What are my chances of getting into Ivy League, Chicago or Stanford?

Hi all,

I'm seriously thinking of applying to Harvard, Stanford, Chicago and Dartmouth.

My GCSE grades are very average (665555443) and I am doing a level 3 BTEC diploma (equivalent to 2 A-levels) and an A-level in Psychology and I am also doing the EPQ). My predicted grades are: Distinction, Distinction, A + A in EPQ.

However, although I have very mediocre grades, especially for the ivies; I am a primary legacy at Harvard and have other family members who attended there. My uncle is a professor at Stanford and I have had two research papers published. I am a US citizen but I understand this doesn't help in regards to admission but will do for financial aid.

So I guess what I'm asking is, despite my grades, do I still have a chance with these 'hooks' to gain admission to these top universities?

Thanks

Reply 1

S.carter

If you’ve so many connections at these schools can’t you just ask them straight up?

Reply 2

username1539513

Your academics are likely below par for Ivy League universities and it’s unlikely you’ll get in anyway considering Ivy League universities want excellence in all areas of your life including sporting, voluntary and many others. I don’t think they accept BTEC in lieu of A-level but I could be wrong

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 3

Jared223

I emailed both Harvard and Stanford and haven’t received a reply yet. I did email my Uncle and he said it’s incredibly hard to get in-which I was already aware of- but on the common app it asks if you have a family member in faculty as well as asking if you’re a legacy.

Legacies supposedly have a much higher chance of admission which was why I was thinking of applying.

As far as I can tell, I’m in a very strange grey area.

Reply 4

A Rolling Stone

Original post by Jared223

you might get into a Community College in Kentucky.

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

Original post by A Rolling Stone

you might get into a Community College in Kentucky.

I second this opinion. Getting into an Ivy League is stupidly difficult considering the competition. Also, in terms of legacy, I’m pretty sure American universities are trying to remove it as a means of acceptance. Have you done any ACT/SAT tests and if so, do they fall into the accepted range by those universities?

Reply 6

Jared223

Original post by A Rolling Stone

you might get into a Community College in Kentucky.

Original post by Anonymous

Why Kentucky? And how do community colleges work?

Reply 7

Jared223

Original post by Anonymous

Oh and I haven't taken the official tests yet but I've been practising for the SAT and have completed multiple practice tests, receiving around 730 on the English and writing sections and 730 on the maths section.

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

Original post by Jared223

Why Kentucky? And how do community colleges work?

Community colleges are different to the ivy leagues in that they are not private research universities and they have much more generous acceptance rates. Have you done your ACT/SAT yet?

Reply 9

username3941996

No chance, especially with average GCSEs and a BTEc. I’m sorry but you are wasting your time if you think you can get into Ivy League with that

Reply 10

A Rolling Stone

Original post by Jared223

Why Kentucky? And how do community colleges work?

you start off at a community college and can then 'step up' to a proper 4-year university

Reply 11

Jared223

Original post by Professional G

No chance, especially with average GCSEs and a BTEc. I’m sorry but you are wasting your time if you think you can get into Ivy League with that

Would these schools take into the account the fact that my mother and both my brothers were all believed to have cancer during my GCSE period which caused me an infinite amount of stress which I believed, was the main reason as to why I didn't get the greatest GCSEs in the world. This is why I actually had to pursue the BTEC + one A-level route.

Original post by A Rolling Stone

you start off at a community college and can then 'step up' to a proper 4-year university

How easy is it to transfer to a 4-year institution?

Reply 12

username3941996

Original post by Jared223

How easy is it to transfer to a 4-year institution?

Nope. I’m sorry but I don’t think there’s a good chance they will even consider that.

Reply 13

cordso

To be honest, your chances are very unlikely. You would need a good academic profile and will need to meet their benchmark (which is very high). BTECs are more vocational than academic, so they most likely wouldn't consider you due to that.

Reply 14

Jared223

Original post by Professional G

Nope. I’m sorry but I don’t think there’s a good chance they will even consider that.

You're most likely right. Are you aware of any other decent US colleges that might? I was hoping to apply to private ones as they seem to be the only colleges that actually offer grants.

Reply 15

Jared223

Original post by cordso

I think I might just apply and see what happens. You get four for free so it's worth a try.

Reply 16

hoixw

Legacies are big in the US, but having talked to many admissions officers they won't admit a sub-par candidate because their parents went there. It's more of a little boost nowadays. I've been told of 34 ACT A*A*A*A* predicted students who get rejected from all the ivies just because they, well, can.

Reply 17

username4830382

To be 100% honest, even with your connections your chances of admission are quite low, considering how selective these universities are. However, if you REALLY want to attend these universities I would definitely apply, even if your admission chances are unlikely, just so you don’t spend the rest of your time at uni thinking “what if?”

Reply 18

Jared223

Yeah I’ve decided to just go for it. Thanks man. I’ll probably just get rejected but as you said, the only way I definitely won’t get in, is if I don’t apply.