Chance me?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Penn State
1

<p>I'm really rather worried about my chances of getting into any good college, to be honest with you, because while my grades are high now, I was an absolute slacker during my freshman year. I have turned things around immensely since then, and I have wanted to go to PSU since I was about three, but it is a fairly good school so I'm not sure if they will be fond of my application specs or not. Meeep.</p>

<p>Academia
* GPA: 3.35, and my school doesn't weight. :/
* SAT: 660 CR, 550 M, 730 W -- I can do far better, but I was very ill that day, so I am retaking the test this fall.
* Great recs so far; school has not yet begun for the year, so I only have one for certain that I know of, but if those that teachers gave me for different applications last year are of any indication, I should be absolutely set there.
* 90+ on 7/9 Regents exams, including two 98s, a 99, and a 100.
* My school does not offer AP courses, but they do offer college credit courses through Syracuse University, SUNY Albany, and the local community colleges. I have scored (without a curve) 90 or better as an average in every course. Currently, I have four AP equivalent courses under my belt, am taking another three this year, and my cumulative would-be college GPA thus far is 3.75.
* Dedicated to band. And although our band program is not huge, by "dedicated," I mean that I help out with every fundraiser, practice, am a section leader, will be Band Co-President this year, and so on.
* Four honours courses: chemistry, and four years of being in an English class above my grade level (that is, they aren't labeled as "honours", but when I was in 9th grade they put me into 10th grade English, 10th they put me into 11th, 11th grade they put me into college English and this year should be a 200-level English).
* Six years of language! I have taken Spanish every year, and although it doesn't fit into my schedule for senior year, I am taking it as an independent study sort of option this year in addition to French I my sophomore year and French II this year. That has to count for something, right?
* I will have AWESOME essays. They're already written and, if I may toot my own flute, pretty spifftacular.
* Uh, my guidance counselor doesn't like me much because I'm not in Key Club, so she will -not- give me a good letter. Just to put that out there.
* My GPA went from a 78 at the end of my freshman year to an 89 by the end of this year's summer semester. I hope that makes me look decent.</p>

<p>Senior Schedule
Band
French II
Spanish V Independent Study
SUPA Psychology
SUPA Sociology
UHS English
Precalculus
Physics
Physics lab
Health
Gym
Music Theory</p>

<p>ECs
Art Club, 2006-2007
Concert Band, 2005-2009</p>

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<p>My volunteer experience is somewhat bald; it mostly has to do with band fundraising and helping my best friend with her church festivals.</p>

<p>Eeep? Thanks a ton, guys. If there is anything else you need to know (as if I'm not long-winded enough), please ask.</p>

2

<p>Oh -- sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I just discovered the chances one. :[</p>

3

<p>I think you have a good shot; just raise you SAT math score a bit.</p>

4

<p>Really? Thank you. I was concerned about the GPA as well, as the incoming class evidently averages to a 3.57, but we also don't have a weighted grading system...</p>

5

<p>It might be hard. The average is 3.77 with 3.57 as the 25%ile.</p>

6

<p>Maybe my college GPA will help? My HS GPA is crap, but that's because freshman year was very difficult emotionally: with an October birthday, I am younger than a lot of the people in my grade, and I had few friends, and I was coming out of a rough middle school experience wherein my mum almost died of cancer. The fact that I have a 3.75 for university, though, must count for something, right?</p>

<p>Low chances, yeah, but I bet a lot of people are weighted. The tour guide I talked to had a 4.3. Maybe they will take into consideration that my school has no weighted grades, is fairly competitive, and I have a lot of ECs. I hope so, anyway.</p>

7

<p>^ Are you applying to colleges other than PSU?</p>

8

<p>BU, CUNY City College, Hampshire, Oberlin, Skidmore, Syracuse, VCU, York College of Pennsylvania. Most of them are reach schools, but that doesn't make them impossible.</p>

9

<p>[q]t might be hard. The average is 3.77 with 3.57 as the 25%ile.[/q]</p>

<p>It is tough to say. In general State Universities GPAs tend to look high because many 4.0 students go there to save money.</p>

10

<p>Perhaps it would be helpful to mention, too, that I am an out-of-state hopeful from New York.</p>

11

<p>
[Quote]
but we also don't have a weighted grading system...

[/Quote]

Don't worry about that. If you don't get in, it won't be because of a shortcoming in your school's grading system.</p>

12

<p>What college are you applying to within the PSU main campus? I think you have a great chance of getting in. My sister got on main campus with an SAT score of about a 1590/2400 3 years ago. I only have a 1790/2400 and I'm hoping to get on main. I actually just checked my application status and it says it's under review. Good Luck..but I still think you have a good chance even though you're out of state. Oh, and the essay for the PSU application only allows you to enter 1200 characters...so I ended up deleting quite a bit! I also couldn't fit all my EC's on the web application either. They'll definitely look at the college courses you've taken as well, and I think you send in a transcript from whatever college you've received credits from.</p>

13

<p>I'm just applying to UPark, I have no real reason to attend any of the others. It's pretty outstanding that your sister got on!</p>

<p>Yeah, the web application is slightly annoying. Well, thank you for the nice wishes and optimism, and good luck yourself!</p>

14

<p>Thanks! Now waiting for the acceptance letter seems to be the hardest part! Oh, and I was asking about what college you were interested in at UPark like Smeal, IST, Engineering, etc. I figured you were aiming towards the UP campus to begin with.</p>

15

<p>Oh, sorry! That was silly of me. I am aiming primarily towards Arts and Architecture -- which is why I'm not applying anywhere else -- in addition to Health and Human Development. Music/neuroscience double major. Which one for you?</p>

16

<p>I applied to the college of Information Science and Technology. I put Security Risk Analysis down for my major..but I really don't know yet. I wonder if it's difficult to change colleges once you get there. I was thinking about going into more of the business end of IST. I'm just afraid I won't like what I'm getting myself into and then I'll be lost! lol.</p>

17

<p>Switching majors shouldn't be a problem. Considering that most students change their major up to three times before they find one, switching once should be a breeze. Besides, most of the credits from Security Risk Analysis likely transfer to anything else in IST, if you do decide to change farther along. :**)</p>

18

<p>Ya, hopefully it'll all work out..</p>