<p>I have a strong interest in Barnard but I know it is a reach for me. Let me know what you think. Keep in mind, I want to study film and marketing
GPA: 3.9
SAT Reading: 620
Writing: 660
Math: 490</p>
<p>Taking the history and literature tests next week</p>
<p>This year I took: Current issues, astronomy and oceanography, trig/stat, and all the normals. They are all track 2 level. My only honors is Web Tech.
I have perfect attendance. </p>
<p>My extracurriculars include being a lead dancer in the school play, doing a huge amount of dance outside of school, being a varsity cheerleader, an active member of the respect life club, and trying various other activities throughout my high school years such as field hockey. Hopefully by the time I send my application in I will have another volunteer position added to my resume. </p>
<p>I attended Pratt Institute Pre College to study film over the summer and can send my transcripts from that.</p>
<p>I am very confident in my essay</p>
<p>I would be doing an interview to explain the lack of higher level classes. I attend a Catholic school where opportunities for those classes are low. </p>
<p>Any input/ advice on what else I should do???</p>
<p>wow those SAT scores are going to be a killer sorry. However they might be overlooked since your applying as a film major, so your GPA can save you!</p>
<p>wow. film major. cool. however try to retake sat just to be safe.</p>
<p>and youve made a film already???!!! awesomeness:) if such is the case then i guess youll definitely get in. thats my opinion though. dont know what others will say.</p>
<p>I would retake the sat but its too late…im taking the two subject tests on standby on saturday and that is the best i can do. it was a very last minute decision to apply. I will try to send in a film…I guess I am just looking for ways to show them that I am an intelligent, hardworking student, even if I struggle in things like math.</p>
<p>I have to stay within two hours from pa and yeah i mostly want to major in film the marketing thing is just something else im interested in in general</p>
<p>Neither Barnard nor Columbia offer undergraduate business programs, so marketing wouldn’t be an option. There are several majors and programs at Barnard that could be easily applied to a career in marketing, such as International Relations (a concentration in their Political Science department and ideal if you have an interest in politics and international marketing), Economics, American Studies (very culture-based), and Statistics - however, if you’re looking at small LACs then you’d be hard pressed to find a school with a program in marketing. </p>
<p>If you’re more interested in the NYC aspect than the small LAC, women’s college aspect, NYU offers a great program in entertainment marketing that integrates both marketing and film, although Stern looks for students with very strong math scores so you might not have the best shot. </p>
<p>If you want an excellent small LAC but you feel that your SAT scores are your weakest link and you don’t feel that you can drastically improve your score, there are many fantastic schools that are SAT-optional. For example, some of the best small liberal arts colleges in the country, including Bard College (less than two hours outside of NYC if location is a factor), Bennington College, Bowdoin College, and Connecticut College, do not require SAT scores. I’m not sure if any of them offer the majors you’re looking for, though; the only one I’ve looked at in-depth is Bard.</p>
<p>I don’t say any of these things to deter you from Barnard. I strongly encourage you to apply if you love the school. However, I would strongly advise you to research every school you plan on applying to in depth before you decide to send in your app, and if you are truly passionate about marketing then it might not be the best fit for your interests.</p>
<p>Just a note before I begin: I really don’t believe in “chancing” people, especially when the schools that they’re asking about have holistic admissions processes. There are too many subjective factors that come into play.</p>
<p>That said, I’m sure you know that your SAT score are significantly below Barnard’s average. Still, I wouldn’t give up on applying based on your scores alone. Your SAT will certainly will play some role in admissions, but your GPA is high, you say your essays are good, and your ECs are fairly focused (though again, I’m only working with what you gave us, and I’m certainly not seeing as much as an admissions officer will), so they might be willing to overlook it. Also, if you haven’t been able to take high-level classes because of a lack of opportunity, it won’t be held against you - almost all schools look at the rigor of your courses in the context of your school.</p>
<p>If Barnard doesn’t work out, you might want to consider looking into some schools that are SAT optional. Here are a few standouts that fit your stated criteria:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Bard College. It’s relatively close to PA (about 2 hours from NYC) and has a very strong film program. However, I might be completely off-base with this, but just judging from your ECs and your educational background, I’m not sure how much of a fit it would be. It’s known for being radical and unlike Barnard (which is also very liberal, though not as hippie-ish), it doesn’t have a large university or a city attached to it to provide some sort of conservative presence. It might be a bit of a culture shock if you’re coming from a Catholic school and if you’re interested in continuing with activities like Respect Life and cheerleading, you might have a hard time finding a niche.</p></li>
<li><p>Sarah Lawrence College. Even closer to PA (25 minutes from NYC) and they offer a fairly well-known Film History major. A lot of very impressive people in the film industry have gone there including (but certainly not limited to) J.J. Abrams, Barbara Walters, Brian de Palma, and Carrie Fischer (Princess Leia!), so if that’s what you’re interested in, the alumni network could definitely work to your advantage. Once again, it’s very liberal, but a more conservative student might have an easier time fitting in here than at Bard because it’s not as politically active.</p></li>
<li><p>Connecticut College. A bit farther from PA (maybe a ~4ish hour drive, though it depends on what part of PA you’re coming from), but they have a relatively large film department and they offer a Human Relations major/minor that could work well with film if you’re interested in marketing. It also might be a better fit than the other two if you’re not quite as liberal/political and it’s definitely your best option if you want to pursue cheerleading/athletics after high school.</p></li>
</ul>
and yeah i mostly want to major in film the marketing thing is just something else im interested in in general</p>