Hi! So I’ve started my college applications, and so far I feel they’re going well. The only problem is that I have this consistent feeling that I may not be able to get into the colleges I’ve chosen; I’m looking at: UChicago, Harvard, Boston University, NYU, Vanderbilt, and Stanford. I’m aware that these schools are selective, but I’m not sure I’m up to par. I have a GPA of 4.06 (3.87 unweighted), and my SAT is 1460. I’m also taking enough college level courses that I’m graduating with an AA (I still plan on spending four years at university). I’m from a military family so we’ve moved a lot, but all of my high school years are in a small Idaho town, I work part time as a CNA, and am starting a course to get my EMT in January. I’m president of the NHS and LGBT clubs at school, have played cello since fifth grade, and participate in JV track. I feel I’ve chosen good LOR from teachers and my boss, but I cannot read them. Overall I feel that I have decent stats, but I don’t want to find out I’ve been rejected by each college come time they send out results. Do I stand a decent chance at these colleges, or should I find some less selective ones?
These are all selective reach schools. Shoot your shot but you need match and safety schools too.
Is this post for real? I’m asking quite seriously.
Yes it’s real.
First of all, you should be applying to an in-state public school as a safety. You should also consider the Western Interstate exchange tuition schools - there are some excellent flagship state universities that you might be able to attend, at a reduced tuition rate. Next, of the schools that you’re applying to, unless you’re an URM, or there is something else very compelling that you’ve forgotten to tell us, the only one that is even a realistic reach for you is BU. The rest are unrealistic dream schools. I think that you need to speak with your school counselor about making a list that consists of realistic reaches, realistic matches, and realistic safeties. You are being smart to consider whether you may have made a list of schools that are likely to reject you - now it’s time to come up with a list that matches your credentials. For the list that you’ve made, you’d need to be first or second in your school, have near perfect or perfect SATs, and have won national level competitions, or led organizations at the national level.
I think of that list, only BU and NYU are really realistic stats-wise, and I do think your background will get you a second look, but both having admit rates in the mid-teens still tips them into the “reach” category, especially for RD. I agree to give them all a shot, but find some matches and safeties where your SAT is more comfortably in/at the top of the middle 50, and where admit rates are more generous.
“UChicago, Harvard, and Stanford” are high reaches for students who are the #1 top student in their high school. They are high reaches for students who have never had a B in their life. They are very high reaches for you. Your chances of acceptance are going to be significantly lower than the overall acceptance rate (less than 5% for Harvard and Stanford) unless there is something very important that you have not told us (such as Cam Newton is your father and you are your state’s top quarterback).
“Vanderbilt, NYU” I do not know as well, but my expectation is that they are also a reach or high reach.
“Boston University” might be a low reach or match if it is affordable.
NONE of these schools are safeties.
Also, you have not told us enough to know whether these schools are likely to be affordable. Without financial aid, NYU is likely to cost over $300,000 for four years. The rest will not be much less. Can you afford this without taking on any debt? Alternately, have you run the NPCs on these schools?
Your number 1 job is to find two safeties. They are likely to be in-state public universities. WUE is also great if you qualify. Your number 2 job is to find out what your budget is.
BU & NYU are reasonable target schools for you if affordable & if these schools offer your intended major area of study.
Reasonable targets even with 15%-18% admit rates and a SAT a little below median admitted for the last intake (1470 BU, 1500 NYU)? I definitely think OP is in range and from what I know of NYU I’d think the backstory will be a tip, and I would certainly encourage OP to apply, but I’d still put these more into the reachy than “reasonable target” category just on admit rates. Especially RD - BU took half its admitted class from the ED pool last year and I think NYU took about a third ED.
Yes, they are reasonable target schools for OP.