Advice for 1st generation American on ED

<p>Hey y'all, I'm african american female (parents were born in Africa)
I have a 3.5 gpa
I've taken 7 AP classes an Honors Psychology class and 14 college prep classes dring high school mostly B's and C's a couple of A's</p>

<p>I've taken the SAT once and I got a 1690 I plan to take it again.</p>

<p>I've also been in Choir (JV and Varsity level) the choirs I've been in won top rating in our region. I also partcipate in UIL competitions as a soloist and receive 1's. Ihave also participated in 2 school musicals (they're huge in our town)</p>

<p>I have also been president of a Nigerian ethnic group for youth for two years. I've also volunteered at my local church for four years as a summer counselor for VBS (Vacation Bible School). And I've also been a volunteer at a library for two years.
I am also a Member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. I'm ranked 200/1008 (top 20%?)
I've also been doing some individual research on the Yoruba, Igbo, and Urhobo tribes of Nigeria for a year.</p>

<p>I know applying to Dartmouth is a HUGE HUGE reach for me.
But do you guys think I have a chance if I write amazing essays and bring my "specialness" up front?</p>

<p>Thanks for your input.:)</p>

<p>bump.........</p>

<p>is anyone here?</p>

<p>being black and being a first- generation student helps a TON at any selective school.</p>

<p>if you can bring your sat scores up to a 1900, you'd have a FABULOUS shot at darmouth, you really are unique.</p>

<p>thank you so much:)</p>

<p>Mostly Bs and Cs and a couple of As doesn't sound like a Dartmouth admittee. I think they are looking for mostly As with some Bs. Have you taken the AP exams in the AP courses you've taken? Have you gotten good scores? What about your SAT IIs?</p>

<p>From your description, it sounds as if you were born in the USA? So I'm figuring you are a native English speaker? That's an extremely low SAT for Dartmouth, where the median is 2200. Kids who get, IIRC, 620 on the CR portion have to take an extra writing class and are considered "under-prepared." The question is, do you have any reason to be less prepared? Being an URM helps, but they would be cutting you slack on SATs, GPA, <em>and</em> class rank. </p>

<p>I think you should apply if you really like the school, but you should also look for some more realistic reaches. There are a lot of great schools where you would have a much better chance of getting in.</p>

<p>Maybe Sybbie will weigh in. She has a much better grasp of admissions at D than most people! Good luck, in any case.</p>

<p>thanks consolation. Can anyone name any other schools that are similar to dartmouth with amazing financial aid and study abroad programs.</p>

<p>hello.......?</p>

<p>bump................</p>

<p>where is everyone?:(</p>

<p>c'mon guys. write what you think. I know that there are people reading this post.:)</p>

<p>To tell you the truth, I think your odds are slim. Dartmouth's african american acceptance rate is still only 44% or so. That said, it helps, but not enough to make up for a 1650 as well as "mostly B's and C's." Dartmouth is one of the most selective schools in the country, with the lower end of applicants (25%) still getting above 2000 on the SAT. Without a GPA to bolster your test scores, I don't think your chances are high.</p>

<p>thanks superscs15. So...what other colleges I should be looking at?
any advice?</p>

<p>based purely on numbers, you have no way in hell of getting in but the fact that you are first-generation and african american will give you some chance.</p>

<p>look at kenyon, rice, and bowdoin (sat optional).</p>

<p>any of those schools would be a blast to go to. the sat ranges aren't as high as datmouth's, but that doesn't matter at all.</p>

<p>small, intimate, and pretty.</p>

<p>thanks everyone for answering my posts.:) I was wondering if anyone else can give me suggestions on match schools and safety schools in New England (I hate Texas humidity):(. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>bump..........</p>

<p>What are you looking for in a school, other than climate?</p>

<p>I am also looking for a school that has a great anthropology department with many study abroad oppurtunities, a strong grounding in the fine arts (espcially music), great financial aid, a diverse student body, and perhaps in a large city (or at least have a large city closeby). It has been pretty hard for me to find colleges that fit all this criteria, but any colleges that anyone can find would be a great help to me.</p>

<p>hello......?</p>