<p>Hey guys I've read through a bunch of threads and its really got me depressed. I've seen posts where people say they have a 3.9-4.0 unweighted GPA. My GPA is only a 3.63. I know it's disappointing :/ I really want to go to a university like Cornell or NYU but I think I'm going to be rejected <em>sigh</em>. It's actually really depressed me. I just finished sophomore year by the way. And my extra-curricular and volunteer hours suck (I didn't realize how important they were until this year). I'm only on track and I do key club but that's basically it. I've gotten 15 volunteer hours :/ Everyone else on this site has like 150+ hours and like a whole page of extra-curricular's. I am willing to try harder from now. I am hoping to raise my GPA to a 3.7-3.75 by the end of senior year. And I want to get a 2200+ on the SAT's and I am going to do National Honors Society and Spanish Honors Society next year. I will also continue track and key club. And I might do something like mock trial or model UN. And I am hoping to get 100+ hours of volunteer work. Btw I am in the top 10-15% of my class right now. I just want to know if I've ruined my chances of getting into a top college? And by top college I don't necessarily mean Ivy League. Just somewhere like NYU, Cornell, Case Western Reserve, Boston University, UCLA, JHU or Duke.
and do you think I have any chance of getting into an Ivy League school like UPENN or Dartmouth?
BTW I am hoping to major in biochemistry and go to med school after college.</p>
<p>No, try to improve your GPA/class rank, aim for 2200/33, and you will have a decent chance at all the schools you listed.</p>
<p>Only a decent chance? So like 50/50? What about the Ivy League schools i listed. I’m guessing I have no chance there then?</p>
<p>Dude, it’s not too late. Just keep working on your academics: if you bring your GPA up you will be more competitive. Can I guarantee you’ll get into Dartmouth? Honestly, no. But if you manage to get a 2200 and have an A- average, many of those other schools will be within your grasp. Just don’t give up.</p>
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<p>If it’s any comfort, most of the people with 3.9s and 4.0s aren’t getting in either. Just apply and see what happens and don’t base your sense of self-worth around a college admissions decision. </p>
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<p>You don’t need volunteer hours. Some people have community service as one of their extracurriculars, and some people don’t. But they don’t care about the actual hours. </p>
<p>Also, Johns Hopkins isn’t in the Ivy League.</p>
<p>Well, first, Johns Hopkins is not an Ivy League school. The Ivy League is an athletic conference consisting of:
-Brown
-Columbia
-Cornell
-Dartmouth
-Harvard
-Penn
-Princeton
-Yale</p>
<p>If you improve to top 10% you would have a chance at any of those you listed, including Ivy league schools. Obviously schools like Penn, Dartmouth, JHU, Duke, and Cornell are always going to be extremely difficult to get into, but they would be reachable if you are top 10% w/ great test scores.</p>
<p>Okay but could you guys give me like some things i need to do to get into a school like Cornell. Like a SAT score, average GPA and such? Sorry I just really want to get in to a good college</p>
<p>First of all, you never know until you apply, so don’t just think, “I’m not going to get in” and not apply. In the meantime, work hard with both academics and EC’s. Don’t do activities just for your application, but find things you like, and excel.</p>
<p>That said, keep in mind that there is a chance you will get rejected from top schools so have other schools you like that you’re likely to get into. Those reach schools are fine and dandy, but have some good matches and safeties too that you love too. </p>
<p>Thirdly, just because you don’t go to an Ivy-league or top 20 school doesn’t mean you won’t have a good education. There are plenty of school you can go to where you’ll be happy and have fun while getting a good education, not just NYU, Cornell, UPenn, etc. :)</p>
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<p>Cornell is an Ivy (And JHU isn’t).</p>
<p>“Okay but could you guys give me like some things i need to do to get into a school like Cornell. Like a SAT score, average GPA and such? Sorry I just really want to get in to a good college”</p>
<p>If you want to get into detail like that, Google “(insert college here) Common Data Set.” Section C of the data sets will give you admission info like percentage of admitted students in top 10%, 25th/75th percentile SAT/ACT, and number of male/female applicants vs. number of admitted male/female admitted.</p>
<p>Lol sorry guys I forgot what the Ivy League schools were for a second there 
Thanks for the help. It means a lot. But do you think if I get a 2200+ on the SAT (I got a 2280 on the PR practice test I took) and a 33+ on the ACT composite and get my GPA up to a 3.7-3.8, I will be able to get into Cornell? Ugh I feel so desperate :P</p>
<p>@djays1997 top schools are so selective that nobody has a 50/50 chance unless they have hooks. Focus on becoming more involved in ECs, increasing your GPA and doing well on the SAT/ACT.</p>
<p>If you apply ED with a 3.8/2200, you’ll have a good shot at Cornell.</p>
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<p>Keep in mind that colleges make their decisions in the beginning/middle of your senior year.</p>
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<p>There is almost nothing that would actually <em>guarantee</em> your acceptance. Don’t try to get us to say “yes, you’ll definitely get into Cornell if you do that.” </p>
<p>Here are my completely arbitrary recommendations, based on stuff I’ve read on here:
- 2250 SAT score or above 75th percentile
- 3.8 unweighted GPA
- Top 10% of your class
- Have high-quality extracurriculars you’re passionate about. A lot of people devote most of their ECs to one specific area.
- Leadership. But think outside the box…this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a bunch of officer positions in clubs.
- What grade are you in now? Do you have any summers left before you apply to college? Could you find a job (paid or otherwise) or an internship during those summers?
- Develop good relationships with your teachers and pick the ones who will write the best recommendations.
- Take a couple SAT Subject Tests and get 750+ on them.
- Write good essays. A lot of people don’t, so you’ll stand out. Spend a lot of time on them.
- If the college considers demonstrated interest, visit and do an interview if possible.</p>
<p>When selecting colleges to apply to, look at the following:
- Gender ratios (if you’re in the minority gender you might have a higher chance of acceptance)
- Do you have URM status?
- Are you first-generation?
- Whether the college considers demonstrated interest
- Whether the college has need-blind admissions
- Whether they’re trying to create geographic diversity (colleges far away from where you live might be more likely to accept you)</p>
<p>Sorry I wasn’t trying to get you guys to say that I was going to get into Cornell. thanks for the advice btw.
i am an Indian but i don’t think that is considered URM.
I am first-generation.
And is it possible to raise my GPA to a 3.8? If so what GPA should I aim for the next two years.
Btw I just finished 10th grade.</p>
<p>Obvious answer is 4.0. If you have an upward trend, that could save you.</p>
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<p>Maybe you’ve taken 16 one-credit classes so far, and gotten ten As and six Bs. That’s a 3.63 unweighted GPA.<br>
If you get all As next year, by the end of the year you’ll have taken 24 one-credit classes, with eighteen As and six Bs. You’ll have a 3.75 unweighted GPA by the end of your junior year, and that’s what matters when applying to colleges.
Don’t aim for a specific GPA, just aim to get As in advanced classes whenever possible.</p>
<p>If you really tried, you can do it. I was in your shoes and really depressed because i got a 3.5 first semester of my freshman year. I realized my mistakes and worked super hard and got a 4.0 second semester. Please do not give up! Just really work hard. I know people who had a 3.0 at the end of sophomore year and worked there *** off the next two years and have got into good colleges.</p>