<p>Please chance me, I know my post starts off bad but I am hoping I still have a chance please read all of it. I really want Barnard or NYU: </p>
<p>SAT (expecting in 2-3 weeks): I expect around an 1800
IB Predicted: 29/42 (but I am really trying to raise it since I am EDing to Barnard)</p>
<p>EC:
Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award
UNIS-UN
Guitar Club
Worked in india with a HIV-AIDs orphanage
Taught children in indian villages to conduct science experiments
Volunteered with the NYPL
Shadowed a doctor at St. Roosevelt Hospital in NYC (the doctor is writing one of my recommendations and is a barnard alumni)
Modern Dance
Bollywood Dance
Was the president of one club for wildlife
Was the secretary for another club for somalia relief
Was the treasurer for another club for operation smile
Am the coordinator of a club called "Arts and Culture"
Amateur Photographer by passion
Worked with the EPA club on my campus, for our eco friendly school campus
Babysat kids in my old school
Worked in Burma in a small HIV-AIDS Clinic/Organization</p>
<p>I have double legacy because both my sisters graduated from Barnard (Class of '08 and Class of '10)</p>
<p>I am trying to write outstandingly stellar essays so that I can stand out a bit more and my SATs and IB grades do not weight me down. </p>
<p>My IB courses currently are:
HL Bio
HL Psych
HL English L&L
SL Hindi ab
SL Math Studies
SL Chemistry</p>
<p>I had an upward trend in 9th and 10th grade but in 11th grade I switched to a boarding school in a different country and my grades significantly dropped (from straight 6s to 4s and 5s) and I had a really long and hard adjustment period. I am planning on explaining this on Common App. </p>
<p>My recommendations are from an old chemistry teacher in my old school with which who I performed well with and my current math teacher both of whom I asked to write about my difficult transition AND the doctor I worked with (barnard alum). </p>
<p>First, Barnard and NYU are two VERY different schools…yes, they are both in Manhattan, but, IMO, they could not be farther apart in many other regards. I hope you have thought through very carefully the differences in the two schools and will be able to identify what you love about Barnard and convey that in your essays. I imagine you should be able to do so with two siblings who graduated from there…</p>
<p>I really don’t have a clue about your chances other than to say your resume does look impressive to me. But I am easily impressed being just the parent of a Barnard grad! I imagine your grades will be an issue but hopefully you will be able to address that with your essays…</p>
<p>Yeah, I am well aware of the differences between the two schools, I am actually a New Yorker (born and raised) and have done extensive research about the colleges as well as visited them. </p>
<p>I am working really hard to get my predicted up, hopefully it will budge. :)</p>
<p>I will also be writing the SAT 2s on Nov 2nd (after the ED deadline) Barnard said that it is okay though so long as I send in my SAT 2 scores ASAP. </p>
<p>I will be taking the SAT 2s in Biology E/M and Chemistry</p>
<p>Obviously if you are applying ED to Barnard, you aren’t going to be applying to NYU unless Barnard defers your admission. I think you’ve got a good chance ED because of your strong ties through your sisters as well as your personal history.</p>
<p>SN, nobody on this board can tell you. We aren’t admissions officers. It looks like you have an intriguing personal history, and I think the fact that you don’t need financial aid and have two sisters who are Barnard alums may give you a boost in ED. </p>
<p>You can’t do much about your grades right now. You can’t undo history. I think Barnard may be something of a reach for you, but I think you have the qualities that tend to be valued in ED (legacy & $$$). Just do your best to emphasize your strengths. You are right to explain the drop in grades on your Common App – just be careful to present it as a matter-of-fact explanation and don’t sound like you are making excuses.</p>
<p>No one here can really know how competitive this year’s applicants will be or what will be important to the admissions committee.</p>
<p>Your legacy status is help, but your grades and SAT’s are below Barnard’s usual acceptance rates.</p>
<p>If you want to stay in NYC I would apply to Steinhart at NYC (not Arts and Science) and Fordham.</p>
<p>If NYC is less important, I would look for SAT optional schools. I think Smith and Mt. Holyoke are as well as many others.</p>
<p>Places slightly out of the geographical area, etc. would also help.</p>
<p>You have impressive achievements. I’m sure you will continue to be a high achiever. It is not reflection on your worth what a college adcom will decide. However, if I were you I would take it seriously that your stats are not what Barnard usually desires and have other schools you really want to attend. Then if you are accepted at Barnard and NYC you can be thrilled, but if you are not you don’t have to be dejected.</p>
<p>I would suggest Wheaton College in MA, and there are many others, like Simmons in Boston that would give the feel of NYU and Barnard but be less competitive. Boston is filled with colleges.</p>
<p>If you are planning on living at home and really want to be in the city, there are also other colleges in Manhattan or its environs. Please consider applying to Fordham.</p>
<p>Barnard was my D’s first choice, and she was lucky enough to be accepted, but she did also apply to Fordham (and NYC). She also applied to other women’s colleges and Bard and a few others.</p>
<p>It’s important to value yourself and know there are many wonderful experiences in the world. It will work out.</p>
<p>SN -> you can’t get in unless you apply! While I don’t disagree with Mythmom’s overview of your stats, I think the fact that the fact that you are full pay and have 2 sisters who attended Barnard is a wrinkle that we outsiders can never understand. When my daughter was enrolled at Barnard, she met a handful of young women who were quite wealthy but who didn’t seem particularly bright. She wondered how they ever managed to get into Barnard. I simply assumed that Barnard, like all other elite colleges, needs money. So do apply.</p>
<p>That being said: you are not defined by your test scores! You have an absolutely fascinating list of EC’s that suggest that you are an engaged and courageous young woman. Please do apply. </p>
<p>As to NYU, before applying to Steinhardt, check out the majors they offer – it makes no sense to attend a school unless the majors align with your interests. My daughter applied to (and was accepted) at Gallatin – she would have gone there but for lack of financial aid. (I’m glad she went to Barnard, which I believe is much stronger academically – but I don’t doubt that NYU would have been a better fit socially. But life is good: she’s currently enrolled in grad school at NYU, and seems to be enjoying her experience so far)</p>
<p>Really great EC’s, but definitely try to bring those test scores up a bit. I don’t know how helpful it is to be a legacy since I don’t go to Barnard but it can’t hurt.</p>
and have done extensive research about the colleges as well as visited them. </p>
NYU was at the top of the list of cross-admit schools in 2010 (from the 2012 databook - <a href=“