There's a student with a 4.14 gpa, a lot of academic awards, leadership skills, aced the AP courses, and excelled in other areas. However, her SAT score is only 1720. Does she still have a chance of landing into an ivy league school? The schools have sent her tons of letters.
2007-01-03 16:19:40 · 9 answers · asked by lashell 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Standards & Testing
The Ivy League schools are extremely competitive. You have to realize that 15,000 - 20,000 of the best students in the USA apply to each one, and they can only take about 1300 -1500.
So, any weakness in an applicant is a big problem, and a 1720 score on the new three-part SAT is quite low. At Princeton, for instance, nearly a 3rd of the kids had at least one 800 and totalled over 2250.
On the other hand, since they get thousands of applications from kids with perfect-plus GPAs and long extracurricular lists, they have to try to look for something more. They look for someone who has done something truly outstanding in some field - won a National Science award, been a state champion runner, competed in the National Debate tournament, learned three languages and volunteered at the hospital as a translator, started a business and earned the $180,000 that it will take to attend an Ivy league school (not $1 million as the ignoramus said)
If you have done something that you can hold up and say, this is unique! this shows that I am way more than just a grind who gets a good GPA.... then you have a chance.
There are a lot of good schools that are not Ivy League. CHeck the US News list of top 100, or the PRinceton Review list of top 300. A lot of those schools will pay a scholarship to get a good student like you. Look around!
ps getting a letter from the school doesn't mean too much. It costs them 50 cents to send a letter and if you apply they get $70 so it's basically advertising to get you into the system
2007-01-04 03:08:12 · answer #1 · answered by matt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be competitive at a highly selective school (such as Ivy Leagues) students need to be averaging over 600 on each exam. 1720 is good, but not great. However, colleges look at the whole application, so while test scores are important, they aren't everything.
I'd retake the SAT if you are not a senior. If you're a senior, most colleges won't look at scores from after December of the senior year.
Like all applicants, you should apply where you want to go. But always, always have a good back up plan and apply to schools that are not as competitive just to be sure you have somewhere to go.
And don't think that Ivy leagues are the only "good" schools out there. I firmly believe that it's more important what you do at college than which college you attend.
Good luck!
2007-01-04 00:51:43 · answer #2 · answered by College Advisor 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
im still in highschool, but I checked out the college applications profile for my schools class of 2006. i looked up the ivy league schools, and everyone who was accepted into an ivy league school had a sixth semester gpa of 4.3 and higher, and SAT scores of 2200 or higher.
I think the person ur talking about has a chance to get into an ivy league school. if she retakes her SATs and does better, then probably. also, did she take any SAT II Subject Tests?
2007-01-05 23:31:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Based on what you have shared, I think that you've done very well. Just because you didn't get a perfect score does not mean that you are not smart or ready for college. Didn't you say that you aced your AP courses? Those are ACTUAL college level courses-true indicators of your success. Also, look at your GPA-it's amazing! Your awards and services will also be helpful. All in all, F**K if people say that you're not ivy league material; you're smart.
2007-01-04 01:00:14 · answer #4 · answered by truthfulone 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I agree with Big Al's answer. The schools are really looking for a well rounded student. Yes, grades matter but so do other attributes. Civic minded? Involved in the local scene? It's not all about the brains. How many people do you know that are really book smart and can't make macaroni and cheese without going into a melt down? My daughter is very very smart and takes advanced classes but when it comes to people smarts and common sense, she's lost. She dyes her hair black because she is sick of the dumb blonde cracks she gets. Penny wise and pound foolish? Yep, that's it. Brains don't give personality, character does.
2007-01-04 00:48:49 · answer #5 · answered by BeckyT 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ivy league will cost you about a million bucks after you pay everything off. If your family has that much money, payoff the entrance officer to at least look at you AFTER you retake the SAT's at least twice!
This is the truth, take it for what you want.
2007-01-04 00:28:18 · answer #6 · answered by supadupa 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Retake the SAT. Most students nowadays do horrible on the essay part, because they have been taught "creative writing" and that's not what the test asks for.
2007-01-04 00:24:09 · answer #7 · answered by supensa 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Extra-curricular activties are also a primary aspect on a college's view of you. I only had a 3.5 GPA and 1710 on my SAT's but still got into UVM and Bentley, as well as having done community services and sports.
2007-01-04 00:36:54 · answer #8 · answered by BigAl 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
veryyy slim chance unless she has a lot of etra-cirriculums
2007-01-04 00:27:10 · answer #9 · answered by missindia426 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋