Chance me, I'm scared..

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Disclaimer: this is not your typical applicant. Therefore, this means that this most likely sing your typical application. Junior year was a rough year for everyone, so this shouldn’t be an excuse. However, it is important to note that junior year did slap me in the face…boy did it slap me into next Tuesday. So here goes everything.

Ethnicity: Black/ Caucasian (mother is of Middle Eastern and European descent, father is black)
Sex: Female
Income Bracket: $45,000-$55,000
(Family of 5)

SAT: score will be available in 5 days. I believe I did in the 1900-2000 range, first time taking it (however, PSAT score was 183, so that may give you an idea of how I did)
ACT: will take this fall

This is where things start to get really ugly.

GPA: 3.51 (W) // (UW) 3.23

Courseload: have taken every single honors and AP class that I have been offered. I took algebra 2 and geometry during my sophomore year to move up in math.

Extracurriculars: worked at 3 different fast food places during entire high school career. Mostly worked from 35-45 hours a week. This was because my family needed financial support. I don’t know whether I will be penalized for this or not, but my father gambles a fraction of his income away, thus leaving the family with insufficient funds.
Math team (2 1/2 years. Had to quit to take on more hours at work)
Studying math in my spare time. I have almost finished studying calculus; will test out and be the only student to take multivariable, should they approve the course.

Summer/volunteering: • volunteered in summer program at local library reading to children (summer before 9th grade)
• will attend (in one week), selective summer program that includes doing science research and taking college courses
• will continue working just as I have been for the last 3 summers
• I borrowed textbooks to make sure that I wouldn’t bomb my senior year. I’m nervous, because I want to make it a great senior year for RD.

Counselor Rec: though my GC has acknowledged that I have done poorly during my junior year, she still sees the potential in me and realizes that my mistakes are ones that I have learned from. Will be stellar.

Teacher Recs: (1st): this teacher has watched me grow during my junior year. Recommendation should be amazing, since their class is one in which I have shown immense interest, growth, background, and concern.
(2nd): kind of afraid to approach a 2nd teacher, but I will get to it.

What can I do to improve this application? Is it too late? Will I be blacklisted from every school bc of my GPA? I just wish I had applied to boarding school in 8th grade. I wish things were different. I just don’t know what to do at this point.

2

My GC is making sure that I apply to schools that are have excellent neuroscience departments. Harvard happens to be one of them. I have fallen in love with it, but I don’t know if my GPA will even get my application past the 1st reading

3

@PolyglotGal No, you are not going to be blacklisted from schools! You do have a very unique story. With your URM status, lower income, and working very long hours, I think with a great essay, you will have a good chance of getting into some good schools, but not sure about Harvard.

I have seen similar students getting into Ivy league schools. If you can get your predicted SAT or score well in ACT, you will greatly increase your chances to some good schools. It seems that you have a great GC that can help you with your choices and applications, so make sure she mentions your family situation in her recommendation letter.

I am pretty sure you will do well. Good luck.

4

I think Harvard is going to be very tough, as I believe they have some hard cut-offs for GPA. Doesn’t mean you won’t get through the first round though. However, despite your GPA, I think you have a very compelling story and the URM hook. If you nail your essay, I think you’ll be a very strong candidate for a lot of schools.

Some questions: what’s your home state? Do you have safety schools already in mind? What are the classes that you struggled in/that contributed to the ding on your GPA? (mainly I’m wondering/hoping that your grades tell a story that your math/sciences are strong, since that’s what you want to do) Can you take the SAT IIs in some Math/Sciences in the fall? (will make you more competitive at top schools if you score well) What do you want from a school?

If you let us know some of these, we can help you come up with a well-rounded list. Admittedly, a lot of the top neuroscience schools are going to present a similar conundrum as Harvard–they’ll be extreme reaches for you based on GPA, however if you can tell the right story via your essays/grades/app, you may have a shot. But you’re going to need some really robust safeties & matches, especially financial safeties.

And if you haven’t seen it already, I recommend reading through these successful essays so you can figure out how to frame yours: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/05/20/your-money/college-essays-on-money.html?_r=1

5

Is the summer program NSLC?!

6

@DreamforIvy No it’s not NSLC. That’s so much $$$$$$$$

7

Oh I’m going to the NSLC Medicine and Health camp in 2 days and I was like, "Hey we might see each other

8

Yeah. I don’t think I have a chance. I just saw my SAT score today and it is a 1750. What was I even thinking?

9

Try out the ACT. You are an URM and therefor have a slight skew over everyone else. Furthermore, Harvard isn’t the end all, there’s plenty of great schools around the US. Do you have a list of colleges that you’re considering?

Rate Me Please!

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1787582-chances-ill-chance-back.html#latest

10

I don’t think URM is going to save me in this case. I highly doubt anyone has gotten into Harvard with a 1750 + my stats. I really love this school and I know everything about it, but I don’t think this is going to count or help me. Everyone says to apply EA, but someone with my stats is going to gain an automatic rejection. Are these schools just schools that care about the numbers? Or are they actually holistic? I’m so afraid. I wish I has explained my situation to my teachers during the year, but I hate making excuses. Junior year was supposed to be the best year; turned out to be the absolute worst. For some reason I don’t care, but I just know I am going to be slayed (rather than slay) by college admissions.

11

You need to be realistic. GPA and SAT-wise you are 75% - 80% percentile student. Make a list along those lines.

12

Last year, the absolute lowest GPA reported by incoming freshmen was, I think, a 3.3. The year before, a 3.4. Your unweighted GPA would be very difficult to overcome. In combination with an SAT score of 1750, it’s difficult to imagine admission. If you were to take the ACT and blow it away, or retake the SAT and improve by many hundreds of points. it is likely that your GPA would still be a negative deciding factor. GPA is the single most important objective mearsure most colleges examine. As well, your grades and testing indicate that you might have difficulty keeping up at Harvard.

But there are many good colleges beyond the Ivy League where you might enjoy great success. Ask your guidance counselor to help identify some good, solid colleges that DON’T have average SATs of incoming students of 2235. In my state, Maryland, we have state schools where your grades and test scores would be in range; Salisbury, Towson, and UMBC come to mind. If you could pick up your SAT a hundred or so points, maybe University of Maryland at College Park, which is a major research university. There are several thousand colleges and universities in the United States. There are many that will fit your needs.

13

Everyone is absolutely correct. I mean with Harvard, one should expect rejection. Too many people want it;that acceptance letter. I guess it’s just that I’m bitter. I mean I guess that is understandable. My other classmates had all of this time to primp and polish their GPAs and do the clubs that they wanted. It just sucks to know that you’re going to be penalized for something that was somewhat out of your control. It just sucks to know that you’re going to have to keep trying over and over because the fact of life is that you cannot truly fake your way in without appearing as qualified. I’m just filled with angst at the moment.

14

First, without real SAT score we can’t give you realistic chances. Also, 99.99% of applicants are reaches to Harvard. What was your GPA for all three years?

You didn’t really mention why your junior year was particularly tough. Was it because your father’s gambling got worse? What about your other years?

Where else are you applying? How much can you pay per year? Do you have any safety schools that may give you merit scholarship?

15

Your SAT score is lower than you expected because of the trouble with the June 6 test. A check on here shows lots of students who had taken it before scored LOWER at the June 6 sitting. That tells me that throwing out two sections of the test did affect scores. You’ll probably score at least 100 points higher in October. They will give you a free retake if you call.

16

Thanks for the tip! I thought I had done better, but it was only a 1750. I get a waiver anyway, so I should definitely take it.