<p>Hi, Cudder, </p>
<p>Just some feedback since you seem to really want some input.</p>
<p>1) If you have not sent in your scores, I recommend that you just send in your ACT scores since they seem to be the best overall. That is, if you took ACT with writing (required). If not, then you will have to send in your SAT Is, which do not look as good as your ACT scores, except for SAT I Writing. SAT I Writing may not be as important as Math and Critical Reading. On second thought, send in both the ACT and SAT I scores since they will likely look at your best scores for both, if you want them to see your strength in Writing.</p>
<p>See the following link on how you stack up against accepted NYU students on your ACT score (your strength in standardized testing overall):</p>
<p>[College</a> Search - New York University - NYU - SAT®, AP®, CLEP®](<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board)</p>
<p>2) I am not clear. Did you self-study and obtained the AP scores you reported above since you mentioned your school does not offer AP classes? Also, you stated your school’s classes are more rigorous than AP courses offered in other schools? That is if I understand you correctly? If that is the case, you should make sure your guidance counselor documents the rigorous nature of the classes in your school and specifically the rigor of the classes you took personally.</p>
<p>3) I am not sure if the average GPA of 3.6 for CAS is for the weighted or unweighted GPA. I am assuming it is the unweighted, so you are close to the average in this regard.
Please note: your unweighted GPA of 3.5 should be stronger than it appears if, in fact, your school offers very rigorous courses. Thus, once again, your counselor’s statement and comments about this will be very important.</p>
<p>4) You seem to have a good variety of ECs. The internship and Featured Columnist seem like the strongest experiences in terms of standing out in some way. Otherwise, you seem to lack leadership positions in your ECs. Since that is the case, you need to capture how your ECs reflect on your positive strengths, values, and characteristics as a person in your essay. I hope this has been done already in what you have written up.</p>
<p>5) Separately, regarding the description of your and your family income status: low middle class?, “enough to get by.” Yet you are in private school. Did you get some financial aid to attend or is the cost of tuition reasonable for your private H.S. (Frankly, I cannot imagine a “reasonably priced” private school at whatever level.) This point is related to NYU. Make sure your family can support you with payment of your NYU education because it is probable you will not get the full aid you require (based on the low middle class status you specified). Perhaps you will luck out and receive more aid based on need than the
typical NYU student who is accepted. But I would not bank on it. So be prepared to discuss with your family your ability to handle the financial costs of attending a super expensive school like NYU CAS.</p>
<p>OK, that wraps up my feedback for you. I hope you find it helpful in some way.</p>
My guidance counselor puts a description of this process somewhere in my file as well.</p>