ivy league?

Question

i'm a sophomore in highschool with a 4.0 gpa and have a SAT score of around 2000 right now. Im also in IB and play track and wrestle at a varsity level on the school team. Hopefully, I'll raise up the SAT score before i take it in march next year. I live in california and I'm thinking about going to UCLA, Berkeley, Stanford, or one of the Ivy schools. Which would be my best bet? Would I make it into one of the ivy schools? maybe not harvard or yale, but I heard cornell and Upenn wasnt too hard to get into.. any suggestions?

Answer 1

You can compare your SAT score against the kids at these schools by checking their websites.. possibly you are beginning to understand that these elite schools receive thousands of applications from kids with really high SAT scores, GPAs and long lists of extracurricular activities. In general, unless you are at the state champion level, sports is not going to impress them much. But they do want to see some way in which you have made an impact -- what do you have a passion for? What is there that makes you stand out from 15,000 top students who are going to be turned away....
If you have a good answer for that question, then you have a fighting chance of admission to the Ivies, Stanford, Duke, Chicago, Washington U, etc.

Answer 2

Next year is supposed to be the hardest year for applicants so admission to the ivys isn't guaranteed for anyone (they were turning down 2400s this year!)
If you really want to get into one, get your SATs up, be captain on your sports teams, keep taking high level courses and do well, get involved in other clubs, do community service, basically anything to set you apart from the other candidates.
Still apply because you definately have a shot, but also look at schools at the level just below the ivys (some high level state schools UMich, UNC, UVA, UCLA, UBerkeley, and some great private schools USC, Northwestern, Wake Forest, Duke, etc.)
Make sure you apply to some safeties too, I'm sure you won't need to resort to them, but you want to have some assurance.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

I'm a junior, and let me tell you... you're pretty much ahead of the game. Just be sure you give them amazing recommendation letters, and have lots of extracurriculars, including community service. Also, if your school offers the AP Test, take as many as you can. And don't sell yourself short. Go for the ones you really hope to get into, that way, the worst that could happen is you end up with your second best choice.

Just make sure you're also having a good time in high school. Its not the "golden years" exactly, but it can be a good time if you let it.

Answer 4

i would sugest that you apply for harvard and yale for two reasons
1.keep your options open so you dont regret not applying in the first place
and
2.if you were to be accepted you would feel really good