What are the chances of getting into a top 20 school with reduced academic rigor?

Answered

Hi @Farfee24,

Thanks for your question. It's a tricky one because most Black applicants are not upper middle class. Furthermore, most Black applicants do not attend charter schools nor have high SAT test scores.

Top colleges' #1 concern for the applicants is that they made the absolute most of the opportunities that were presented to them at school, in their community, and at home through the resources provided by their parents. If your school didn't offer many APs and you took most of them, then I would say your lack of APs will not harm your chances. But if your high school offered 15-20 APs and you took 6 (2 that will show up with grades and 4 this upcoming sr. year), then you are on the low side for the types of colleges you are applying to. Also, most admit to having some awards attached to their APs like AP scholars with distinction. Having only taken 2 APs and I'm not sure if you took the exams and what you did on them, you kind of missed out on that 1 standard honor that many people have.

Your leadership also seems a bit of a grey area for someone hoping to attend these prestigious colleges. A newspaper club is not the same thing as being Editor and Chief of the official high school newspaper, and you are sort of vague on the other 3 ECs.

Except perhaps for Emory or Vandy, I think you would have a better chance at schools that offer some form of merit scholarship like Tulane, Northeastern, WashU, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, Davidson, Washington and Jefferson, Oberlin, American, University of Miami, Trinity University SA, Case Western, Santa Clara, SMU, Dickinson, Baylor, RPI.

The Best of Luck to you.