Almost Crunch Time: Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So now that regular decisions are done, it's crunch time for juniors, myself included. Am I a strong applicant? </p>

<p>Applying to:</p>

<p>Yale EA (If accepted, I won't apply anywhere else.)
Princeton
Harvard
U of Penn
Columbia
Dartmouth
Cornell
U of Chicago
Northwestern
U of M
Johns Hopkins
Georgetown
Boston College</p>

<p>OH YEAH, I HAVE A CONDITION CALLED VERBAL DIARRHEA, SO I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE! </p>

<p>Location: Michigan
Ethnicity: Hispanic immigrant (Cuban)
Sex: Female
First generation college student, and I will be needing financial aid since my parents cannot afford to help me pay for college.</p>

<p>GPA (W): 4.06 (My school's weighted GPA is strangely designed so that the highest a student can receive is a 4.2, which I'm pretty sure has never happened. Because of my two B's in Math, the highest colleges will see my GPA as, since I'm applying EA, will be a 4.08.)
Rank: 1/442</p>

<p>***I have had all A's up until junior year when FST (Functions, Stats, and Trig) has dragged me through the mud. I received my first B in high school for the semester and right now I have a C for the marking period (which doesn't show up on my transcipt). Needless to say, I'm trying to get my grade up to a B, which means I'll end up with two B's for my semester grades. Will this matter? Keep in mind, I won't go into a Math-related career, and I'm as far from a Math individual as you can be.</p>

<p>I've taken the hardest courses available at my school, which by the way is very urban and inner city-like. We are considered by Johns Hopkins to be a drop out factory, which pretty much says it all. Because of this, I haven't had the best academic leadership in terms of counselors or teachers.</p>

<p>Took the ACT and I'm expecting at least a 27, unless Math brings me down.</p>

<p>Will take the SAT Subject Tests in US History, World History, and Lit.</p>

<p>APs:
10th
AP US History (5)</p>

<p>11th
AP Biology
AP American Gov.
AP Spanish (Self-study)
AP Psychology (Self-study)</p>

<p>12th
AP Environmental Science
AP Statistics
AP English
AP European History</p>

<p>ECs:
Editor-in-Chief of high school newspaper
Academic Decathlon
Student Council
Excellers (In the process of organizing a large event for diversity in our school.)
- President
County Youth Commission
-Secretary
- Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee
- Chair of the Government Education Committee
NHS
- Vice President
4-H Peer Mentoring Program
*** Right now, I'm in the process of starting a peer education workshop program for middle schoolers and high schoolers with Michigan's 4-H.
*** Working in conjunction with my local county's youth commission, I will be the creator and Editor of a newsletter for local youth.</p>

<p>Possible Major & Minor:</p>

<p>Sociology, with a Minor in Women's Studies</p>

<p>Other:</p>

<p>History</p>

<p>Passion: </p>

<p>I want to combine journalism and editing with women's issues and health. Both of these passions were inspired by my parent's and events they went through in Cuba, which will make for an interesting essay and interview conversation.</p>

<p>Community Service
221+ volunteer hours</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Volunteer at a local library
(May 2006 - December 2006)</p></li>
<li><p>Volunteer at Children's Science Museum</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Work Experience:
Library Page at a local library; 10 hours/week.</p>

<p>Awards:
Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution Student Fellow
- I was the only student selected from Michigan to go to this convention for high school journalists in Philadelphia. The entire trip was covered, so it wasn't one of those run-of-the-mill youth programs you get in the mail.
Honor Roll
Ventures Scholar
Sophomore of the Year (School Award)
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Speech
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Interview
Academic Decathlon Highest Team Scorer</p>

<p>Well... chance away!</p>

2

<p>1/442 and expecting a 27 ACT? I sense wrong.</p>

3

<p>Well, I did really good on the English and Writing sections, but Math may bring me down. I'm really hoping for somewhere in the high 20's. That is a low prediction, and I'll be surprised if I get lower than a 27.</p>

4

<p>Bumping...</p>

5

<p>its not crunch time for juniors yet....</p>

<p>haha but your stats are decent, im guessing boston college is your safety?</p>

<p>it's really hard to predict since we dont know how hard class of 2009 will be. i suggest applying to one more safety. lots of your schools are high matches/reaches</p>

6

<p>hmm not to be mean at all, cus ive seen you in earlier posts and i thought you were funny.. </p>

<p>BUT your stats are not to par to yale, i had friends who had 2400 and 4.5 GPA deferred. with 7 ap classes. (i go to a magnet school)</p>

<p>unless you plan on your ethnicity getting you in, i would consider either 1) doing a lot more ec's or 2) earlying somewhere else...</p>

<p>but its your choice really...</p>

7

<p>I'm not counting on my ethnicity to get me in, but I wouldn't say that my stats aren't on par, especially since I personally know people who have gotten into Yale with lesser stats than mine. Also, I don't see how having more ECs will help; I have a few ECs that I'm truly passionate about, like my high school newspaper and my peer mentoring workshops. I don't see how having a laundy list will help.
Also, I count U of M as a match because I am in-state, but what colleges would you guys suggest for a safety? I was thinking about some liberal arts colleges. I am looking for east coast colleges, though.</p>

8

<p>The fact that you are a Latina American ranked number 1 at a poor high school in of itself speaks so much. Your academic record is impressive considering that you have taken on self study courses- that shows initiative and scholastic aptitude. These colleges will know that you have the will to prosper in a rigorous environment.</p>

<p>Your extracurricular activities are a bit standard and nothing amazing BUT- I like, however, that you are on the Youth County Board( or all of those things you listed there). It's a positive reflection of your leadership ablities. </p>

<p>I think you will fare very well and get into at least one, if not many, of your top schools- although, I will admit a large part of that vote of confidence is because of your ethnicity and the inner city urban school you attend. A lot ofthe top dog schools are trying to draw out students like you so while you may not have an array of amazing activities, I think your academic profile and your leadership capablities will serve you well.</p>

<p>Also, you don't have to be a published author or win an Olympic medal. A lot depends on how you can delineate your experiences on paper and also through your teacher recs. A lot of things are looking good for you so if all goes accordingly, expect a letter or two from your dream schools!</p>

9

<p>Olive Tree, after reviewing your stats and profile I will also have to agree wholeheartedly with you- it's not JUST about your ethnicity and your stats are very up to par!</p>

<p>These schools have to reject a very LARGE percent of their valedictorians, 2400 getters, 15 ap classes, etc people. They just dont have the capacity to accomodate the large hordes of people who are very academically qualified. </p>

<p>I love how you are passionate about a few- LAUNDRY LISTS ARE A NO NO!</p>

<p>Your peer mentoring club, your seat on the county board, and your awards will serve you well. In the next few months, seek to really expand and develop these few activites to their fullest potential so you can get the most out of it, it will translate on paper, and will make ever more impressive.</p>

<p>Two B's are nothing to get frowns over. Your major also will boost your chances- it is a bit of a unique major, very decisive, and speaks a lot about your passions.</p>

10

<p>I'd like to echo the comments from the last poster.</p>

<p>The fact is, OP, you're a Hispanic female from a "dropout factory." Doing so well at such a school makes you look good (even though it's not necessarily the most challenging environment, but good standardized tests will offset that!) –*especially with all your ECs, leadership, etc. Hence, I'd give you a good shot at any of the schools you like, but, naturally, HYP etc. are tough. However, you'll certainly get into at least ONE (if not two or three) of the schools you've listed.</p>

11

<p>Certainly you have a very good gpa, ecs, and you are a great candidate for "diversity" which most colleges are actively pursuing. However, for Yale it may depend on standardized tests (most Yale admits have 1500+/1600 on SAT) A 27 ACT would be extremely low for Yale. </p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

12

<p>Thank you for the great advice! I will make these ECs be the strongest they can be during the summer. Also, I know that my Hispanic status is an advantage, I just want to make sure that my stats are competitive among other minorities and that I'm a bit on par with other students as well. I just want that to be the only thing I have going for me.
Also, the 27 is just the lowest score I can predict for me. If I truly did as well as I think I did on the English and Writing sections, it might be higher. I get the scores soon.</p>

13

<p>Bumping...</p>

<p>Also, will some of my ECs set me apart? Will the starting a peer mentoring workshop program or a newsletter for youth win me a couple of brownie points?</p>

14

<p>Cuban immigrant? You illegal? Do you have US citizenship?</p>

15

<p>No, I am a legal Permanent Resident, and my parents are going through the citizenship process right now.</p>

16

<p>you're in if your recs and essays are outstanding, if not, Yale is a reach, ivies are reaches, and Georgetown level is reach/reachmatch. See your ethnicity can really help you or it can be a small minor boost, depending on your essays. You have to have something outstanding, it could involve race or it might not. If u fk up the ACT, try SAT! my overall opinin is that you will get into some schools on your list, maybe an ivy, maybe not, and your chance at an ivy is good enough that you should definetly apply to them, but not lose sleep over them.</p>

17

<p>Bump...</p>

<p>What can I do to set my ECs apart? I already started a peer mentoring workshop program and I'm the editor and creator of a youth newsletter for teens in my county, which I'm currently working on. </p>

<p>This summer I will work on this:
Work on implementing and organizing bi-weekly visits to a community organization for NHS next school year.</p>

<p>Working with a local arts and crafts organization to create activity kits for children in an abused woman's shelter.</p>

<p>Will this increase my chances?</p>

18

<p>^ Do things that you enjoy...that alone will increase your chances, trust me</p>

19

<p>^ Definitely; these activities are ones which I'm passionate about, especially helping those in the woman's shelter. I'm just asking about the quality of my ECs.</p>

20

<p>Bumping once more! Can anyone offer advice about my ECs? Also, will writing a killer essay really get me closer to admission? I consider writing one of my main strengths, so I can write a great essay.</p>