Chance Me! Stanford, Brown, Yale, LAC'S

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey everyone. I have no idea where I stand!!

Gender: Female

Race: pale as ice

Residence: California

GPA: 3.65 (UW) UC GPA: 3.75 (also UW). School does not weight.

Class Rank: N/A

ACT: 30 (34E, 21M, 32R, 33S, essay 9/9/9/9). Took with no prep-- retaking to get that math score up.

AP’s/Honors: None offered by school.

EC’s:
**Co-Founder of a startup. Discussed funding with one of Zuckerberg’s funds and Google as well as multiple private investors.
*Patent and two preliminary patents-- produced out of the startup.
*Co-Founder of HS Newspaper, grew it from two of us to a full staff publishing hundreds of copies a quarter in a year
*Co-Captain of HS Forensics club, grew membership to a record high at our school.
*Member of HS LGBTQ+ club.
**Elected to student government in 10th grade.

Hopefully will be published before decisions are out-- Nearly done with a technical article related to the patent and currently working on an investigative journalism piece with a major newspaper-- but neither of these are published as of yet, so please provide evaluation with/without them.

About 180 volunteer hours

Awards:
**1st place for art at the CA State Fair
*Orchestra (I’m a cello, not 1st stand) placed 1st for the past 3 years in a relatively prestigious music competition
*Handful of Forensics awards, some 1st place but mostly smaller ones. Nothing big.
**Prom Queen (ifkr)

Income: 100k.

Hooks (?): Gay (?) Disabled (reason for lowish GPA).

Major: Thinkin about public policy/polisci. I like writing and research specifically. PLS recommend me a major. Journalism? But I feel like I can only do journalism if this article pulls through.

Essays:
Common App: English teacher said it was “one of the most beautiful personal essays” she had ever read. I can’t make this up, I’m really flattered and truly had no idea it was that good. 10/10?
Supplement/School Specific Essays: English teacher said she thought i was “in” with them, quirky, honest. Gonna say 8/10.

Recs: Should be good, and counselor will talk about my disability and how my grades are not indicative of my potential.

CHANCE ME FOR ANY O’ THESE!
Stanford, Brown, Yale, Georgetown, George Washington, NYU, Pomona, Scripps, Barnard, Hamilton, Vassar, Reed

Tear me a new one, CC.

2

Your grades and ACT score will prevent you from consideration from all except perhaps GW, Scripps and Reed.

3

Dang, well I appreciate you not holding back, @Deaston !
I do expect my ACT to get up to at least a 32 since my math was such an anomaly, so I’m not tremendously worried about it. Do you really think my GPA will prevent me from consideration, as you said, in light of my extracurriculars?

4

Based on your stats alone, your chances aren’t that good. Have you taken any honors classes/the most difficult course load at your school? A 32 on the ACT would put you in a better position, but you would still be in the 25th percentile for most of the schools you have listed. If you write exceptional essays, you might have a slim chance. However, from your list, it looks like GW, Scripps, Reed, and maybe NYU would be your best bet.

5

I was going to say “bleak” for Stanford and Yale. I am not particularly hopeful for your chances at the rest of your list either.

Do you have safeties and match schools? Are you expecting to be full pay? Your stats will get you into good schools, but probably not the ones that you have listed.

6

I took the most difficult course load possible at my school, yes. My school grades pretty harshly and it’s very unusual for someone to get a 4.0 @PureShores . My stats are the weakest part of my app, I know! It’s a bummer. I had to homeschool for a semester because of how ill my disability made me, so I’m actually thankful my GPA is where it is.

7

@DadTwoGirls I do have plenty of lower-ranked schools and a for-certain safety! I wanted realistic feedback on my reaches, which I’m very thankful everyone is giving to me.

8

I generally agree with @PureShores regarding this list, although a 32 ACT will likely help at all but Stanford, Brown, Yale. Have you looked at Test Optional colleges to better tell your story? There are some great ones, including Bowdoin and Wesleyan.

We have a disabled daughter and she too has to live both a regular kid life and one with challenges that most won’t ever be able to understand - there is no one stronger than she is, sounds like you are the same. Keep the dream alive and go get it as I am sure you’ll do amazing things!

9

Is your GC able to describe what your disability is? That may make a difference in how colleges perceive your application. I do agree that GW, Scripps, and Reed are your best bets. Have you run the net price calculator on the NYU website? They don’t give great aid.

Your ECs are good. But the first question top colleges have to ask is, “Can you do the work?” Your GPA and test scores together don’t look good in that respect.

10

@intparent yes, my GC is a big fan of mine. He has been adamant that he will write a very explanatory letter of rec as he has handled a lot of red tape and paperwork that goes along with a disability and knows exactly how my diagnosis has affected me. I am very lucky to have a GC as supportive as he.

Scripps and Reed are definitely in my top five, so it is good to hear that you think I have a shot at them. I took a look at my school’s past admissions data for Reed on Naviance and I was definitely in the “admit” range. Super hopeful for Reed!

@Chembiodad it sure gives us a lot to juggle! Thank you for your kind words and let your daughter know we’re all rooting for her.

I will check out some test-optionals.

11

@newkidnewtrix, yes lots to juggle, but it doesn’t keep her from going to the rock climbing gym every week! Test optional schools are likely to have a more holistic approach, so they’ll be better able to appreciate your strong scores, periods of lower GPA , and what you bring with your EC’s and life experiences - Bates is another great test optional LAC.

12

Not an expert, but I think you have a shot at every school on your list. A long shot for some, but don’t count yourself out. I think you were vague for privacy which is totally legit, so I’m assuming that the major newspaper really is major and that the startup is not a BS college stunt (admissions officers see right through that), but I could be wrong. A lot of the following is based on some optimistic assumptions of your profile.

It sounds like you have a really interesting, unique story to tell about an individual that takes initiative and goes off the beaten path. Selective universities are looking for interesting (and overachieving) individuals that would add something unique to their class. I don’t mean to be glib, but gay prom queen with a (potentially) Facebook/Google-backed startup and multiple patents who founded/grew the school newspaper and does investigative reporting with a major national publication on the side is a great package to sell. Lock down those publications; those can become tantamount to major awards which are largely absent from your app.

On your stats: yeah, 4.0/36 ACT would be better. But there are ways to be strategic about the 3.65/30. Make the obstacle your disability provided very clear. Have your GC write about it. Put it in the “additional info” section of the common app. If you found ways to overcome your disability and your grades had an upward trend, hell, find a way to make a supp about that. Two birds right there. Make it a compelling part of your story, not a blemish on your app.

Not a single person from my school who’s gone on to attend Stanford had a 4.0. That school in particular is looking for interesting, innovative mavericks. It sounds like you are; sell it. Good luck!

13

Brown, Pomona, Stanford and Yale are high reaches, but who knows, your ECs and essay might grab someone’s attention. And the only way you have a 0% chance is if you don’t apply.

I would think of Barnard, Georgetown, Hamilton and Vassar as “standard” reaches. In my book, that means a 5-15% chance of admission.

I think NYU, Reed, and Scripps are probably low reaches. (15-25%)

GWU is a match. (40-60%)

Getting your ACT up 2-3 points will help everywhere, even a little bit at B/P/S/Y – those are still very long shots with a 3.65 GPA, but every little improvement helps.

Definitely add a couple more match-range schools and a safety if you haven’t already. If you need ideas, holler.

Obviously, run the NPC on every school to make fairly certain you can afford it.

14

NYU is a good match if you get the act up, brown, Stanford, and Yale are obvious reaches and I’m not sur ebaout the other ones. NYU isn’t completely out with a 30 but it’ll be a match for sure with a higher act

15

Chance me back please