Are these schools realistic? Low GPA, high test scores, and ok ECs.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m currently a second semester junior who’s taking a break from studying for APs by caving in to this board. I’ve compiled a college list, and I know for sure I want to apply to one of these schools ED. I’m hoping to go into journalism (if school doesn’t offer it, then literary arts or english) / international relations.

My personal info: I’m a first gen kid of immigrants and first in my immediate family to attend a college. I’m Jewish and gay, my father is the only working parent in the household but income is about 100K. My high school is kind of competitive - we have seven students going to UMich, 10 going to Northwestern, two at UPenn, three at Uchicago, one at Stanford but most of the class ends up at U of I. (500 people in the class)

List:
Boston University (first choice, applying ED)
Syracuse University
Occidental College
American University
George Washington University
University of Wisconsin - Madison
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Mount Holyoke College
Fordham University
Agnes Scott College
University of Missouri

My backups are DePaul, ISU, and U of I.

(about my weighted GPA - my school only weighs academic courses so there is an all subject GPA (not weighted) versus an academic GPA (weighted where honors and APs are five points)

Cumalitive All Subject GPA: 3.59 (terrible I know, I had nearly straight B’s freshman year)
Cumalitive Academic GPA: 4.2

I’m enrolled in an advanced + selective humanities (English + History + World Language) program at my school, they teach at AP level starting freshman year but we only start taking the tests sophomore year. My the end of my senior year I’ll have taken 8 APs. (Calc AB, Physics 1, World, Gov (x2), US History, Lang, Lit, French) All the classes in the humanities program count as honors credit, and I’ve been on the honors science track as well. I’m in regular level math, but a year ahead of most in the grade (started with geometry as opposed to algebra freshman year). 90% of my B’s are in Science + Math courses. My test scores are very very good though, so idk?

ACT: 35 (36 R, 36 E, 34 M, 34 S)

SAT: 1570 (800 R, 770 M, and a 4/4/4 on the essay)

SAT Subject Tests:
Literature - 800
World History - 790
US History - 780
Math Level 1 - 770

AP (so far) - World History (5) - taking APUSH and Lang this year, and Lit, French, Calc AB, Physics 1, and Gov next year.

ECs:

  • I write for a few online publications since freshman year, edit for an online literary magazine, gotten recognition here and there but not really national awards
  • School Newspaper - I’m editor in chief next year
  • Model UN since sophomore year, have won Best Speaker multiple times, and Best Delegate twice.
  • Speech Team since sophomore year, I’m going to chair extemp next year. I’ve made it to nationals this year for prose.
  • Feminism Club since sophomore year, board next year
  • GSA since freshman year
  • Literary Magazine since sophomore year, editor in chief this year and next year.
  • Global Citizens Club since sophomore year, board next year.
  • School Broadcasting Team since this year - anchor on student news network and direct some events etc.
  • I was inducted into Thespians this year, I’ve been in about four school productions and I go to drama club meetings.

Job/Volunteer Experience:

  • Work at a restaurant over the summer since freshman year.
  • Volunteer at the library every summer, about 100 hours over four years.
  • Volunteer with global citizens club, about 150 hours over four years

Summer:

  • Work + Volunteering at library, but this summer I got into the Northwestern Journalism Cherubs Program so I’m pretty pumped for that (!!)

Essays should be my biggest draw other than scores lol and Recs should be pretty good.

I’ll chance back :slight_smile:

2

If you apply early to Boston, I think you have a good chance of getting in! Your test scores are way above the 75th percentile, but your UW is lacking - which I think the yes the test scores make up for. Your ECs look decent too!

3

bump

4

I have a very similar problem with you (low gpa, good scores), except you are in a better position.
Few things before I give you my opinion:
(1) Why did you take Math 1 instead of Math 2 (not saying that it’s bad idea to take Math 1)
(2) Apply to all the UC’s who knows, you may make it
(3) What is your intended major?

I believe that you have a good chance at getting into Boston College. I haven’t seen any articles on this (it’s my own gut feeling), I believe that SAT and other Test Scores will be weighted more heavily than gpa. This is because GPA is only relative to the school you are attending. SAT and ACT are standardized tests and will show your true capability.

Seems like your major will be history (maybe law?), I believe that you will make it to your top choices.

Good Luck!

5

@beegbeeegboi Why do you suggest UCs? OP didnt give home state but schools thats peers went to suggests not CA. OP would be full pay at a UC. Nothing wrong with Math 1 either as a humanities student.

OP, its a plus that your Bs were as a freshman. You have upward progression.

6

I think if you really show an improvement in grades, you could go for an ED to the Medill school at Northwestern. You seem interested in journalism and Medill definitely looks for demonstrated interest. Check out my profile (I was accepted into Medill in the regular round) and you’ll see that we have some similarities. Your test scores are incredible and if you have gotten straight As and A-s in sophomore year and up than you have a shot!

7

Boston University is expensive. How much can your family pay for college? Also, how did you do on the PSAT? Will you likely be a National Merit Semifinalist?

8

@mediocreatbest You actually have a great resume and I would advise you to aim higher like at least top 25. Also these higher ranked schools will provide better fin aid if you need it. Do you have any hooks? Are you a URM?
Oh and I think you will be accepted into all of them as they all are AT LEAST a Match for you. apply ED1 elsewhere(like Vandy or Emory ;)))

9

can you pay full freight for BU? They make it clear that they save merit money to entice high stat kids to attend. If you apply ED, the changes of any merit money is low.

I assume you are a midwestern resident, so forget the University of California. You cannot afford it.

10

I agree with other comments that you need to think about the cost of various universities.

11

Don’t be so hard on yourself, yes, the GPA is bad, but freshman year isn’t that important/indicative of future success. Some schools don’t even consider freshman year grades because it’s common that good students have a tough transition from middle school to high school. Furthermore, you mentioned that your main problems were math and science classes, which makes less of a difference if you’re applying for journalism. I’d bet that every school on your list would be willing to overlook one bad year of grades considering that your test scores are outstanding (well over 75th percentile for every school) and your ECs are very good. I’m not necessarily suggesting you apply to “better” schools if you really like the ones on your list, because I’m sure you’d be happy at many if not all of the ones you’ve mentioned, but you could add a few reach schools if you wanted. I’d be shocked if you were rejected from any school on your list other than maybe Boston U and Wisconsin (both of which I still think you’ll get into, I’m just saying there’s some chance that you won’t). I would personally take a student like you at my college over someone who gets better grades, had lower test scores, and isn’t really that interested in anything. Your scores show that you have great potential in journalism, and you have clearly shown that you are interested in it through your extracurriculars, so I feel that you are likely to succeed wherever you go regardless of poor grades in math and science. I do concur however with those suggesting that you make sure financing isn’t an issue before committing to ED.

12

@beegbeeegboi I took math 1 because math is my worst class and tbh i could not pull off a high score in math 2. my intended major is journalism and international relations (or english and int. relations if there’s not journalism). I can’t apply to UCs because I don’t have any courses that satisfy the performing arts requirement. (broadcasting is an applied art class so i don’t think it works). My home state is also Illinois so I wouldn’t get much aid.

@doorrealthe I had two B’s sophomore year, and one this year. Northwestern is close to home, plus one of my teachers at the humanities program is on admissions board (he teaches the seniors but ik him through model un and gcc), but I think i don’t stack up well enough compared to the other applicants.

@suzy100 @bluebayou - i’m up for a ton of local scholarships from organizations and i’ve pretty much applied for all scholarships i can qualify for - plus i have a college fund that can last me a decent amount of time. my parents will not pay much after those run out.

@VANDEMORY1342 ahh thank you! i’m not a urm (part south asian but white looking enough i don’t mark it as a primary race on forms and i’m a jew so. not by any stretch i’m a urm) my hooks are my parents are refugees and i’m a first gen kid of immigrants. neither of my parents went to anything resembling an american college (both went to two year tech schools in russia) so idk if i’m really first gen in college? i feel like different campuses have different definitions.

@callogan44 thank you! my counselor has told me my gpa and test scores having such variance would be weird to admissions officers and top universities - and the fact a lot of students have the gpa and the test scores,

13

If your parents cannot pay much – how much is that, exactly? You need a budget! Every school has a Net Price Calculator on their website. Run these with your parents and talk about which are do-able or close to it before you apply.

Please do not count on local or outside scholarships. That is like applying only to reach schools.

14

@AroundHere i did do a net price calculator for boston - mine would be around 25k a year (which my college fund covers) plus i have money saved from work and other things over the years - nearly a year’s worth of tuition

15

@mediocreatbest Those are still hooks, you can at least try and you can write an awesome and creative essay will your back story. Also there is a lift of schools that offer the best financial aid I would check that out.

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=best-financial-aid

16

@VANDEMORY1342 i’ve actually been really interested in vassar (one of my close friends just committed there and i visited with her a couple of times and loved it!) but it comes off as very selective and too much of a reach idk

17

I think you’re good for the schools listed. But understand the more competitive will look at the transcript, which classes/grades, not just a weighted gpa.

Now, up to you to master the app and any supps. If you try a real reach or two, make sure you understand what they look for, how to present yourself. It’s not your back story, but the attributes you show. A nice tale can do it, the right (aware) touch.

18

@mediocreatbest Vassar is a reach but a low one about the same as BU for you. Apply! There’s plenty of similar LACs in Vassar’s tier that I would investigate as well.

19

Your college fund has 100K for four years at Boston or 25K for the first year? A 100K college fund gives you a pretty good foundation towards paying for college.

20

@AroundHere parents paid about 2/10 of their income for the past fifteen years (nearly 1k for me and my sister per month) because they’re really adamant about us not having be in tons of debt and receiving a college education. so about 100k total of a college fund yeah