Chance Me Up!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Personal: African American female, parents married, income little less than 30k, 2 sibs over 21, twin brother. First person to go to college in my family.</p>

<p>Possible hooks: My mom is a drug addict and has spent most of my life in prison, dad has diabetes</p>

<p>Academics: I go to an very crappy public school in Wichita, KS,
GPA: 4.00 Unweighted (cumlative) 4.2 Weighted
Rank: 1/287
4 honors classes (3 English, 1 US History), 1 APs (US History - Score 4)
Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Math: Geometry, Algebra 2, PreCalc/Trig
Foreign Lang: Spanish 2, Spanish 3
Hardest courses available at my school, sadly.</p>

<p>College Credit: Wichita State University: 3 hrs Public Speaking</p>

<p>Senior courses (full load): AP Chem, AP English, AP Psych, College Algebra, et.al
Also in a dual credit program with local technical college that is training me to become a certified nursing assistant.</p>

<p>ACT w/o writing (can’t retake): E:30 M:28 R:33 S:25 Composite:29
PSAT: 198
Studying for SAT and plan on taking in November
Will also try to take three subject tests in December: Literature or US History, Chemistry, Math 2. (will use fee waivers)</p>

<p>ECs:
Scholars Bowl - 4 years, varsity captain, lettered twice
National Honors Society - 2 years, Senior president
Health Occupation Students of America - President
20+ hrs of shadowing health care professionals
60+ hrs of community service (not in hospital, tho)</p>

<p>Awards:
High Honor Roll, 9-12
Student of the Month 12/05
AMC schoolwide winner: 9th - 2nd place, 10-11th - 1st place. Qualified for AIME this year.
Wichita State University Presidential Scholar, 2006
Phi Kappa Phi Junior Scholars award, 2006
Questbridge College Prep Winner, 2006
Ventures Scholar
National Achievement Semifinalist</p>

<p>I'd like to major in Neuroscience or Pre-Medical studies. After college I'll attend med school.</p>

<p>Here are the colleges I'm currently looking at:</p>

<p>Out of State
*Pomona College - 1st choice
*Amherst College
*Oberlin College
*Claremont Mckenna College
Kenyon College
Pitzer College</p>

<p>*Applying to these thru Questbridge's College Match application.</p>

<p>In-state
University of Kansas
Should put U of K as my first choice for Nat'l Achievement because they offer a full ride if I become a finalist? Or should I put Pomona, my first choice, even they probably do not offer as much money, to show interest?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for any response.</p>

2

<p>Hello? Anyone out there?</p>

3

<p>Some comments:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>You've got five definitive hooks: You are a URM (Under Represented Minority), you're relatively low income, you're the first person from your family to go to college, you're an AIME qualifier, and (though the hookiness of this depends on the location of the school you apply to), you're from Kansas. You're Mom's problems may or may not be a real hook, depending on how you handle it. You might want to talk about it in your essays, if talking about it illuminates your personality, characteristics, and passions, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Your ECs and in particular your awards are pretty impressive. Make sure every college you apply to sees that list. </p></li>
<li><p>Based on your stats - your ACTs in particular - your current college list is pretty tough. Here's how I see it:</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Pomona College - Reach
Amherst College - Reach
Oberlin College - High match/Low reach
Claremont Mckenna College - Reach
Kenyon College - Match
Pitzer College - Match
U of Kansas - Safety</p>

<p>On the other hand, your URM/low income status and all those awards should give you a boost at all those schools, so I wouldn't discourage you from applying to any of them. Amherst, in particular, has a somewhat eccentric admissions policy, and a female, afro-american aime qualifier from Kansas who's #1 in her class may be exaclty what they're looking for. At any rate, my bet is that you'll get into at least one of the reach schools, though I suggest you add another low match or safety to your list.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Score 2100 or above on your SATs and you significantly improve your chances at all the schools on your list. Really.</p></li>
<li><p>As far as the Nat'l Achievement stuff goes, I don't know whether it makes any difference which school you put down as your first choice. If you get the scholarship, I assume it will be applied to pay for whichever school you choose to go to, regardless of which you've chosen as your first choice.</p></li>
</ol>

4

<p>You'll get in everywhere.</p>

<p>Amptron, you seriously underestimate the major hooks that low income URM from a bad school with drug addict mom are.</p>

5

<p>Maybe...But she's competing with other low income URMs who have 2100+ SATs or 32+ ACTs, equally strong ECs, and equally sketchy home lives, and lots of low income kids with as strong or stronger stats. I think she has a decent chance at the schools she's listed, but not guarenteed admittance to any. And as I said above, scoring 2100 or better on the SATs would really improve her chances.</p>

6

<p>As long as your score on the SAT is comparable to what your PSAT and ACT scores were, and you give proper focus to the applications at the more competitive schools (strong Personal Statement, no typos, etc.) you will likely get in everywhere you apply. It's simply a supply and demand issue. As you know, colleges strive for a diverse student environment. The problem that the colleges have is that there just aren't enough strong African American students to go around. Further, the strong students are typically from higher income African American families. Let's say the top ten colleges in the country each send out 2000 acceptances to the freshman class each year. (Remember also that not everyone they accept matriculates, so they accept a lot more than spots they actually have.) They all want 8 to 10 percent African Americans for diversity. That translates to 150-200 African American acceptances per school, or about 1500 to 2000 total acceptances for the top ten schools. There are about 1500 to 1600 Achievement Semi-l do well, and there are barely enough to meet the requirements of just theFinalists. These top ten schools need the best students, to assure they wil top ten schools. Translation, as long as grades and EC's are there also, the top schools will gobble up all the high scoring African Americans they can. In the schools that you've listed you will similarly be in high demand. Seriously, with your background even Harvard (which by the way is free to accepted students from families making less than $60,000) is a distinct possibility. But, from the schools in your list it looks like you prefer the smaller liberal arts colleges, and it's best to go where you feel most comfortable. (There are after all a fair amount minuses, along with pluses of going to the Ivys.) So, I'd say continue preparing for the SAT, do well, properly fill in the blanks in the applications, and you will get in pretty much everywhere in your list. The only issue may be financial aid next April, but don't be afraid of playing comparable colleges against each other. Kansas may not work, but if Claremont offers all grant and no loans, and Pomona offers some loans, tell a parent to call the Pomona Fin Aid office, tell them your #1 is Pomona but Claremont's aid is better. Pomona may "adjust" their offer. Congratulations, and good luck.</p>

7

<p>Hmm... Somehow a couple sentences got mixed. Should have read: "There are about 1500 to 1600 Achievement Semi-Finalists. These top ten schools need the best students, to assure they will do well, and there are barely enough to meet the requirements of just the top ten schools."</p>