An Average Asian kid with bad GPA's chances

<p>I am a male asian(1st generation) from Delaware and I don't have amazing stats and ECs like many CCers.. </p>

<p>SAT
Verbal: 610
Math : 800
Writing: 580</p>

<p>SAT II
math II: 720
chem : 510 (yes.. I skrewed up this one)</p>

<p>unweighed GPA (going up) Average+ public high school
9th :2.5 2 honors (Alg II, Biology)
10th :3.0 1 honor (Geometry)
11th :3.3 1 honor (Pre-calc)
12th :?? 3 APs (Calculus, Physics, Psychology)
I transferred to a new school before going up to 11th</p>

<p>ECs: Guitar 4hrs/day 3yrs
Church Band (Bass player) 2yrs
Piano 10yrs
200+ hrs at a community library
Intense Skateboarding(not sure if this is ok, but it's been one of the<br>
most important and influental thing to me) 4yrs
Math league 2yrs
Robotics 1yr
Interact 1yr
Church Youth Group
Math Tutoring
Guitar Tutoring
Skateboard Tutoring at Local Skatepark
Acoustic Guitar Club Organizer
Freshman Orientation Presentation
Good Neighbors House Repair (fixing old people's houses they can't<br>
afford to fix)</p>

<p>Works: Housekeeper (buildings and houses) 2yrs
Construction worker 1yr</p>

<p>Awards: AMC10 school winner.. i think this is the only real award i recieved..</p>

<p>Rec's: average / decent from 2 teachers and a guidance</p>

<p>Essay: slightly unique</p>

<p>University of Chicago<br>
Cornell<br>
Whitman<br>
Columbia University: Columbia College<br>
Vanderbilt<br>
University of Virginia<br>
New York University<br>
Penn State: University Park<br>
University of Maryland: College Park<br>
University of Delaware Honors</p>

<p>I am from a low-income family and live with a single parent..
What are my chances?
Any opinions and/or suggestions will be appreciated.</p>

<p>you should really try looking at less competitive schools. Right now it looks like your gpa is at a 2.8-2.9 which means applying to top tier schools should be out of the question. Your old SAT is good 1410 although combined with your writing its only a 1990. I would try schools like Boston University, Northestern, or George Washington as long as you raise your gpa for senior year. As for your list. (assuming you have a 3.5gpa or higher senior year.)</p>

<p>University of Chicago: reach
Cornell: huge reach
Whitman: no idea
Columbia University: Columbia College: dont even apply
Vanderbilt: reach
University of Virginia: reach
New York University: reach
Penn State: University Park: match
University of Maryland: College Park: match
University of Delaware Honors: no idea</p>

<p>Cornell and columbia, I think are big reaches.. almost impossible
I recommend not even trying for those.... BUT if you must, apply to Cornell</p>

<p>thank you, would explanation for low gpa help at all?</p>

<p>Defintely, but dont get your hopes up on the ivys..</p>

<p>Would it help if I am in a rock band? (lead guitar)
Also, should I take off the skatboarding?</p>

<p>I guess being in a rock band might help but just to the point that it would make your application stand out from the others, assuming that a lot of the kids who apply to cornell/columbia/ivies most of the times are into more classical intruments. By the way I'm also in a band, lead guitar as well.</p>

<p>that's awesome lol</p>

<p>nah dont take off skateboarding
i'm also a skater.. and the idea of the stereotypical skater - druggy, long hair, stupid - will benefit you</p>

<p>i actually listed that I skated and helped within my skating community.. ya know.. wrote an essay for MIT about skating and its importance to me (I was deferred though lol)</p>

<p>in the end its up to you, goodluck</p>

<p>ahhh i'm glad to meet another person with common interest.. hahah
I have really long hair.. it's groomed though lol</p>

<p>Anyone else..?</p>

<p>For starters, take off all the BS on the app. Colleges will not care about you joining a club for one year because it just seems like you are trying to fatten up the resume. You win anything in skateboarding? Take off the tutoring because unless you have devoted a LOT of time to it, it won't matter</p>

<p>no.. i don't have awards for skateboarding.. i live far away from cities where competitions are =(..
would 1hr/day 3 times/wk (math tutoring)
2hr/day 3 times/wk (guitar tutoring)
2hr/day 2 times/wk (skateboarding tutoring)
be too little time to list?</p>

<p>does anyone know chances for Penn State Schreyer Honors, U Maryland: College Park Honors, and U Delaware Honors?
thanks</p>

<p>3-6 hrs a week is good to list.</p>

<p>lol you tutor people in everything, thats cool :cool: I really don't think it matters if you have skateboard awarsd or not, jsut as long as you do convey you passion for it ( might consider writing one of your essays on it). Best of luck,</p>

<p>PS. I used to skate too, but then I busted my knee on a quarter pipe and had to get surgery, havent been able to skate since.</p>

<p>yes.. one of my essays are on skateboarding =P
I just happen to know some competitive parents (and few passionate kids who want to be cool.. lol) of course, their kids have to be better than all other parents kids at everything.. hahah</p>

<p>can anyone give me an opinion for chances?</p>

<p>i think all of them are very large reaches.</p>

<p>i have a 3.4.. have taken many more honors and AP courses and the schools you listed are huuge reaches for me. I think all of them are unrealistic except possibly for Penn State University Park and Uni. of Delaware (probably not honors, though).</p>

<p>^^ your being a little pessimistic ^^</p>

<p>This guy probably has the best ECs of anyone Ive seen in a long time.</p>

<p>his GPA also is around a 3.1 that certainly isn't terrible, they are reaches and since you said you were low income I wouldn't apply to Columbia, I might give BU and NYU a shot, remember a lot of these applications cost upwards of 60 dollars a pop</p>