What are my chances of getting into competitive colleges?

Question

Here's a very condensed version of my high school transcript:

very competitive high school!

Cumulative GPA: 4.833 (3.98 unweighted)
Class Rank: 8 of 800
SAT scores: 760 Math, 700 Writing, 710 Reading

Extracurriculars:
Varsity Track and Varsity Cross Country - 2 time letter winner in each sport.
Over 300 hours of volunteer work in third world country
Spanish honor society, national honor society, mathematics honor society, math league,
vice president of computer club
co-founder/co-president of a successful badminton club

I have always taken the hardest classes my school offered.

My only concern is that I might be a bit lacking in my extracurriculars for a good school.

I want to get into schools such as Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Yale, and Cornell.

I need some expert advice!!! Am i aiming too high?

Phew! thanks for getting through it....I really appreciate any help

Note that i did really bad on my PSAT scores and was not a semi-finalist or even a commended merit student?

Will that hurt my chances?

Answer 1

You have excellent academic records and your extracurricular activities are fine. People mistake quantity for quality when in fact it is better to heavily invest in one or two activities than be all over the place.

Berkeley will weigh the following components of your application (in the order of importance): 1) your essay (Berkeley publishes a guideline on how to write your personal statement at: http://students.berkeley.edu/files/Admissions/Personal_State_07.pdf ), especially academic achievement, special talent highlighting your motivation, dedication, and/or initiative to achieve, potential to contribute to the university, special circumstances like hardship, etc.; 2) your grades and any grade trends (improvements are better than just maintaining a high GPA); 3) your test scores, including SAT and/or ACT, SAT II; and 4) number of AP courses completed compared to the number of AP courses offered at your local high school. Other factors are taken into consideration, but to a lesser extent.

Don't worry about your PSAT scores or lack of merit. Focus on your good qualities: you are hard working, motivated and competitive; these are qualities colleges are looking for in a student.

Good luck!

Answer 2

When competitive colleges are considering admitting a student they look at all aspects that give the student an edge. Yes, one of these things is GPA, which you seem to be doing very well with, but another thing they look at is the difficulty of the classes the student takes. I can not say for sure that not taking pre-calc would mess up your chances, but taking more challenging classes will definitely help you stand out in college admissions. All of my friends who got into very good college took a lot of AP classes so if I were you, I would definitely try to take as many AP classes as possible. Also those friends even took up to calculus 2 in high school. Basically take the most challenging classes your school offers as long as you can keep your GPA up.

Answer 3

Everyone accepted into those schools has "exceptionally high" grades and test scores. What would make you stand out compared to the rest of them? I don't think badminton will do it.

There are plenty of other schools where you will get at least as food of an education while actually enjoying yourself. Especially when you stay close to home. A lot of smaller liberal arts colleges will also give substantial financial assistance (your list - prepare to pay $40,000 per year + books). Schools like Macalester, Coe, Harvey Mudd, Rice (not so small), Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Tulane, Wabash, Sewanee, Rhodes, Ithaca ... there are fine schools all over the country.

Go watch The Paper Chase. Enjoy that ivy experience.

Answer 4

You will certainly get into an excellent university, and have a good shot at getting into some of the schools on your list. Nothing that you mention will disqualify you (schools will only see your excellent SAT scores and will never see your SATs).

All of the schools that you mention are possibilities for you.

There are things that could still keep you out. Being at a competitive high school will help you get into some great college -- but may hurt your chances at a particular college. If everyone at your school who is qualified applies to the same university, some will be turned down -- while if only a few of you apply, then you might all get in.

You also want to make sure that you nail your essays -- they may be the determining factor.

Answer 5

You should be alright for Berkeley. Yeah, you're kinda lacking in extra currics, but you've got a shot. Depending on your school tho, it might not be enough to get into some of those privates.

I'd definitely apply to some backup schools while hoping for the best. Even with Berkeley, depending on what major you put in, it's not guaranteed. I'd definitely apply to UCLA. Those two schools have an unnerving habit of alternately accepting a kid (meaning one does while the other doesn't, and the reverse with another kid with the same stats).

If you can afford it, and I'm pretty certain you can, I'd apply to 2 or 3 more UC's and as many other top private schools as well. If it's not too late of course.

Answer 6

You look ok to me--I think you will at least get into one or more of the universities you named. But again, college admission is known for its unruliness, so it doesn't hurt having some back-up colleges. I can't comment too much on your GPA (since my high school does not compute it), or SAT (since I took the old version before they introduced writing). If you think you screwed up on PSAT, you are not obliged to report/send in the scores; I remember that I did PSAT partly "for fun" that was around the 60th percentile or something, but that didn't affect at all my chances of getting into a college that I aspired to go to. Extracurriculars look impressive, at least the way you've written it, though arts is somewhat missing from the profile (I presume you'll be a science/engineering major and participate in college varsity?) But all I can tell you is that most Ivy Leagues care more about the depth / commitment in a handful of activities rather than about how many activities you have. Pick things you really enjoy, dive into them, and talk about them with genuine passion on your application / interview.

Answer 7

I don't think your PSAT performance will hurt you much, if at all, given that you certainly turned this around for your SATs. I'm wondering about your SAT Subject Test scores, as well, and AP tests/scores.

But that said -- despite the fact that I am not an expert, per se -- I think you have a very good chance of getting into one or more of those schools. By that I mean that you COULD get into any of them, but you will very likely get into at least one of them. Carnegie Mellon and Cornell would be my guesses as to the "easiest" to get into. I know people who got into Cornell for class of 2010 with less to "offer."

On the other hand, I know a very bright young lady with much to offer who didn't get into Yale. And I know of three hyper-bright/talented, credentialed students, none of whom was accepted to their first choice (top-ranked/Ivy) schools...but WERE accepted to other top schools to which they applied.

Suggest you add in a school or two just a level below, as your "safety" schools.

I'm sure you'll end up at a fine institution. Keep up the good work and do something great with your education.

Answer 8

You need to go visit the colleges you think you're interested in.
The college experience is about more than where you get into, and where you graduate from. It's about how and what you do while you're there.
What do you want to do as a career when you finish college? Some schools are better than others for certain careers.
Is money a factor? Is distance from your family a factor?
Think seriously about this. It's about more than the name of the school or the prestige it carries.