Chance a junior, admission advice too!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston College
1

<p>Hey everyone, I’m a junior and already stressing alittle about applying to schools next fall. BC is my ultimate favorite college, and I’m desperate to hear from people who have gotten in despite not having all 700 or higher on each SAT subject. Anyway, some info on me:</p>

<p>Fresh. classes: (while living in WA state)

  1. Honors English A-
  2. Honors World Studies A
  3. Algebra B
  4. Physical Science B+
  5. Spanish 2 B+</p>

<p>Soph. Classes: (moved to Maine, no honors english class available)

  1. AP Euro. History A
  2. English A++
  3. Geometry B
  4. Spanish III A-
  5. Biology A</p>

<p>Junior classes: (only through first trimester)

  1. AP Language Comp. A
  2. AP Gov’t & Politics A+
  3. Precalculus A
  4. Chemistry A
  5. Spanish IV A-</p>

<p>prospective senior schedule:

  1. AP English Lit.
  2. AP Psycology
  3. Precalculus
  4. Physics
  5. AP Art History or Economics (if offered next year)</p>

<p>EC’s: (spanning time from Fresh-Senior year)

  1. Tennis team (school only has intramural level)
  2. Staff writer and co-editor of school newspaper
  3. Community service at library and senior center 100hrs.
  4. Youth ministry (Catholic school) —> Is this important for BC, since its Catholic?
  5. part time job at local grocery store (summer: 20hrs/week)</p>

<p>Sats will most likely be in these ranges:
CR: 720-780
Math: 500-600
Writing: 680-750
Taking 2 subject tests in june. </p>

<p>Also, if you can please chance me at: BU, Northeastern, Holy Cross, Conn. College, UMass Amherst, UConn, Trinity, Fairfield and Providence. My intended major is either international relations (or similar), communications, poly sci. or english. </p>

<p>*Some background info: I’ve moved from Mass. to WA state and now living in Maine. Will these moves help me stand out when I write my personal essay, and just in general from other applicants?</p>

<p>Thanks for your replies! Much appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Not claiming to be an expert on college admissions, but having had one child admitted EA to Boston College and another denied EA, we have learned a few things along the way.</p>

<p>First, try to make your application stand out in some way. Especially if you have a particular talent others don’t. Try to do something valuable service-wise with your summer. If you have to work, that’s great, write about that. If you have the option of doing something else, become an EMT, volunteer at a hospital or nursing home, teach kids how to read, start a group that does something in your community, help at a senior center, or something else that shows you can make a difference. Have people writing your recommendations that know you well, and can speak about your personality and value to others, not only your academic strengths.</p>

<p>About academics…the “meat and potatoes” courses always count more. So, in AP land, Math, Science, English, History and Language always mean more than Psych, Art History and the like. If that is truly your interest, take what you want. If you have the option and don’t really know or care, try to stick to a classic curriculum, 5 Meat and Potatoes courses. If your school doesn’t offer APs in everything, that’s ok too, just take the hardest curriculum they do offer. But having said that, don’t overload so your grades suffer. If you aren’t a particularly fast reader, don’t overload on AP Lit. Take 2 languages instead. Continue with language all 4 years. Try to build the total package, if you say you want to major in English, take the AP English, if you want the International Relations, take the AP World, etc. If you want to be premed, you’d better try for the AP Chem, Bio or Physics if it’s offered. Otherwise your application looks inconsistent.</p>

<p>Apply early. I cannot stress this enough, if you are ready, with SAT scores and SAT II scores. This means getting most of your testing done junior year. Don’t obsess over these scores. No one knows what’s acceptable, because BC is a reach for everyone. Your total application is you plus your scores plus your grades plus your talents and what you’ve done these last four years. You have managed to keep great grades despite moving, and that says a lot. Flexibility is what that shows, and determination. And remember, don’t get your heart set on one school, have at least 3 reaches, like BC and 2 others, 3 possibles, like BU, UConn and another, and 3 probables, like Fairfield, UMass Amherst and Providence, if your SATs fall into the presumed profile you think you will have.</p>

<p>Some schools just go “by the numbers.” I think from our family’s history that UConn and Northeastern do that, but that is just my opinion. I think other schools look at your entire application, and Boston College does. So submit your personal best, including an essay that is stellar. Work on it ahead of time. Don’t expect a one nighter on the essay the night before EA deadline to do it, it won’t. Start in August. Then edit, edit, edit. Give it to your college counselor, your parents, your English teacher, but not your friends. See what they think. Don’t change the essence of your writing, but accept edit suggestions. If they have a good change, consider it. Does your essay bring tears to their eyes? Do they give it back to you with awe? That’s the essay you need. Not “that’s good” or “that’s fine.” Just because you used spellcheck doesn’t mean it’s a great essay. I can tell you one of our children had an essay like that, and one didn’t. Guess which one got in?</p>

3

<p>Finally to answer the original question, the list just “going by numbers” would appear: </p>

<p>Reach: Boston College, Conn College, Trinity
Possible: BU, Northeastern, UConn
Probable: Fairfield, Providence, UMass Amherst</p>

<p>But at a Reach school, no one can predict. Everyone is at the same advantage (or disadvantage!) So keep hope alive! Good luck!</p>

4

<p>Thanks very much for your insightful advice! :slight_smile: I have gotten the impression that grades/SATs cannot be taken for granted. At my high school 2 students applied to BC last year, one girl with high grades/SATs, and the other a boy (capt of football team) and lower grades/SATs, and the boy got in and the girl was rejected. Obviously BC is a big sports/football school, and his athletic skills probably put him over the top. Were either of your kids athletes?
IF you don’t mind sharing, what SATS did your kids have?</p>

5

<p>One had scores in the 600s, the other in the 700s. The one with 600s got in. Neither was legacy, athletic or a minority. Neither needed financial aid. One went to a prestigious prep school, top 2 in the country, the other, went to a small private school, which most folks have never heard of. The one from the small school got in. </p>

<p>Again, it’s up to you to distinguish yourself. I feel the essay was one way. The other is talent or skill in something that distinguishes you. Whatever you do well, try to highlight it. I’ll give you an example. One girl from our town got into a top 5 school because she was nationally known for breeding dogs and showing them. Another nerdy type boy got in because he collected stamps all his life, and showed his passion that way. Whatever makes you who you are, try to showcase it. I do feel that talent was one way our daughter stood out, but without giving away personal information, I can’t speak of it. Needless to say, you all are special in some way, just make sure Admissions sees it!</p>

6

<p>A sub-600 test score in math is gonna make BC really difficult. Suggest you prep hard, or try the ACT, which has more straight-forward math.</p>

<p>Also, is the senior schedule a typo? Precalculus for two years?</p>

7

<p>Princeton Review Admissions Selectivity Ratings for these colleges:</p>

<p>Boston College 97
Holy Cross 96
Conn. College 95
Trinity 95
BU 94
Northeastern 93
Providence 93
UConn 89
Fairfield 89
UMass Amherst 86</p>

8

<p>No, its not a typo. I’m technically taking a class called “advanced math” and its precalculus spread over two years. I struggle with math, and I felt my grades would suffer if I took the regular precal class, especially since they cover things much quicker.</p>

9

<p>Not to give anyone false hope, but I know for a fact that Boston College Admissions will look at the entire application, even if a score is under 600. That in fact was the case in our family, and almost resulted in the application being withdrawn before an acceptance letter came. </p>

<p>Nothing is for sure. Subscores are what they are, and as long as something else on the application makes up for it, don’t dismiss yourself as rejected just because you don’t feel you “measure up” compared to others. Yes, it’s not the best case scenario, but as long as Math (or Reading) isn’t someone’s strong point, and they show determination overall and work their personal hardest, why not dream the dream? </p>

<p>We had in the 500s in one subset of the SAT, and a subject test that was, too. Still admitted Early Action with 4 years housing, with no legacy, athletics, or minority status. So a reach is a reach. Just do your best. If it’s to be, it will be. There are resources at BC for everyone who is willing to try. Buff up that application, make it shine!</p>

10

<p>^^CTMom:</p>

<p>One needs to be careful about drawing conclusions about one data point (an anecdote, really), particularly since your D applied to a specialized program, correct? Some specialized programs, such as Nursing, are much more focused on EC’s and essays then they are test scores. OTOH, business programs, which require Calculus, do look strongly at Math test scores. Since BC has a core, math is required in A&S, so it is a consideration for admissions. Statistically, 25% of matriculants to BC have math score below 640, but that includes all specialized programs, recruited athletes, and other hooked candidates…</p>

<p>The most extreme examples I can think of: the Hotel program at Cornell is much less numbers-driven than Cornell’s-Arts and Sciences. And of course, Engineering programs are all about math scores.</p>

11

<p>Test taking ability is not a prerequisite for Boston College Admission, regardless of program. If secondary school record demonstrates an ability to achieve, often that is overlooked if a candidate appears to be a good match. I would not draw conclusions from the numbers, because a reach is a reach for everyone. Some students (yes, not the best case scenario, as they are well aware) have scores much lower. Specialized programs at BC are in fact much harder to to get into than other schools, because there are so few spots. Do you have to be a star? It helps. But not necessarily a star in test taking. So presume what you will, but all we know is, that large acceptance packet arrived in the mailbox!</p>

<p>Anecdotal evidence is what this internet site is based on for the most part. A reach is a reach. Don’t presume it won’t happen to you, try to ignore the negativity. If we had heeded all the negative warnings, the application would have been withdrawn, instead of going to the admitted day in January!</p>

12

<p>My daughter’s math scores are not anywhere near the top, but her reading/comp ones are much much better. There is not one school that will look at her math scores/grades and be fooled into thinking she is planning to be an engineer— but, she is not! So as long as she makes it clear she is aiming at the humanities side of their curriculum, and the other aspects of her application fit what they are looking for (service, essay, etc), she has a good a chance as anyone elsle in the humanities applicant pool.</p>

<p>She is accepted EA at Fordham, & Rutgers’ rolling adm; we are waiting to hear from the rest.</p>