Princeton, Dartmouth, Harvard?

Question

Do I have a chance in getting into one of these schools?
-4.02 GPA
-10+honors/AP classes
-tons of extracurriular activties including sports and community service
-ethinic minority
-1st generation to go to college
-22 on ACT, i do bad on standerized tests....(retaking aiming for 30-32)
-Subject Tests:
700 spanish w/listening
800 spanish reading
600 math lvl 1
580 math lvl 2

Answer 1

It's really impossible to say whether someone will or will not get into a particular college, even if you're a legacy or valedictorian. However, do you have a chance? Yes. Minority status will help you if you're African-American, Hispanic, or Native American.

You will have a better chance if you up your standardized tests scores, though. Practice, practice, practice. If you can afford it, take the Kaplan class. If not, get their review book from the bookstore, and practice. I would double check to see if you need the SAT as well- those three schools may only accept ACT scores in lieu of SAT II subject tests. For your AP exams, are you getting 4's and 5's? If you aren't, those classes may help you less than you think.

And above all, work hard, hard, hard on your essays. For that caliber school, the essays are very important. The admissions committee can accept a full class of valedictorians with SAT scores in the 99th percentile, but they don't do this because they want to build an incoming class that is diverse, not just in terms of ethnicity and race, but in terms of interests, abilities, and personalities. Your essay will tell them who you are and what you think you can contribute to the freshman class.

Also make sure that you apply to schools that you are pretty sure that you can get into. Those three schools are a reach for ANYONE applying to college, no matter what their record is. You should have a no-brainer school that you will get into (maybe a state school), some schools that you will probably, most likely get into, and then your reaches. Good luck!

Answer 2

Here is some absolutely solid advice, given your specific situation.

Your qualifications are superb, but as you know, standardized tests are your greatest problem in terms of admissions.

While you should still apply to the schools you've mentioned, they will be "reach" schools for you. Make sure to apply to some of the schools on the list below.

These schools are among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation, and admissions at each one of these institutions is SAT AND ACT OPTIONAL.

Bard College, NY
Bates College, ME
Bennington College, NY
Bowdoin College, ME
Connecticut College, CT
Dickinson College, PA
Drew University, NJ
Franklin and Marshall College, PA
Gustavus Adolphus College, MN
Hamilton College, NY
Hampshire College, MA
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, NY
Lewis and Clark College, OR
Middlebury College, VT
Pitzer College, CA
Sarah Lawrence College, NY

You've got a lot going for you. These are well-endowed schools, and you will definitely get some very substantial scholarship money from whichever of these highly respected institutions you choose.

If Harvard, Dartmouth, and Princeton do not come calling (which they might, or might not), you'll be a competitive candidate for grad school at any of them with an undergraduate degree from any of the schools above.

Best wishes to you!

Answer 3

Something to think about when it comes to the Ivy League. My daughter was courted by Wellesley, Radcliffe, Tulane, etc. When we looked in to the undergraduate programs, we found huge classes of 100-400 students and that many of the courses were taught by grad students and assistant professors. The "big names" and full professors taught mostly upper level and graduate level courses. Instead, we opted for a small, highly rated private college at 1/4 of the cost. There were 1600 students on campus and the attention from professors was extremely personal. The class sizes never exceeded 22 students and ALL were taught by full professors. She went on to get a full scholarship to law school. So - don't get hung up on getting into a big name school. You are not guaranteed of getting a better education. ANY good school will prepare you if you put the effort into your studies. Investigate smaller private colleges that offer more personal attention. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Answer 4

The minority status will help a lot, as will a number of other things on your list, but, yeah, you'll need a higher ACT than that I think. One tier down from those, you'd have a better chance.

As far as being part fo the first generation of your family to go to college, it makes a great story, but legacies, so I understand, will help others whose family have already been through those schools get some priority.

Answer 5

honestly, probably not

sorry

i have a 4.33333 gpa

19 honors/AP/college classes

too many extracurricular activities

1st generation

a 1870 on SAT

etc

and i got into ncsu for engineering

but i have friends that have better gpas and stuff

that didn't get into UNC Chapel Hill

sorry, but you can try






UPDATE

just checked my transcript i have 23 honors/AP/college classes

good luck with whatever you try

just remember, don't go for the name, go for the education

Answer 6

honestly you have very little chance , there are applicants with extremely high standardized test scores and a gpa just as good as yours plus extra extracurriculars just as good as yours , why would they take you instead of them ? you possess good qualifications and there are so many really respected schools that you could qualify for. stop being hung up on these "ivy leagues"

Answer 7

Of course you have a chance. The key is to distinguish yourself from all the other applicants who will have identical stats. Stop by collegecoach.biz anytime and we can come up with a game plan specifically tailored for your background.

Answer 8

try rankings and ECs are tremendous. Get some volunteer artwork achieved and get yet another significant job like the first internship. (Umping for baseball, operating for a agency.) no offense although the GPA stinks so deliver it up save on with to all of them Edit-how did you get that internship

Answer 9

Have daddy give the college of your choice a $50,000 endoument. They will accept you with open arms.

Answer 10

Impressive resume......of course you have a chance! But Harvard isnt all that great, its only famous for its Name. Its just like a regular college with good publicity