Chance me!! Low GPA, High ACT!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Background:
Hey guys, I'm a rising senior from NJ. I come from an Indian background. I'm looking to major in Business Administration, looking into International Business, Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Marketing (Dual Major between two of these four). I want a school in a city, don't care if private or public, with study abroad available as well.</p>

<p>Stats:
I have a very low GPA- 3.26, but because of my freshman year and adjusting to High School and a new system (I Studied abroad for a year before high school). I have shown an upward trend as well and an increasing rigor in classes. This year I'm taking AP Biology, English 12 H, Calc, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Honors, and Marketing Honors, as well as Phys. Ed and a study Hall. Last year I took AP Government and Politics and scored a 3 on the exam (ehh...). On my SATs, I scored a 1870 (650 M, 570 CR, 650 W) but I wasn't happy with that score. I took the ACT and scored a 29 Composite (29 M, 29 S, 29 W, 28 R) and retook it in September. I'm predicting a 30-32 composite. My school also does not rank. </p>

<p>Extracurriculars and Activities:
GPA and Test Scores aside, I have an excellent resume and extracurriculars. I worked an internship with an Assemblyman running for Congress and planned a youth event for him, Planned an event for a volunteering service that raised over $108K, I created an organization out in India to help Orphaned HIV children and we got over 50 sponsors to sponsor each child for life, I pitched marketing ideas and building plans to a Mall and they are using them, I interned at medical offices as a network and healthcare administrator and I interned at a hotel to learn how to manage hospitality. I am a black belt in TaeKwonDo, captain of a demo team, captain of a tournament team that has won three championship cups over the last 3 years- regionally, nationally and internationally. Our coach is the head coach for the US Collegiate National TKD Team and also the head coach for the West Point and USMA TaeKwonDo teams. I also fluently speak and read and write two Indian languages- Hindi and Telugu, which I learned while I was studying abroad in India during 7th grade (as said above).</p>

<p>I know my GPA is low, but I am looking at good universities! I'm planning to apply to 13-15 Schools. Please Chance me for: </p>

<p>Definitely Applying:
University of Texas- Austin (First Choice) (I loved it so much!!)
NYU- Stern (BPE Program) (2nd choice- EDII)
Northeastern University (2nd choice)
Drexel
University of Miami
UConn
U of Illinois- Urbana Champaign
Babson College
Villanova
Rutgers NB</p>

<p>Considering (Target):
Boston U
Pepperdine
Fordham
GWU
Indiana U- Bloomington
Penn State
Loyola Marymount U
Ohio State
Syracuse
Purdue University
Temple U (Safety)</p>

<p>Considering (Reach):
Columbia (Dad got his MD Degree from here- Legacy?)
U Winconsin
CMU
Vanderbilt
Duke
UNC
Notre Dame
Lehigh
Boston College
UVA
URichmond</p>

<p>If you have any schools you wish to recommend to me based on my stats, ECs, or options please let me know!! I'm open to anything and honestly do need help as I am a rare case!</p>

2

<p>Also adding Tulane, Georgia Tech and CWRU to the Considering columns. I got a free application from Tulane, which pretty much shocked me.</p>

3

<p>That list is waaaaay too long, cut it down. Just from skimming the list I can tell you the following schools are unrealistic NYU, Northeastern, Columbia, CMU, Duke and BU and GW which you identified as targets are reaches. I will look more closely once the list is cut down, like I said I only skimmed it.</p>

4

<p>I’m not applying to everything, as I said it’s just there for chance. Why would NYU and Northeastern be unrealistic? I think I meet on par with testing requirements, it’s just my GPA. :frowning:
Btw, I have two cousins at Northeastern and I’m also getting an alumni letter for NYU and UT. I don’t know if those help.</p>

<p>If you want the schools I’m really interested in or am strongly considering applying here:
UT Austin
NYU
Northeastern
Drexel
University of Miami
UConn
U of Illinois
Babson College
Villanova
Rutgers NB
Boston U
GWU
Fordham
Indiana U- Bloomington
Pepperdine
Penn State
JMU
Tulane (Free App)</p>

<p>The Considering (Reaches) are just there to see if I have a chance at any for ED.</p>

5

<p>“It’s just my GPA”. </p>

<p>You have to remember that your transcript is the single most important part of your app. It’s very low for NYU, and in particular, Stern. </p>

<p>Sent from my HTC VLE_U using CC</p>

6

<p>I agree with wavetech, if you can’t get that GPA up at least .30 points, then NYU would be a reach. Stern is highly competitive and students who have higher SAT/ACT scores, higher GPAs, and even better extra curriculars than you do, and still don’t get in. Unless you have the money, I would highly recommend only applying to 10 colleges + those that you have free applications to. </p>

<p>Fit Schools for you (According to GPA and ACT):

  • UCONN
  • JMU
  • Possibly Penn State
  • Rutgers
  • Drexel</p>
7

<p>Penn State University Park would be a low reach for you.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for that list of fit schools. Okay, do you still think it’s worth a shot to apply EDII to NYU? And even with my fairly high ACT score and EC’s you think Northeastern or UT Austin are realistic? I’m not sure how many schools to apply to since I’m more of a risky student. Are there any other schools you would reccomend for me?</p>

9

<p>Do you live in Texas? I think Northeastern and BU are realistic! Write great essays. What is your GPA without freshman year?</p>

10

<p>oops … I see you live in NJ. Can you afford to pay?</p>

11

<p>No, I’m from NJ! I know it sounds weird but when I visited UT, I absolutely loved it!
And thanks Murphy, I loved Northeastern too! BU is up there as well. And yes, I can afford to pay for any school. I don’t meet FA requirements, as my parents do make quite a bit of money. How would I calculate my GPA without my freshman year? It was my worst year out of all of them :(</p>

12

<p>Whoops, forgot to add Stony Brook to that list.</p>

13

<p>Your ACT is high compared to the national average, but it is average for your reach schools which means your GPA needs to be close to their averages. As somebody else said the GPA is the most important aspect of the application, it does not matter if you have everything else, if you don’t have the GPA it is a reach. With your current GPA I would say it is not worth it to apply to all your reaches, pick one and focus on it but don’t apply to like six reaches.</p>

14

<p>So exactly would I focus on this one reach…?</p>

15

<p>Northwestern would be a very long shot
ss</p>

<p>are your full pay?</p>

16

<p>Not Northwestern, Northeastern University in Boston. And I can pay full tuition.</p>

17

<p>Bump bump bump!! Anyone else got any advice?</p>

18

<p>I see you have LMU on your list and I am in the same boat as you applying there (if you still are). I think it’s enough with everything else you say you have and with the right essays and letters I think you would do well there. I am from CT and Uconn is definitely an option for you. I think you just need to narrow them down and you will be fine.</p>

19

<p>I would put Boston University as a low reach…</p>

20

<p>Thanks for the responses guys! And Yeah Idreamofscreen, I’m still applying to LMU. It seems like an awesome place out in LA. And I’ve been really looking into UConn as well. What do you mean by narrowing down? My school choices?
And yeah, Catria, that’s what I’m seeing as well with BU. Does anyone know about Northeastern or UT Austin? Those are my two favorite schools.</p>