<p>So guys, I've screwed up. I need to know if there's still hope out there.
Here's my stats:
GPA: 3.65 uw/4.1 w (expected to go up to a 3.7ish maybe after first quarter of senior year)
I have 2 C's from Junior year, one in AP Lang and one in AP Bio.
Rank: Like 23 or 24/123
Race: Indian Male
School Type: Small NY public school
Income bracket: around 115k
SAT 1: 2320 ( 800 CR, 800 M, 720 W with a 10 on the essay)
Bio M: 760
Chem: 780
Physics: 790
Math II: expecting 790 or 800, shouldn't be anything lower
PSAT: 224 ( 71 CR, 73 M, 80 W) Definitely NMSF, hopefully NMF
AP Scores: Not in yet, definitely all 5's and 4's, mostly 5's
Took AP Bio, AP Chem, AP lang, AP US, AP Comp Sci
Will take AP physics C, BC calc, AP Euro, and AP french
Community Service: 600+ hours of community service at the local lunchbox, been doing it since I was little and was recognized for it
100+ hours at the local hospital
EC's:
Science Olympiad: medaled at states and regionals since middle school
Math Team: Went to states 2 times, ranked 11th out of 600+ participants
Doing a research project with a doctor, might get published (I want to do premed or med)
Notes:
This year my Grandfather passed away, and I had to miss 1 1/2 weeks of school to go to India and perform his last rites. It was pretty sudden, and I had to work through Jet Lag. Also, when I came back, my family couldn't come with me, so I had to stay in a friend's house for a little over a month. This was pretty emotionally straining, and I didn't really care much for school.
Colleges:
Northeastern (Safety)
RPI (Safety), but also applying for the 7 year med program so that part's not a safety
BU (Safety), again applying for 7 year med so that part's not a safety
Stonybrook (safety), same as the other 2
UChicago (going EA, might help, might not)
Cornell (might go ED)
Brown (chances are almost non-existent)
Duke
Johns Hopkins</p>
<p>Also, not that it helps much, I tutored at the local library once a week for a year, so that’s like 50 hours. I’m also in NHS, and I played viola from 3rd grade till this year. I’m not that good though.</p>
<p>High SAT and low GPA makes you look like a smart slacker. Make sure colleges know that you aren’t. You are doing a research project WITH A DOCTOR which if published is ALOT bigger than you think. A high school student who is published says admission officers? Well a 3.7 is acceptable considering this kid is a published. This is impressive due to (With this especially) massive failed simulation effect. The admission officer can’t see herself/himself doing something like that leading them to think that you are special somehow.</p>
<p>I’d say you have a good chance at getting into at least 1 reach. And contrary to what you think I think Brown is still on the table. Just a really long shot. You have a better chance at the other 3.</p>
<p>Thanks for your posts guys. I guess what I’m really looking for is how likely it is that I could get in (percentage if possible), what I could do to improve my chances (besides GPA, that’s obvious), and what would help me the most that I already have. It would also help if you knew any people that got into these colleges with similar stats, and could tell me how they got in.</p>
<p>Ok guys here’s an update:
I got into the Columbia Science Honors Program, which is pretty selective. They took like 380 kids out of 2100 applicants. I’m probably going to take a Neuroscience course there. This past summer, I did 260 hours of volunteer work at the hospital, and I’ll probably get a paper out. I got a 5 on all my AP’s except Comp Sci, which I got a 4 on, so I got AP scholar with Distinction. I’m taking 4 AP’s this year, and a course at Vassar College, which is nearby. Also, I’m now a National Merit Semifinalist now. I’m going to apply to Cornell ED.</p>
<p>The fact that the C’s were in your junior year is not good. Junior year is the most important year to colleges, and getting two C’s shows a large downward trend. There is nothing you can do about it now, but I do think it will have a negative effect on your application.</p>
<p>as someone who is in a similar situation as you, you seem like you have a good idea about what kind of colleges to look at. you know that your intellectual capacity IS on par with the schools you are looking at even though your GPA is on the lower side. i suggest that you apply to Cornell ED and UChicago EA if there really is no other middle ground sort of school that you want to apply to. you have nothing really to lose. and on that note, maybe you should take a closer look into schools that as difficut as the hard ones you mentioned, but more competitive than northeastern. i.e NYU, BC, Michigan
Don’t lose hope! A lot of the admissions process is hard to explain, but don’t bank on getting into those top schools either. best of luck</p>
<p>I think wit an SAT score like that you’ve basically got a chance anywhere. You’re GPA shouldn’t destroy your chances so long as the rest of your application is good.</p>