Hi, everyone! So, I won’t go into details but basically I had a really hard time with my personal life this year, and it severely impacted my college applications and testing. Also, considering the fact that I had some general procrastination with my applications, I did everything in about 5 days (but test scores were sent on time). Basically, I feel my essays were weak and I’m discouraged. So please tell me what schools it seems I might realistically get into with these stats.
INTEREST
Biochemistry or Biomedical Engineering
SCORES
ACT 33 and 32 (only took it twice, didn’t have a chance to study the first time and though I did for the second one, I was in a car accident and had a serious concussion when testing which is probably why my score went down)
8 AP classes 4s and 5s, one 3 Sophomore year
ACADEMICS
Took the most rigorous high school courses available
Dual enrollment students (some classes I’ve taken include Pharmacology, Microbiology, etc.)
Ranking isn’t really available for my school, but there’s 1600 kids total (roughly 400 in my grade) and I know I’m in the top 3 (as they’re trying to figure out who’s valedictorian)
EXTRA CURRICULARS
Leader of a national winning engineering team
President of a writing club
Officer of another STEM club and Mock Trial (also a lawyer)
National Honor Society and a couple scholar groups
Stage manager and sounds/light manager for theater (sophmore and junior year)
Internship at local hospital (26-28 hrs a week)
Lots of volunteer hours, especially after a bad typhoon a couple of years ago
20 hrs a week job as a tutor. I’ve had a job since sophomore year.
Various awards (including for athletics, but it didn’t fit in my applications)
PERSONAL
I had some great recommenders (4 teachers, 1 coach)
U.S. Citizen (Dual)
From a poor and very small island
Both parents are biracial so I’m 1/4: Asian, Caucasian, Native American, Islander
Faced multiple hardships in my highschool career and life, generally (for example, my school didn’t have water or power for a year). Not sure these we’re highlighted in my application tho.
I’m female
My weighted GPA is 4.4 (straight A’s except for one B in an advanced foreign language my freshman year)
AP Scholar with Distinction
Won a national award for coding
State: Northern Marianas (Territory)
Schools: NYU, Cornell, Swarthmore, Williams, Dartmouth, Columbia, Brown, UChicago, Emory, Duke + one safety I’ve been accepted to w/ FA
Family income: 65,000 (oldest of 7)
My budget really depends on the financial aid they offer me, but I also have a distant family member with a high income who offered to support me if I get in somewhere good.
Well, your list is all reaches with one safety. That isn’t really the best approach. Can you afford your safety? That said, you are a hooked applicant with very good grades and ECs.
NYU usually doesn’t give great aid. So it may not matter if you get in, it will probably be unaffordable.
My safety (PSU) is offering full tuition and an internship, so I’d definitely be able to afford it. It also has a good program, so I’d be happy to go there. However, there are some negatives and honestly, it’s not exactly my dream school.
Can’t say. It is always hard to chance a hooked candidate. It probably depends on how weak your essays really are, too. You could apply to a couple more meets need schools if you are uncomfortable with your safety. Macalester, for example, is still taking applications. Dickinson meets 99% of need and still is as well. Both care about interest, so put some effort into research and your supplemental essays if you decide to apply.
Have you accounted for the cost of health insurance in your search? Many colleges require you to purchase their college plan if your regular insurance is not sufficient in their location. Those costs vary quite a bit, and the net price calculators don’t include them.
For the essays: The writing is of high quality and the stories are genuinely interesting, but I feel they’re rather… cold. I’m afraid I was analytical in my approach and didn’t consider how to let my full personality shine through I write a lot of official academic pieces and proprosals (also worked as a secretary for a year), so I feel it’s influenced my tone with writing essays. When I read light-hearted and creative essay examples I see how different mine are and it’s created anxiety.
I’ll definitely look at those schools, thank you!
I’ve not been considering the cost of insurance as well, so I’ll look into my options and if I can support the cost.
@Islands62
I personally would have applied as Native A only. That’s legitimate considering the high(ish) percentage.
You should be fine, PSU is a great school and you are considered a citizen so fin-aid shouldn’t be a problem as you are low income.
I got into Johns Hopkins (full ride)! So amazingly excited!
Also, waitlisted for UChicago and rejected from Swarthmore. Just need to wait and hear from my other schools
Also, @intparent I applied to one more safety/match like you suggested and got in with great FA. Made me feel a lot more secure about my backup! Thanks for the advice
Accepted to Emory and Oxford College, and Carleton College! Waitlisted at Tulane
I’ll keep posting my results in the hope this thread might help some other anxious soul one day, lol!
Thank you so much @kalons !
It’s starting to get really nerve racking and I know I’m going to have a hard time choosing where to go in August–but so happy I have options!
I write a lot of official academic pieces and proprosals (also worked as a secretary for a year), so I feel it’s influenced my tone with writing essays. When I read light-hearted and creative essay examples I see how different mine are and it’s created anxiety.
