Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Dear Mr. Bradshaw --
I am applying to several Ivy League colleges this fall as well as several other highly selective schools.
My projected academic profile reads as follows: I will graduate first in my class of 500 and my GPA is 5.089 (weighted) on a 4.0 scale. I have an SAT score of 2350 and a 35—36 on the ACT. I have taken nine advanced placement classes and completed the Yale Global Scholars Program in the summer of 2012.
I am wondering what the admissions rates are for each of the colleges on my list and what you think about my chance of admission?
Signed: Student Google+
Dear Student, --
Thanks to your superb academic record your chance of admission to each college is good.
I cannot be more specific because the admissions profiles for the freshman class at these schools changes each year. This is why you are wise to apply to so many colleges.
For example, Harvard may like your participation in the Yale Summer Program more than the University of Chicago. Washington University St. Louis may feel that you were too strong a candidate and reject you in order to admit someone they feel would accept their offer and not turn them down for Harvard.
Having an extra-curricular record of accomplishments in addition to academic success will help. The quality of your application essays will also play a major role.
The number of applications and acceptance rates for the colleges on your list for the class of 2017 are:
Brown, 28,919 — 9.2 percent; Columbia, 33,531 — 6.9 percent; Cornell, 40,006 — 15.2 percent; Dartmouth, 22,416 — 10 percent; Harvard, 35,023 — 5.8 percent; Penn, 31,280 — 12.1 percent; Princeton, 26,498 — 7.29 percent; Yale, 29,610 — 6.7 percent; University of Chicago, 30,396 — 8.8 percent; Washington U. St Louis, 30,117 — 15.01 percent; Stanford, 38,828 — 5.69 percent; University of California Berkeley, 67,627 — 21.55 percent (class of 2016).
As a junior, the best way to increase your chance of admission is to start planning for the application process now.
All colleges in the Ivy League use the Common Application (www.commonapp.org) which will open on Aug. 1. Colleges that do not participate in the Common Application program use their own application formats so you need to check each school for their opening dates.
You should also find out which of your selected colleges offer Early Action and Early Decision admissions. Early Action plans are non-binding while Early Decision Schools require you to attend.
Check the College Board website for more information on the EA and ED programs.
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