chance someone with a bad resume for once.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I may have posted this before, I don't really remember. Oh well. Applying EA to Emerson (Writing, Literature and Publishing major) and Fordham. Live in Alabama.</p>

<p>11 AP/Honors throughout 4 years of high school (AP English Language-5, AP US History-3), taking 4 AP this year (English Lit, Microeconomics, Govt, I dunno if those 2 just count as one, AP Bio).</p>

<p>ACT-30 composite (35 english, 32 reading, 28 science, 26 math)</p>

<p>SAT-N/A</p>

<p>GPA-3.2 (uggghhhhh) with a class rank of 170/320 (ughhhhhhhhh, kill me), I go to a public school that is very competitive and our ranking system is extremely skewed towards the kid who takes all regular classes and makes A's in them, rather than the kid who takes mostly AP classes and makes a mid-B in them (me).</p>

<p>ECs:
This summer went to a summer program Boston University, took 2 college-level courses taken in Creative Writing and Persuasive Writing, taught by professors at Emerson
College and Boston University. I'm having my GC send the evaluations done by both professors (in letter format) along with my transcript and all that jazz.
Intern/contributor for Birmingham Weekly magazine (Alternative Press periodical). (11, 12)
Staff Writer for school newspaper (11, 12)
Intern for Skybucket Records, independent record label located in Birmingham. I work on public relations. (11, 12)
Member of Young Democrats Club (10, 11, 12)
“Adviser” of Latin Club (11, 12)
Public Forum/Extemporaneous debater for school Debate Team (11)
DJ for local radio station, Fried Green Radio. I host my own weekly show. (11, 12)
Music writer for online publication <a href="http://www.supmag.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.supmag.com&lt;/a> (11, 12)</p>

<p>Have held down 3 part-time (not concurrently) jobs and I've volunteered a bit at the Zoo but nothing too extensive, I doubt it will improve my application. </p>

<p>Special circumstances:
I think my essays really stand out and I actually think they're pretty good (and I usually HATE most of my writing). the essay is the first mother-lovechild relationship I've had with a piece I've written (sorry, that's the only way I can explain it :p). You can read them if you want, but I think they will help to boost my application a good bit.
Recs should be solid.
I had an interview with Emerson's admission rep for my region, the southeast, when I was in Boston this summer. (They usually don't do interviews.) He seemed to really like me and told me he wanted to see me go to the school, and would fight for me. He will read my application. He knows I love the school.
I'm working on improving my grades by the end of the first quarter, and it seems to be going well though it's only the third week. </p>

<p>Applying to:</p>

<p>Emerson (#1 choice by far)
Fordham
Ithaca
Boston University
Guilford
Warren Wilson
Clark
Northeastern
Eugene Lang</p>

<p>Tell me what you think.</p>

2

<p>Sorry your school is like that. Besides your GPA, you have a very decent resume all-around. Your ECs are good, but you could use a little more community service. Do you play any sports or instruments?</p>

<p>In the end, it'll be your GPA that will hurt you. Being out of the top 50% of your graduating class does not look good no matter what else you have done, barring RSI or something ridiculous.</p>

<p>You seem to have exceptional writing skills, which ought to help you out with Emerson. I'm sorry, I don't know much about the school myself, but you're a good match for Fordham, so if it's about the same level, you shouldn't have too much trouble. Good luck.</p>

3

<p>Non-sequentially:</p>

<p>It's about the same level of Fordham, yes, but a bit more "artsy." Emerson excepts around 52% of applicants EA and I think Fordham is around that percentage. I did some volunteer hours but nothing significant...I didn't even put it on the common app. And yeah I cringe whenever I think about my class rank; thankfully, Emerson evaluates applications holistically, they look at the individual as a whole rather than the raw numbers...allegedly. I really hate myself sometimes for wasting three years of high school. Ugh. </p>

<p>Also, I've played guitar for seven years, I put it on my attached resume but not on the "activities" portion of the Common App. I don't know if that will help or not.</p>

4

<p>At our school, the main-streamers that try to get easy A's STILL get B's, which is quite sad :P.</p>

5

<p>Well, see, I come from an admittedly affluent suburbia (not proud of it), and a good percentage of the kids here ARE naturally smart, and can do well taking all regular classes, and they know it. So they make straight A's, get a nice little scholarship to the state school, and here I am, bottom half of the class and hating myself for it.
It's tragic, really. No one's fault but my own.</p>

6

<p>bump? (10char)</p>

7

<p>It may be too late to help you but they really need to give AP courses more weight in the GPA. Do you have younger siblings? Maybe it's a "cause" that one of your parents would be willing to take on.</p>

8

<p>yeah, I do. It really is unfortunate that my future is determined by numbers.</p>

<p>Anyone wanna chance me? :(</p>

9

<p>any more opinions?</p>

10

<p>I know a few kids from my sons' high school who have been accepted to Emerson with so-so grades but great interest in the special programs that Emerson has. I say go for it! Just to make sure I looked at the Naviance graph for Emerson for our school and they accepted three kids with grades between 2.9 and 3.3, along with some higher gpas. One of them was regular decision and two were early. Be positive and go for it, especially since you've spent time there. And you're not from the northeast, another plus!</p>

11

<p>wow! a 2.9...those kids must have had some interesting hooks. thanks for the encouragement! much appreciated.</p>

12

<p>Actually, not that surprising. The adcoms at Emerson and other similar schools aren't stupid. They can tell when someone is taking fluff courses and not challenging themselves just to get the As. And they'd rather have someone like the OP rather than these "fluff" kids.</p>

<p>My guess is the 2.9 and 3.3 kids that got in took tough courses and were willing to challenge themselves. As a result, they were rewarded for making the effort.</p>

13

<p>And, if I'm right about the two kids with the lower gpas, both have very strong interests right up Emerson's alley--one has a lot of talent in music and recording and the other is a very funny and creative writer and has been very involved with theater.</p>

14

<p>So Calcruzer, you're saying I have a good chance? I've given Emerson some of my creative and published writing, it's in my file there, so that should help (writing is my "hook"). Also I think my ECs should a strong interest in writing and music.</p>

15

<p>Did you get good grades in those summer courses?
With your obvious writing ability, high ACT score, and tough curriculum, I'd expect you to be accepted.</p>

16

<p>They weren't graded courses, no credit either. But I got evaluations from the professors and they were both overwhelmingly positive. I've asked my GC to send them along with my transcript. Thanks for the positivity :) It is much appreciated.</p>

17

<p>I just wanted to thank everyone who's responded for their encouragement...although I know your opinions concerning my admissions are not grounded in fact, they do give me a great deal of hope, which I was in dire need of. Thanks again! :)</p>

18

<p>I think your in at all of those. Also think about Tulane possibly</p>