Can I get in?

<p>I’m a white female from a competitive public school in Westchester NY.
My GPA is approx. 3.6 unweighted, 4.0 weighted. Freshman year I had a GPA of approx. 3.4, sophomore it increased to 3.6, and now in my junior year I have it at 3.75. I am an EXTREMELY hard worker. I haven’t taken the SAT yet but based on my PSATs and my progress my SAT tutor is estimating that I will get a 640-660 on math, 620-640 on critical reading, and 690-710 on writing. I have been a member of multiple clubs such as yearbook, mock trial, and our school newspaper. I tutor 2 different kids, I have been a member of the varsity swim team since freshman year, I’m a member of my church youth group and with that group we do a ton of community service. So far in high school I have about 100 hours of community service and by the end of senior year I will probably have up to 160 hours. I am a very active member in my church community and my community in general. I have very good relationships with every one of my teachers and therefore will hopefully have good recommendations. My intention is to major in economics or mathematics in college. Do I have a good chance of being accepted into Barnard College? Thank you for your help!</p>

<p>I don’t have any real authority in this chance-ing business–other than a year of statistic-stalking under my belt–but I’ll give it a shot. </p>

<p>GPA: The upward trend is awesome. Also, don’t underestimate the power of a school profile–I go to a competitive prep school, and a 3.5 here is nothing like a 3.5 at the local public school, nor is it like a 3.5 at a school in California. Just keep those grades up and make sure you have an awesome 2nd term junior year and 1st term senior year. </p>

<p>Test scores: Your projected minimum (1950) and maximum (2010) put you a little below the 50th percentile for Barnard’s SAT scores, according to some sources. Shoot for high 600s or low 700s on your SAT IIs. </p>

<p>Extracurriculars: These are strong! Will you have any leadership roles senior year? They can help you stand out, as can lifelong passions that may not correspond to a club or a team. </p>

<p>In short, you sound like a good applicant for Barnard! I’d put it at a reach, but get the advice of a college counselor. Definitely apply, but have other schools that interest you–NYU is typically a good option for Barnard hopefuls. I can only speak with the experience of a second-term senior who is currently waiting out RD applications, but my advice to you is this: work hard, but don’t make yourself miserable. The college application process is such a crapshoot that it’s nearly impossible to gauge your chances, and even more impossible to change inherent qualities that determine an applicant’s attractiveness to a school. Good luck, sophiesm!</p>