Chance Me For My Final List Of Colleges

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hey everyone, thanks for giving this a read and I am looking forward to everyone’s opinions!</p>

<p>Well, I just want to apologize as I have made a few "Chance Me Threads" over the last 7 days that meet with little input. Since then I have worked on how to best present my stats and have (I believe) finalized my college list so without further ado I'll try this one more time!</p>

<p>Well for general knowledge I am a rising-senior at a fairly accomplished public high school in Illinois. I will hopefully be a First-Generation, Hispanic male student. In terms of financial situation, my family is sound. Well here are some more specific stats:</p>

<p>School Name: Carl Sandburg HS (Public)
Overall Weighted GPA: 3.1*
ACT Composite: 31 (retaking)
SAT: 2050 (retaking)
Number of AP Exams/Classes taken thus far: 5 (Exam scores 4's with two 3's)
Senior Year Schedule:
• Academic Math (Trig and College Algebra)
• AP Lit
• AP Biology
• AP World
• AP Psychology
• Electives (Business/History related) </p>

<p>Extracurricular:**
• Speech Team Member/Mentor (10th grade only)
-Earned many 1st and 2nd places in tournaments though was not allowed to partake in Regional’s due to limited spots saved for "senior members"</p>

<p>Hobbies:
• Have been playing guitar leisurely for about 3 years and I am a passable player.
• I enjoy writing, again for leisure, and with the suggestion of my English teacher I am planning to submit some of my short stories to the local literary magazine.</p>

<p>Work Experience:
• Private Tutor off and on since 10th grade
• Telemarketer, the summer of 2010 (was recently laid-off)
• As far as community service is concerned I have over 50 hrs. Nothing special</p>

<p>*My GPA is very low overall but if broken down by year it resembles this:
• Freshman Year GPA: 2.0 (No APs)
• Sophomore Year GPA: 3.5 (One AP)
• Junior Year GPA: 3.9 (4 APs)
Hope this clears things up…</p>

<p>**Due to my low GPA I was prohibited from joining a majority of clubs available at my school since they require a minimum GPA of 3.0; this is my current circumstance. Joining Debate, Student Gov. and Mu Alpha Theta for myself and may or may not submit them in my application.</p>

<p>These are the Colleges I am applying to:
1. Illinois Wesleyan University
2. Lake Forest College
3. Carthage College
4. Knox College
5. Kalamazoo
6. University of Illinois
7. University of Chicago (What the heck application)
8. Georgetown University (What the heck application)
9. Swarthmore College (What the heck application)</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone for their advice and opinions. I will “Chance Back” if you’d like.</p>

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<p>Bump 10char</p>

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<p>Bump yet again =]</p>

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<p>Let’s give it a good ole’ bump in the night!</p>

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<p>Hey, thanks for being the first person to respond to one of my chances lol. Honestly, I think that you’re in a very good position for college. I think its good that you have ‘heated up’ for college in terms of your grades…It really shows colleges that you are putting in the effort. If I were you, I would focus my essay on your substantial grade change from 2.0 to 3.5…******** about how you learned some lesson from that bad year, what changed in your life, or what has resulted from your improved school work. </p>

<p>In all honesty, even with a bad first year, I think that the first 6 schools on your list should be a shoe in for you based on standardized tests(2050 and 31 are way over for those schools…) Don’t get me wrong…they’re great schools…but not as competitive to get into. As for the other three, it all comes down to your essay. Really competitive schools like that have so many similar applicants (some community service, amazing/perfect grades, and president of this and that)…and they don’t often see kids who make a drastic grade/work change. I think this alone can make you a standout…if your essay is good enough. I have the feeling that you can pull it off. Best of luck!</p>

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<p>@handiman115
Thanks for the input and I was thinking of writing an essay like that but I’m afraid it’d be too cliche and would seem like I was making excuses. I’ll brainstorm it a little and see what’s up.</p>

<p>Anyone else want to chime in?</p>

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<p>Anyone? Anyone at all?</p>

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<p>I’d say your at all of these colleges! As for your what the heck applications: Swarthmore is a low reach, Georgetown is a mid reach, and U of C is probably a very high reach.</p>

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<p>I think that as handiman115 said, the upward trend is going to make you seem very unique. The first 6 schools will probably be easy to get into but the last three schools will be a bit of a stretch. Then again, you’re a first gen Hispanic male with an upward trend and possibly an amazing essay that talks about how you improved so much academically. Personally, I’m still new at this whole chancing thing but if I had to guess, I’d say that if you wrote a great essay and stepped it up a bit senior year (keep high grades, join those ec’s, do something outside of school related to your job interest, etc.) then you might just stand a good chance. Also, if possible you might want to try to get one of your teacher letters of rec. to be about how much you improved since Freshman year.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>Most likely rejection at UChicago, Swarthmore, and Georgetown.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for the input and I hope the first six schools are “easy” to get into =)
I really liked Illinois Wesleyan when I visited and wouldn’t mind going there but heck, applying to “Reach” schools never hurt anybody (well maybe my wallet).</p>

<p>I just wanted ask, “Isn’t writing an essay on grades really cliche?” I’ll look into to writing my essay like that but right now one idea for an essay I am working on right now are based on my unique experience as a telemarketer!</p>

<p>Thanks again to everyone for their insights!</p>

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<p>Kalamazoo and Knox both do early action, so you should apply then. I think they are both matches for you. I don’t know anything about the first three on your list. U of Ill should be a match as well.</p>

<p>I would suggest Kenyon as a reach over Swarthmore; it is a good school with strong writing, but I think it is a more realistic prospect. For your reach schools, seek out those that don’t look at freshman grades. That bumps you up to like a 3.7.</p>

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<p>^Thanks for the suggestion at looking at Kenyon College. I’ve never heard of Kenyon before which is surprising. I’ll have to see why it didn’t come up in my previous searchs. </p>

<p>Regardless, thanks a bunch. At first glance it looks like a really great school to attend and also like you said, its slightly more realistic than Swarthmore. Gonna dig a little more. Thanks for the suggestion!</p>

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<p>Bump 10char</p>