Chance me Rutgers, University of Alabama, NJIT, and SUNY UB

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

I am a junior in N.J.
Stats:
1240 SAT (retaking hopefully a 1350+)
GPA: 3.41/4 uw 3.74/4.5 weighted

E.C.'s:
I mainly have clubs that have to do with helping students with disabilities (mental and/or physical):

  • buddy ball (play sports with children that have disabilities and socialize)
  • lunch bunch (once a week a eat lunch with students that have disabilities)
  • volunteering for the first aid squad
    Other Clubs I Enjoy:
  • President of Chess and Gaming club
  • Computer Programming Club
  • Varsity Tennis

Life story: My childhood was brutal because one of my family members kept getting angry with me and would started kick boxing me (this is from ages 4-13). For instance, when I spilt a drink in a store, that family member beat me very badly when I got home because of this. As a result of so much physical trauma for years, I developed tic tourettes (doctor diagnosed it), which was pretty much muscle spasms that I could not control in third grade. My self esteem was so bad, that I felt unwanted. People would stare at me, and I would always be asked as to why I was shaking awkwardly so often. Freshman and sophomore year, it was at its worst because I was stressed from all the new work load (stress makes spasms worse). However, this year, I am coping much better because I came to the realization that I am in control of everything. Instead of feeling bad about my tics, I worked hard to not submit to this. I am on a path to finish Junior year with 2 B+'s and 5 A’s.

I am interested in pursuing either computer science, biology, or political science.

Competition is getting increasingly tough, and I know that I must work harder in order to reach a good SAT or ACT. What would be a target SAT or ACT I should aim for in order to give me a great chance at these Colleges: Rutgers, University of Alabama, NJIT, and SUNY UB.

IMPORTANT QUESTION: Should I include my life story in the essay to explain low grades freshman and sophomore year?

2

Were it me, I would rest on my merits and be reluctant to offer “excuses” or too much background implying that the behavior of other people has held me back. There are many posts like yours here. Some people respond that it is OK to include background stories so long as they are conveyed in a way that you demonstrate you have overcome adversity and are more resilient and adaptive as a result.

On the other hand, any normal reader is also reading between lines. So you don’t want the message to be: I was raised by savage wolves, I am one of them too, and now damaged goods but relatively tamed. I would focus less on why your grades were poor and more on what you did to improve them.

3

I think you have a great chance of getting into Bama. If you include that story, I would not make it so emotional. Just explain the facts quickly and more on how it made you the person you are today.