I am a junior in high school. I have a 3.9 g.p.a. I’ve taken honors and one AP course. I’m involved in multiple activities (tennis, speech, Scholastic bowl, Chamber choir) including volunteering and I have a real weekly job. I going to be taking standardized tests soon and My scales will probably be average. Why am I telling you this? It’s because I am a black female who comes from a low income, single parent, underprivileged life ( I don’t even have wifi at home). I am going to study computers science simply because it interest me. I’m not an overachieving student but I make the most out of my situation. I don’t have the highest credentials but do you think I’m doing enough. Will colleges consider me compared to higher income students with great test scores and credentials. I just want to go to college so I can break my family cycle of poverty and underprivilege. Please respond. High school is very difficult for me. I struggle to achieve what average white kids do at my school. I’m barely paying for AP exams. I’m lonely and I don’t relate to anyone. Kids that are even remotely like me are the poor kids who wear thier pants s sagging and don’t get good grades and have absent fathers a.k.a “ghetto”. I wish they could succeed too. They can’t control how their raised. It brings me to tears. Will I ever get out of hear?
Yes you will.
And as hard as you’re working, I urge you to find some fun in your life, too. You will make it out of your situation. Computer science seems like a great option for you, if you enjoy it.
Please look at the following schools (in addition to your in-state colleges) that offer need-based FA (you will have a contribution probably too but your debt at the end will be manageable, like $20K-$26K probably for all 4 years together). Eliminate ones that don’t have departments that you like.
- Vassar--good CS, great FA, and likes to pull smart people up.
- Mt. Holyoke--good CS and part of 5-college consortium where you can expand your classes, FA good
- Bryn Mawr
- Smith
- Grinnell--CS is good here great need-based FA
- Centre college has some great scholarships -- https://www.centre.edu/admission-aid/cost-aid/scholarships/
- Haverford
- Hamilton
- Connecticut College
- Union College
- Trinity College
- Bates
- Colby
- Carleton
- Macalaster
- Skidmore
- Oxford campus of Emory/ Emory (there are two entrance points for Emory. Oxford is a liberal arts college then you go to Emory main campus; it's a nice way to start college at a premier institution)
- Hobart and William Smith--sometimes great FA
- Agnes Scott--great supportive school sometimes great FA
- Oberlin
- St. Lawrence U--often overlooked and an excellent school
- Brandeis
- Earlham
- Muhlenberg--offers merit aid and it may or may not be enough
- Franklin and Marshall
For practicing your SATs, see if you can invest $399 into prepscholar and use that to practice practice practice. It would be an investment. My daughter loves her prep course and using it the first time got within 20 points of her hoped-for score. practice practice practice will get you the SATs that you need to get into the top schools and get you on your way.
Unfortunately a student who is struggling to pay the fee for an AP exam probably can’t invest $399 in a prep course. Practicing, using books from the library and/or free online resources is a more likely path towards success. Please see if there is a counselor at your school or another adult who can help guide you through this process - coming here and asking for advice is a great first step. There are schools out there for you - it’s a matter of finding the right matches.
Isn’t Khan Academy’s SAT prep free? I’ve heard good things about it.
I was going to suggest Khan academy and books. Also some communities provide free SAT prep. Ask your Guidance Counselor if there is SAT prep in your area for free.
Also, it’s not too early to contact schools that interest you. I strongly second @Dustyfeathers recommendations of Vassar and Grinnell as schools that seem especially well suited for you (the entire list is good…I just happen to know a bit more about those two). Send an email to their admissions departments, or fill out contact forms on their websites. Let them know a little about you so that you can get on their radars for special programs as well as general notifications for events in your area.
Finally, if you haven’t already, go to the Questbridge website and look into that program.
I’d encourage you to check out programs at colleges like Grinnell, Swarthmore, Williams and others that fly prospective students in for a couple days with all expenses paid by the college. Compare the colleges during your visits and see which seems like the best fit. These colleges offer excellent need based financial aid and, if your family is low income, you’ll likely end up paying less than at an affordable state college.
There’s no need to pay for SAT/ACT study. Libraries should be full of practice guides and sample tests. There are lots of free resources on the internet as well. Or perhaps your high school counseling office. There are fee waivers available. Take the tests several times. There is no better practice than taking the real deal when it counts.
Socially, hang in there. You’ll find great peer groups at college.
Also, check out programs in your area that encourage young women to code. Computer companies are spending a lot to encourage people just like you to become interested in computer science.
Thank you, but when people recommend such low acceptance rate colleges, I don’t know what to think. Like I said my test scores will be average. I’m just average…and there’s a reason for kids like me.
Thank you so much for the Questbridge website. I love it. I’d never even heard of it. Thanks!
There is no white privilege at colleges just letting you know. They are more likely to accept black people over white people because their demographic is lower. Don’t blame doing bad in high school because you’re black, there studying and doing homework at the library. If you’re doing bad it isn’t because how you are raised. I come from a single mom in poverty yet I keep up my grades.
How is having a 3.9 “doing bad in high school”? The OP wasn’t talking about grades, more so about test scores & ECs.
It’s hard to get decent test scores when you’re coming from a failing high school, let alone the 1400+s you’ll see on CC. It’s also a struggle to find the time/funds for ECs if you have to work. @nocontest
Smit College mentioned above is test optional. They will just look at your grades, courses, and teacher recommendations.
The set of colleges known as Colleges That Change Lives would also be a good place to start.http://ctcl.org In particular look at College of Wooster.
Regarding the colleges that will pay to fly in low income, first generation, or minority students: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/1539855-diversity-fall-fly-in-programs-p1.html
Contact the multicultural admissions recruiter for any of the colleges you are interested in. An email or a phone call to admissions will help you find the correct staff person.
Universities love hardworking, motivated students! You’ll do great!
Good advice in the comments–Questbridge, Khan Academy and other online sources for test prep.
Also, admission officers are extremely busy reading applications right now, so it is not a good time to contact them. Let them finish that process. But maybe April 15 to June, you might call the admissions rep for your region–that is almost always available in the “Meet the Staff” section on the admissions webpages of the schools where you have an interest.
Introduce yourself to them in an email or on the phone. Let them know your situation. Express an interest and ask them how you can learn more about the school. Some might even arrange for you to come visit on weekends where they host prospective students. Others can send info and let you know when the school will be in your city or area, if they will be. For example, we did not want to travel back to a school so my son could interview. He was on its mailing list and learned that reps were coming to town for two days to conduct interviews with students.
But the bottom line is that a school’s admission rep for your region will generally be very excited to hear from a hardworking student who might face some barriers going through the application process. Don’t feel like you’re burdening them. They want to help!
Also, the financial side is very important. Sometimes a school might not work out. But often schools will work hard to get a motivated students despite financial limitations. You will need to work with a school on that once things progress far enough.
Good luck to you! You are asking great questions and now is the time to start asking them.
I agree that this is a busy time for colleges but some of the schools mentioned have events for juniors in April. That’s why I suggested she contact them now in case they were able to arrange a fly-in. Most of those will happen in the fall but you never know.
The fact that OP has a high GPA and her counselor has never mentioned Questbridge tells me that she is going to have to be proactive herself in finding and making opportunities.
OP: Don’t be passive about the SAT/ACT. Test taking skills can be honed. You play tennis and are involved in music, you know that you have to practice to do well in them. Think of test taking as the same thing. Set aside daily or weekly practice time for tests the same way you set aside time for building other skills.
I agree with Otterma. That is a great suggestion. Definitely research online for for events hosted at schools this coming spring. Try to visit where/when you can. If you can’t visit a school where you are particularly interested, or it would be difficult, you might contact the school about that. Some events are geared to specific topics (i.e. math/science) or provide unique opportunities for getting to know the school (i.e. overnights, attending classes). You might target one of these.
Just to make sure I’m offering good guidance, I was referring to a personal conversation/dialogue with an admissions rep. They are the ones that are most knowledgable and can provide the personal best guidance. They generally enjoy getting to know the students they are considering for admission to their schools, which they often love. I’m just thinking you will have their more undivided attention for that type of dialogue once they are done with the class of 2021 and are transitioning to class of 2022. But, by all means, please feel welcome to contact an admissions office now, or in the near term, about a spring event. You might even meet the rep there.
As suggested above, you seem like an excellent candidate for lots of differtn fly in programs. Please look at this website, http://www.globalmi.org/blog/2016/college-fly-in-programs-for-2016-2017
It lists most colleges that have fly in programs. Be aware that many of the deadlines to apply are in the summer. Take a look at Questbridge too, you might qualify and that is a huge boost in admissions.
There are many scholarships and special programs for African Americans, so start scouring Cappex and niceb to look for what awards are out there.
You are already on your way to having a better life. Keep up the good work. High grades will be important. Take a couple of APs next school year if you can, it’s good to have course rigor. As far as tests go, you will get better results if you spread your studying out over a few months rather than try to cram. Practice doing several tests untimed before you begin timing yourself. There are some really great threads pinned in the test prep forum which will help you prepare. Use KhanAcademy and get study guides from the library. Best of luck.
If you don’t get the test scores you hope for, try test optional schools. There is a list at fairtest.org
You sound like a sincere, hardworking person. I’m sure that many schools will recognize your worth!
Second the recommendations for Questbridge and CTCL schools.
I’m not doing bad in high school and I didn’t say that poverty corresponded to less intellect if you read it fully. But what I am saying is that there’s a large gap between low income achievement and high income achievement at MY school SPECIFICALLY. It’s the elephant in room. You say you were raised in a poverty and was able to get good grades, but how many other poor students were able to do the same? No offense intended.
OP, you have not done average scores yet…wait to see. You will likely suprise yourself. If you put in just 30 minutes a day on free study for it, you will be prepared!
Not all of those schools are super low acceptance rates. And honestly, they are looking for kids like you to round out their class. Take a chance and go for it. Questbridge will help you in figuring out what your true options are! Good luck!