair chance of getting in to the ivies. I think however, that the essay and recs play so much of a bigger part in the decision. I know a man who transfered to Brown with a terrible high school transcript and a 3.5 college GPA and he got in because he had a story to tell (he had been in a gang and got in trouble with the law)

By Subtrunks (Subtrunks) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 06:05 pm: Edit

I don't think Adcom's have time to look up things on CC. Even if they did I don't think there would be any negativity towards someone who wants to his chances.

By Jazzykeyboard (Jazzykeyboard) on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 09:16 pm: Edit

i dunno....

First I'd say that Subtrunks has a chance... I think that Ivies are a LOT more difficult to predict than one would think... also you have to remember that multiple people are reading your admissions stuff... so it's INCREDIBLY uneven especially since Harvard's into quirky things...

Second I'd dissagree w/ collegeguy...
this year my PUBLIC high school in New Jersey got 5 kids into cornell, 4 into Columbia, 6 into U Penn, and 1 into Yale... of which i would say only about maybe at MOST 4 meet YOUR criteria...

For instance, I got into Columbia University but I only had a 1470 SAT, 3.52 GPA prolly not even in the top 50 of my class of about 500... but i was captain of two swim teams, President of MUN, was an officer on both Student Council and Class council and winner of multiple state level piano competitions... my point: it's a LOT more complicated than just your transcript, it's your resume, essays, communications, and even the mood that the admissions' office is in...

By Congresssenator (Congresssenator) on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 09:20 pm: Edit

"Why? what if adcoms come here and see your essay? they can then match you up."

The adcom could look at my main EC and location and immediately match me up. :/

By Alex614 (Alex614) on Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 07:39 pm: Edit

Subtrunks I think you have a chance of getting in but admission into an Ivy League is unpredictable. Being a minority does help to some degree. I'll give you some quotes from a Harvard Admissions officer. "Ivy league schools recruit heavily to identify and attract applications from highly qualified African American, Mexican American, Native American, and Puerto Rican students, for instance, because there are fewer strong candidates from these backgrounds." Keep in mind that the minority card really helps Mexicans and Puerto Ricans more, and if you are not one of those than you are competing with Asians and Jews. "...rates...tend to be higher than the admissions rates for (non-mexican, non- Puerto-Rican) hispanic American, Asian American, and white applicants." If you want I can actually provide some case studies from Harvard that show applicants that have almost the same scores.