<p>I'm a junior at the officially ranked number one public school in my state (a new england state), and I am a certified Native American (I am caucasian but also part Native American-- I have a CDIB aka Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood and I am a member of my tribe). I received an 800 in both writing and reading, a 740 in math, and an 800 in U.S.H. and math I. I have 900 and counting community service hours-- I have volunteered at a nursing home and a soup kitchen since 8th grade. I have also worked at a grocery store 20+ hours a week as a cashier and front end manager for two years. I have created a successful Q&A website for teens struggling with social issues. (I was badly bullied but will not turn that into a pity story-- there is no excuse for a low GPA.)
I've taken mostly honors classes. AP classes start junior year at my school-- I am taking AP Lang. Next year I plan to take:
AP Art (I am an artist-- I will stress this in my interview and my application)
AP Stats
AP English (my favorite subject)
AP Spanish
AP Gov
Honors Calc
I plan to major in psychology (I want to help people in the way that my therapist helped me with my ADD and bullying issues). My uncle attended Cornell, majoring in English, and my great uncle went to Harvard (another uncle of mine was accepted into MIT but did not attend). Obviously I am not a legacy to neither Harvard nor Cornell, but I have an interest, specifically in Harvard. I am from the area and I always visited Harvard Square with my grandmother for lunch and we would always admire Harvard-- she was convinced I would someday study there. Upon further looking into the school, and visiting, I feel at home at the campus. I would like to attend the summer school but it's too expensive. :( Anyway, would I have a chance at the two schools? I would apply early to Harvard.</p>
<p>**I am also the founder/editor of my school newspaper, and the captain of my school literary magazine. I am in mock trial and I attended NEYWC (a selective writing program). I’m a member of the National Honors Society of High School Scholars and a member of my school council.</p>
<p>I don’t think Harvard is really likely with a 3.3 UW GPA, regardless of your other qualifications. </p>
<p>[Harvard</a> University - GPA and Test Scores Needed for Admission](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/GPA-SAT-ACT-Graphs/ss/harvard-admission-gpa-sat-act.htm]Harvard”>Harvard University: Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA)</p>
<p>If you look at that graph, you’ll see that basically no one with a 3.3 GPA was accepted. Harvard has enough ultra-talented and extremely high scoring students to pick from that a strong weakness in one category is difficult to make up for; you’d need to be super, super exceptional in something.</p>
<p>Cornell could be possible, though it’s still a long shot. </p>
<p>[Admissions</a> Information - Cornell University - Cappex](<a href=“Cornell University - Ithaca, NY | Cappex”>Cornell University Admissions and Acceptance Rate - Ithaca, NY | Cappex)</p>
<p>Basically, applying to any ‘elite’ college with a 3.3 GPA is going to be tough. However, it doesn’t hurt to apply, if you have the time and money.</p>
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<p>Everyone has a chance, especially as a Native American. (I guess renoverchat missed that.) That said, have you read this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1420290-chance-threads-please-read-before-posting-one.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1420290-chance-threads-please-read-before-posting-one.html</a></p>
<p>:/ guess I’ll set my sights elsewhere</p>
<p>^^ May I suggest, you also read: [Harvard</a> 101](<a href=“http://www.hunap.harvard.edu/prospective/harvard]Harvard”>http://www.hunap.harvard.edu/prospective/harvard). Keep in mind, that a 3.3 is an 82.5 on a 1-100 scale, and that is extremely low for Harvard, even for a Native American applicant.</p>
<p>Alright time for me to move on. How about Cornell? An African American male was accepted with a 3.3 <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/631787-3-3-gpa-2300-sat.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/631787-3-3-gpa-2300-sat.html</a>
Native American female>African American male</p>
<p>You’re not getting it. All selective colleges weigh your transcript MORE than your test scores, as your GPA is a 3-year window into your potential as a scholar, whereas an SAT is a 1-day window into your potential. Although Harvard doesn’t address this issue, Yale does: [What</a> Yale Looks For | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/what-yale-looks-for]What”>http://admissions.yale.edu/what-yale-looks-for)</p>
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<p>:( Okay Gibby, I get the point. But do keep in mind that I do go to the #1 public school in my state-- a very challenging school with a challenging course load.</p>
<p>Honestly, with your GPA, an ivy – even Cornell – is out of the question. You should be looking at these schools: [A+</a> Schools for B Students | Top National Universities | US News Best Colleges](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/a-plus]A+”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/a-plus)</p>
<p>Should I retake my junior year at a private school?</p>
<p>Warren Buffett was rejected from Harvard and that didn’t stop him from having success in life – so it shouldn’t stop you! It doesn’t matter what selective college you attend, what matters is what you do when you get to whatever college you attend. So, no you shouldn’t retake your junior year, you should move on to more realistic choices for your GPA.</p>
<p>If you want to apply to Harvard you should do it. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life thinking “what if”. However, you should also have some other options. You have strong test scores and good extracurricular activities. Have you thought about applying to one of the “Seven Sisters” colleges as you seem like a good holistic candidate?</p>
<p>[Seven</a> Sisters (colleges) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sisters_(colleges)]Seven”>Seven Sisters (colleges) - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Vassar is co-ed if you don’t want to attend a women’s college.</p>
<p>[Financial</a> Aid - Admissions - Vassar College](<a href=“http://admissions.vassar.edu/financial-aid/]Financial”>http://admissions.vassar.edu/financial-aid/)</p>
<p>All these schools have excellent academic reputations.</p>
<p>Thanks. Are there any other opinions besides Gibby’s?</p>
<p>Thanks AlbionGirl. Any other opinions? Beforehand when I posted a lot of people said I had good chances… :(</p>
<p>I’m afraid my opinion is pretty much the same as gibby’s, actually. </p>
<p>You’re well poised to have a lot of really good options after high school. But, to be honest, not Ivies or their peers.</p>
<p>I keep reading about students with low GPA’s but high SAT’s scores, unhooked, who were accepted. I am going to apply to Cornell ED. I have a chance.</p>
<p>You seem like you have a great chance at both schools. If you applied early to cornell, I have no doubt you could get in! You sound like a really smart, well rounded person. Keep working hard!</p>
<p>@Mpieper <3</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/1480865-official-cornell-university-class-2017-rd-results.html?highlight=2017[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/1480865-official-cornell-university-class-2017-rd-results.html?highlight=2017</a></p>
<p>Not sure what you’re reading, but I could only find one accepted student with a GPA of 3.4 (post#2) — and your GPA is lower.</p>