I'm a freshman in High School (15) and for the past 6 years, it has been my dream to get into an Ivy League School. In 8th grade, I took the SATs and I got a 1680 but I hope to do much better by the time I take them late junior year. I practice word and math questions every day. I also have 100 percents in all of my classes excluding geometry which I have a 99 percent in. I would be first in the class if another student wasn't taking two weighted math classes (Algebra II and Geometry) in order to have half days her senior year to go to an internship at a local law firm. I have been swimming competitively on a YMCA team for the past 9 years. Too, I have been taking piano lessons since 1st grade. As well, I am in the Girl Scouts and have spent hundreds of hours helping my community. Some community service projects that I've been involved in include visiting shut-ins, hosting a week-long day camp for younger Girl Scouts, hosting a weekend camping trip for scouts in the area, organizing clothing at the local women's shelter, hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for underprivileged children, and coordinating an annual mother-daughter dinner. I am on my school's tennis, swim, and track teams. Since there is a shortage of clubs freshmen can be a member of at my school, I am a member of only the Nutritional Committee and Art Club. Once a week, I volunteer at the local hospital’s gift shop. I have over 300 hours now. Too, I lifeguard at the local pool. Oh, and over the summer, I am following around a state legislator for a few days. Do you think any Ivy League school would consider me?
Update:oh and they are all honors classes!
Answers & Comments
Those are all great achievements that you should be proud of!
Unfortunately, this is what the resume of every. single. ivy. league. student. looks. like. ) : They're the best of the best; the students that do things you didn't really think were possible...that kid who has a 4.5 gpa, is valedictorian, captain of the basketball team, class president, volunteers at hospitals on her "free time", members of every club there is, founder of an organization/charity, ect.
The good news? You're just a freshman. You have time!
Don't drive yourself crazy, you don't actually need everything I listed. You need to do something to stand out. I don't know what that is, but you need to become that exceptional student.
Also, try Cornell. It's the easiest to get into. ( :
Look- don't dream of going to an ivy just because of the name. I wanted to go to Harvard starting in 2nd grade...just for the name. This year (my Junior year in high school), I got over that.
Good luck, and I hope everything works out for you! Never feel like you're not good enough. you should be beyond proud of what you've achieved already! ( :
Everyone applying to the ivies has the highest grades in the hardest classes and very high test scores. You need all that just to compete, and far more to get in. Nothing you mentioned here would make you stand out for a top school (they turn down thousands of 4.0 students and valedictorians every year) and you also didn't give a good reason to attend one in the first place. What will an ivy do for you no other school can, besides bragging about it? If you're considering them all, you don't have a good reason for considering any of them. They are very different schools.
You are definitely on the right track!
To be competitive for an Ivy League university, however, all of your academic classes should be either honors or AP classes (to the extent available at your school). You didn't mention whether you were taking all honors/AP classes; if not, make sure you are next year.
While Ivy League schools look for honors and AP classes, they will analyze your unweighted grades for admissions purposes. An unweighted GPA of 3.85/4.00 is average for most Ivy League universities (Harvard, Yale and Princeton will be higher).
It is possible, but you are far from college at this point. It's hard to determine right now.