SAT: 1950
ACT:29
GPA (unweighted): 3.55
GPA (weighted): 4.22
Class Rank: 209 of 809
I took AP English this year, and got a 5 on the exam. I will be taking AP English Lit and AP Environmental Systems this next year.
I work for a CFO of an insurance agency and do volunteer work with Operation Kindness. I am in newspaper, I’m the president of one school club (it isn’t well known, it was started here in the Dallas area), and an active member of French Club and Science National Honor Society, and I cofounded a nonprofit organization. I am a minority female, as well as the first in my family to attend college. I plan on majoring in philosophy or double majoring in either philosophy/French, philosophy/poli sci, or philosophy/international relations. Writing is a passion of mine, so I expect to do well on the essays and personal statements, and I have good relationships with several teachers who will be writing me recommendations. Below is my list of schools-what are my chances?
Brown U
Yale U
NYU
Barnard College
University of Washington (Seattle)
UC Berkeley
UCLA
George Washington U
UC Santa Barbara
Seattle U
American U
CSU Long Beach
American University of Paris
UT Austin
Brown: Out of reach
Yale: Out of reach
NYU: Reach
Barnard: Reach
UWA: Match
Berkeley: Reach
UCLA: Reach
GWU: High match
UCSB: High match
Seattle: Safety
American: Match
CSULB: Low match
UT-Austin: Reach
American University of Paris: Safety
Also, without seeing your test scores breakdown, I’m just assuming a straight split. With your intended majors, higher scores in CR / EN might up your chances somewhat.
Can’t say I blame you (LOL - that ought to get me some hate!)
Not being a CA resident is going to make those predictions for the UC school overly optimistic (and the schools very expensive!) - some CA person can estimate that better than I can.
@billcsho I am 209 of 809 which is about 25.6%-I don’t really care so much about UT, I’d like to get out of this state and go somewhere a little more exciting-I don’t want a school that’s about 98% greek life and football/parties
@obviouspoetry Then you need to aim a lot lower. More than 1/3 of the schools on your list are out of your reach. How is your UC GPA? More important, can your family afford ~$45-$55k per year?
@obviouspoetry, your scores, GPA, class rank, and curricular rigor seem weak. On the other hand, you are a URM and first generation applicant, and your ECs and academic focus are interesting. I don’t know what your chances are, but given your hooks all bets are off, and I would go for it.
Your SAT of 1950 is just below the 25% percentile for Brown (2011 range 2010-2290). You should try and retake it and get that score up a bit if you can. If you applied ED as a URM you would have 2 hooks. You might consider taking that approach with one of your top schools such as Brown, NYU or Barnard (I am assuming they are high based on the order in which you listed them). They are reaches, but ED for a URM and 1st generation applicant isn’t out of the question, especially if you write your soul out on your essays. Yale is probably too distant a long shot to warrant using up that card to apply SCEA.
@obviouspoetry, although your SAT is between the 50% to 75% range, your unweighted GPA is lower than about 85% of the freshmen who enrolled at UW in 2014 (the average was 3.76), and the acceptance rate for OOS is lower. That 5 on the AP English exam (and solid weighted GPA) will help you, and I think UW is a match for you. Good luck!
@billcsho I don’t want to come off as rude, I did ask for people to tell me my chances, but I don’t need someone telling me to aim lower. Academics are my top priority, as I plan to attend grad school and pursue a career in law. As for the money, anywhere I go is going to cost a fortune, save for a few in state schools with poor academic reputations (which aren’t an option because I’d like to be out of the south and surrounded by plenty of intellectual people). I want a great school in an urban environment, which is how I created my list. Yes, 1/3 of my schools are a bit out of reach. That doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed a rejection letter. Frederick Douglas was told over and over again that he would always be a slave and never live a free man. Imagine if he had listened. No, I don’t have the highest gpa or test scores, and I probably don’t have the best story to tell-but I am very smart, determined, and incredibly passionate about learning. So thank you for your opinion, but I think I must kindly ask you to refrain from posting negative and discouraging comments on my feed-also, for the sake of all others dealing with the stress and anxiety that comes with facing one of the biggest decisions we will ever make, please refrain from posting discouraging comments on other feeds as well.
@obviouspoetry It is good to be optimistic, but you also need to face the reality.If you only want positive feedback, then you are at the wrong forum or you are just trying to fool yourself. I give advises based on the admission statistics. Your GPA and test scores are indeed very unlikely to be admitted at Yale, UCB, UCLA, Brown, etc. It is up to you to try your luck at those highly reach schools. After all, it is your money and your time to spend on the application. Good luck to you.
@obviouspoetry Not to be a jerk, but billcsho is right… Your chances at getting into many of those colleges (Yale, Brown, UCB, a few others) are very, very low, even with stellar essays. While it is good to aim high, realism is just as valuable as optimism in the world of college admissions.
I also agree with billcsho. Also, this is concerning: “As for the money, anywhere I go is going to cost a fortune, save for a few in state schools with poor academic reputations (which aren’t an option because I’d like to be out of the south and surrounded by plenty of intellectual people).” First, this isn’t true. Some options will be far more affordable than others. I hope that you have talked with your parents about what they can contribute to college. You will not be able to just take out as much money in loans as you want.
I think that the OP stands a better chance at private schools with strong financial aid policies than at state schools which have stricter cutoffs based on class rank and GPA. I also don’t see the problem with targeting a few reaches (and applying to one ED), as long as the OP is realistic about the odds and has a balanced list of reaches, near-reaches, matches and safeties.
@suzy100 Yes, I have talked to my parent about this. She didn’t get the opportunity to go to college, so it is very important to her that I do. I am applying for scholarships and there are a few I already know I am getting (softball one & my mother is the president of the Dallas chapter of a women’s organization that gives out scholarships) and I have been saving money-so has my mom. I do have a couple of financial safeties, but many of the well known colleges with good reputations are expensive, especially since I am looking to live in the city. I have actually looked at the numbers, and some of the options that look like smarter financial decisions would actually end up hurting me, due to low earning potential and limited access to internships.
@renaissancedad Thank you-I am looking more toward small private schools and LACs, because I feel as though they would better cater to my interests. I do understand that the odds of me getting into my reach schools are low, but it’s still a possibility. I know that if I don’t apply I will always regret it-the worst that could happen is I don’t get in, right?
I think people are being a bit harsh here - I do agree with some of what y’all (@billcsho@suzy100@averagefail great user btw) are saying, but I think it is totally great and awesome that @catria is being so optimistic and reaching high! although it’s true that just based on stats, hers are on the lower side for those reach schools, so what? It’s not totally out of her reach and given the unpredictability of college admissions, if her essay is genuine and killer, I’d say she’s got as much of chance as anyone else! I understand you guys are just trying to honestly look out for her, but I’d just be a little more sensitive in the way you’re phrasing things, you know? i’m going through the exact same process right now haha so I getcha. good luck @catria
