I'm a international student and I only started my college abroad project this year, my extracurricular and grades are not the best, but I am significantly improving, if I reach "perfection" in these two matters will I have a shot in the Ivy League?
I'm in a similar position to you. I'm just starting to prepare, and I am in my Junior year. Of course, no one can say for sure whether anyone will get in except for the admissions staff at the schools, but the fact that you're significantly improving does give you a shot. No one is telling you to be perfect and have no flaws whatsoever. The advice I could give would be to keep doing what you're doing. The more you improve, the greater your chance!
So there is no such as perfect application and even if you start prepping in freshman and are upper-class(meaning you have tutors admissions help etc) there's no guarantee to ivies unless your dad is bill gates or you are the best of the best in a field such as you are 1st in the US in something or you in Forbes. All people have a shot but there is no harm in applying especially if you have good academics and essays. Try using the chancing calculator to see where you stand.
Hope this helps and please comment if you need clarification as Id be happy to help!
I think its fine . I did ACADECA in high shcool and one guys joined his freshman year and one an award. He ended up at Berkeley.
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Thank you for the answer! I'm so nervous with the process, the chancing calculator here gave me a bad perspective so I'm trying to improve my academics and extracurricular, but I think the same as you, they look to so many factors I might have a chance.