Chance Me ED 1 (already submitted)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Asian, Female
US Citizen
From NYC
First-generation, coming from a huge high school with a graduating class of 900, took a summer course in science at a local college

Major: Biology or psychology

GPA: 97.57/100 weighted
Rank: Our school doesn’t do class rank but I just put top 25% when I submitted my application (Colgate only offered top 25%, top 50%, top 75%, and top 100%)
Didn’t submit my test scores because they were super bad. I only took the SAT once and couldn’t again due to COVID. I signed up for 4 SAT’S and they were all canceled : /.

7 AP’s: World History, Capstone Seminar, United States History, English Language and Composition, Biology, Statistics, Government and Politics, Macroeconomics

Also in a research class where I am currently writing my own research paper

POSSE Semi-Finalist 12th grade
Arista 11-12th grade

Teacher in a Chinese club for 1 year
Secretary in Women’s Club, wrote 3 articles on our website and raised a big box of feminine products during COVID for homeless women
Cooking internship where I hosted online cooking classes for 30+ children
Political internship where I made over 300+ phonebanking calls and translated a highly political canvasing script
Head writer for my schools play for 2 years
Was also in a lot of other clubs but I didn’t put that in the application
250+ volunteer hours from working at childcare centers

I really liked my common app, it’s super personal and shows my growth really well
My LOR are from my research teacher, my AP Language teacher, and my employer at the cooking internship. I’d say my LOR’s are quite strong as well.

I mentioned in the additional information area that I am lacking in EC’s because I had to take care of my siblings 24/7 and that my lowest grade on my transcript (80) was due to a family accident.

I did Colgate’s calculator and my EFC is 000.
Our family makes <21k so I would need a lot of aid : /.

I also plan to submit the optional writing supplements and my resume once they process my application and send me the link to my portal.

What are my chances of getting into Colgate? Thank you!!!

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Also I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could give me suggestions for match/safety schools! I would prepare to stay within NY. TYSM!!

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Dear @bumpycucumber222,

Congratulations on getting your first application in! Now the hard part begins: waiting. You can make it easier by staying off CC and finding things to channel the energy that you are putting into anxiety to better use. Physical activity tends to be good, as does doing things for other people.

The fact is that there is nothing that anybody on CC can do or say that will mean anything. If you get good news, come back and we will celebrate with you. If you are disappointed, come back and we will help you with Plan B.

But please, for your own sake, find a way to distract yourself.

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I would not agree that your ECs are lacking. Head writer of school play. 250 hrs community svc and more.

I am concerned that you ranked yourself. You should not have if your school does not rank. That conflict will appear via the counselor report. Others may have different guidance but I would call admissions, acknowledge your error, and get that fixed.

I was going to ask where else you applied. If Colgate is what you like and I’ll venture some out if NY because let’s be honest it’s not far…you might look at Franklin & Marshall as a match. They meet full need. Schools like Skidmore, Connecticut (meets need), Hobart, Gettysburg, Dickinson, and Bucknell. I’d take a flyer at W&L Johnson Scholar.

All these colleges have different vibes socially so that’s important to note. Here’s a list of all that meet full need and that’s important for you. Just know some are need aware meaning if you need too much they could turn you down even if they’d otherwise accept you.

Good luck

Ps to answer your ?, I’d say 60/40 and first gen will help. But I would get the ranking fixed. That’s my opinion anyway. Interested to see what others say.

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Hey thanks for your in-depth reply! My mistake, my school doesn’t do class rank as in top 1, top 2, top 3, etc. We do class percentiles if that makes sense. I’m in the top 11-12%, but I just put 25% because that’s the only option Colgate offered. They only offered top 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%.

I hope that clears things up, thank you so much!

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Thank you so much! I can’t wait for December when I find out! I love your username btw : ).

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With an EFC of zero, you will get a maximum Pell grant (around $6.3K) and should also qualify for NY state financial aid at SUNYs and CUNYs. @sybbie719 can you provide some guidance?

Have you applied anywhere else so far…sounds like you are still in the running for a Posse spot?

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Ok. That makes sense. As long as it’s accurate.

77% are in the top 10%. You are close and ED will help.

I think you’ll get in but you definitely need your back ups. You also need to ensure you did the NPC properly. Many make mistakes due to a single parent family (forgetting the other) or investments etc.

Best of luck.

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OP will get full TAP and Full Pell as part of her package at Colgate. I believe that you have a very solid chasnce of getting admitted to Colgate *worse case scenario, you would be admitted through OUS, their HEOP). Keep in mind that if you HREP into Colgate, it wont be free as their will a student contribution from summer earnings.

If you have to do RD, would also recommend tossing an application at the HEOP at Barnard, Columbia, Fordham, Cornell, Marist, University of Rochester & NYU (shoot your shot). Don’t be afraid to cast a wide need at schools that meet 100% demonstrated need. Don’t sleep on the women colleges: Mount Holyoke, Smith, Bryn Mair, Wellesley and Scripps- most of then are part of the 12 college exchange or consortiums, which will give you the opportunity to travel and broaden a small campus.

CUNY is test blind. You still have time to toss an application at McCauley Honors (honors at Hunter comes with two years of housing).

Hope this helps

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Thank you for your reply! I already submitted all my other applications as well. The other colleges on my list are, University at Buffalo, Binghamton, Stony Brook, University at Rochestor, and Cornell.

I guess I just have to play the waiting game now : ).

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What is your unweighted GPA?

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we don’t have unweighted in my school, only weighted because of honor classes and AP classes

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Unweighted is typically 4 for A, 3 for B, 2 for C - different high schools weight honors and AP classes differently, so in order to compare it makes it easier to have the unweighted gpa.

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Adding to the above, many colleges will recalculate unweighted GPA in core courses only…so you do need to know that to properly categorize schools.

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I got in!!! TY EVERYONE!!!

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